MU Alumni playing in European and Foreign Leagues Thread

[MU82]

Vander leading the Mexican League in Scoring

https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/76/Mexican-LNBP

Teammates mad cuz he won't slap cinco!

[MUBurrow]

Vander leading the Mexican League in Scoring

https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/76/Mexican-LNBP

Stats leaderboard wasn't quite the "let's remember some guys" trip I was hoping it would be - Reyshawn Terry, Samardo Samuels, Tony Mitchell were the names that jumped out.

[wildbillsb]

Jumped out of where exactly?

[The Lens]

This thread is a great argument for having a Basketball Major or Minor.  How many scholarship players have we had who did not play in the NBA / G League / Overseas for a few years?  Matt Heldt seems to be the only one. 

[The Sultan]

This thread is a great argument for having a Basketball Major or Minor.

I guess if you want to have your school lose accreditation, that's a great idea.  Otherwise, it's not.

[Herman Cain]

This thread is a great argument for having a Basketball Major or Minor.  How many scholarship players have we had who did not play in the NBA / G League / Overseas for a few years?  Matt Heldt seems to be the only one.

Michigan State used to have a Phys Ed major many years ago. I don't know if they still have it.

[The Lens]

I guess if you want to have your school lose accreditation, that's a great idea.  Otherwise, it's not.

I would imagine there's a middle ground between creating a minor that prepares players for a 5-10 year professional career overseas + post playing opportunities in coaching, scouting and individual instruction and losing a University losing its accreditation.

[The Sultan]

I would imagine there's a middle ground between creating a minor that prepares players for a 5-10 year professional career overseas + post playing opportunities in coaching, scouting and individual instruction and losing a University losing its accreditation.

What you are advocating is a job skills program - not an academic course of study.

[warriorchick]

What you are advocating is a job skills program - not an academic course of study.

Maybe it could be part of sports management specialty in the College of Business.

[Billy Hoyle]

I would imagine there's a middle ground between creating a minor that prepares players for a 5-10 year professional career overseas + post playing opportunities in coaching, scouting and individual instruction and losing a University losing its accreditation.

Most schools that do have Phys Ed majors house them within their schools of Education.

Maybe it could be part of sports management specialty in the College of Business.

There are a lot of schools adding graduate and undergraduate programs in Sports Administation and Sports Management. Business is the perfect place to put it. MU should have one in conjunction with the Sports Law program at MULS.

[The Lens]

It's funny to me that advocating to help 12 students who drive millions of dollars of exposure, marketing and revenue for your University be prepared for success in their post University life could hurt your University's academic standing. 

[warriorchick]

It's funny to me that advocating to help 12 students who drive millions of dollars of exposure, marketing and revenue for your University be prepared for success in their post University life could hurt your University's academic standing.

How much did UNC's joke of an African American Studies program hurt its academic standing?

At least we could be reasonably confident that MU would make a Sports Management program a legitimate course of study.

[Herman Cain]

Sacar playing well

https://mobile.twitter.com/tripledoublesm/status/1446943502181576714

[MUHoopsFan2]

How much did UNC's joke of an African American Studies program hurt its academic standing?

At least we could be reasonably confident that MU would make a Sports Management program a legitimate course of study.

African American Studies is not 'a joke' my friend... It's as legitimate to some as any other studies you can elect to take.

What do you mean?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

African American Studies is not 'a joke' my friend... It's as legitimate to some as any other studies you can elect to take.

What do you mean?

She didn't say African American studies is a joke. She said the one at UNC was a joke.   There was a several year investigation that found that most of the classes were faked so that athletes could pass easily

[Dr. Blackheart]

She didn't say African American studies is a joke. She said the one at UNC was a joke.   There was a several year investigation that found that most of the classes were faked so that athletes could pass easily

And UNC's defense was that it was an accreditation issue and that the NCAA shouldn't bother itself with athlete academic cheating.

[MU82]

And UNC's defense was that it was an accreditation issue and that the NCAA shouldn't bother itself with athlete academic cheating.

And the NCAA agreed, saying it was out of their purview.

Never mind that they have a "lack of institutional control" way of punishing such blatant academic fraud -- which IMHO is a far worse kind of cheating than slipping an athlete some $$ from boosters.

They simply punted. What a joke.

[Herman Cain]

Vander continuing his hot ways in Mexican League. After 18 games leading the league in scoring at 22.1. Also shooting 52.2% on 3s. Making 78.9 percent of his free throws , which have been a problem in the past for him. 4.17 assist and 4.11 Rebounds. 

Delighted for Vander's success so far this year.


https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Vander-Blue/Summary/9340

[burger]

Vander continuing his hot ways in Mexican League. After 18 games leading the league in scoring at 22.1. Also shooting 52.2% on 3s. Making 78.9 percent of his free throws , which have been a problem in the past for him. 4.17 assist and 4.11 Rebounds. 

Delighted for Vander's success so far this year.


https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Vander-Blue/Summary/9340

Reading through that history of signing and cuts.   Sure does infer that he burnt a lot of bridges.  At 29 his window  may have closed.

[BrewCity83]

In Mexico they call him Vander Azul.

[cheebs09]

Reading through that history of signing and cuts.   Sure does infer that he burnt a lot of bridges.  At 29 his window  may have closed.

I'm not sure he burnt a lot of bridges. I think he's a good player who is not a good enough player to be in the NBA. Many of those guys go to Europe, but Vander stayed in the G-League hoping for a call-up. This led to some Summer League invites.

He's basically a AAAA player in baseball.

[DoctorV]

I'm not sure he burnt a lot of bridges. I think he's a good player who is not a good enough player to be in the NBA. Many of those guys go to Europe, but Vander stayed in the G-League hoping for a call-up. This led to some Summer League invites.

He's basically a AAAA player in baseball.

Italian Cup MVP (2018) Italian Cup champion (2018) NBA D-League MVP (2017) 2× All-NBA D-League First Team (2016, 2017) 3× NBA D-League All-Star (2015–2017)

He was D League MVP in 2017, two time first team, and got a cup of tea in the NBA.
That's like high triple A ready to make a September roster in baseball, at least at that time.

Sure it's 3 years later and now he's likely a double A player sticking with the baseball analogy (I guess I don't really understand the AAAA...)

Juan Toscano Anderson was another alum Mexican League standout that got a shot and is making the most of it in the NBA, so crazier things have happened

[JWags85]

Sure it's 3 years later and now he's likely a double A player sticking with the baseball analogy (I guess I don't really understand the AAAA...)

AAAA is kind of the parlance for guys that bounce between AAA and the majors but can't stick.  Too good to be just AAA guys but not good enough to be MLB regulars.  That's kind of been Vander's peak.

It's really unfortunate that he seems to have some issues (homesick, culture shock, etc...) with playing in Europe.  Cause he's shown he could be excellent there.  He doesn't have NBA size, but he has decent size for the 2 and he can score prolifically.  He could have had a really nice career in not just Europe, but the Euroleague.  He still has time, but I don't think it's in the cards for him.

[Avenue Commons]

One of the homegrown Japanese stars resigned last year for a deal that was close to $1MM annually. And Nick Fazekas, another American who found a place as a star in the B League, gave an interview not long ago saying that coming back to the NBA on a minimum or a lot of places in Europe would be a pay cut, so safe to say DG is probably safely over that $500K mark in a league where he is beloved, likely has plenty of sponsorship/marketing opportunities, and could continue to play for another decade

Nick Fazekas almost came to Marquette if I remember correctly.

[tower912]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAoWmqBvoCw

It is sort of a foreign league.