MU Alumni playing in European and Foreign Leagues Thread

[JWags85]

Some clarification needed here. Travis was at the point of his NBA career where he had no contract and was looking at the life of a player hoping to catch on mid season with 10 day contracts . He left while he had enough value to get to a strong European team and make consistent money (less than NBA), rather than be a vagabond NBA with no consistent job.

Henry Ellenson has done that exact same thing .

Correct.  Love Travis, but he didn't "choose" star in Europe.  It was his only choice to keep playing.  He was getting no playing time and his NBA options the next year would have been bleak.  And he joined a recently promoted team in Italy, not a Euroleague power.  He got paid well I'm sure, but it was nowhere near NBA money.

I think his exception statement includes Travis:  "The only Euro guys staying there would be out of the NBA in a year or 2 and stay where they can make $1MM for the next 5+ years"

Yea, my point was guys in their prime, who can sign with an NBA team, aren't choosing to stay in Europe.  If your option is hoping for a 1 year deal or staying with your Euroleague club, then maybe you stay in Europe.  Look at Mike James who I spoke of.  Absolute star in Europe, got out of his deal with CSKA Moscow to chase NBA.  Signed a couple of 10 days with the Nets.  Was just ok.  Now he's back in Europe.  That wasn't a "choice" so much as he wasn't getting good NBA looks after that stint.

[brewcity77]

Going back to old reports, it looks like Travis had the option of being the third point guard for Miami, Cleveland, and possibly Milwaukee, but decided to go overseas instead. He was only 28, so it's not like he was washed. He did deal with an injury, but he got some minutes for Portland in the playoffs in 2010 so there's no reason to think he couldn't have gone back to being an end of the bench guy had he wanted to.

Is that all that different from Markus now? Sure, Markus is 23, but his options are probably end of an NBA bench or going overseas. I'm guessing they aren't alone in choosing relative European certainty over NBA uncertainty.

[Its DJOver]

Wasn't the whole reason that the Overseas Elite TBT team was so dominant for a few years because they had 2-3 guys that had NBA end of bench offers, but they actually wanted to play significant minutes?  I'm not sure how the compensation packages compared, but it's the same mindset that a lot of collegiate athletes have dropping down a level in competition in order to be the BMOC, i.e. Sandy Cohen.

[JWags85]

Going back to old reports, it looks like Travis had the option of being the third point guard for Miami, Cleveland, and possibly Milwaukee, but decided to go overseas instead. He was only 28, so it's not like he was washed. He did deal with an injury, but he got some minutes for Portland in the playoffs in 2010 so there's no reason to think he couldn't have gone back to being an end of the bench guy had he wanted to.

Is that all that different from Markus now? Sure, Markus is 23, but his options are probably end of an NBA bench or going overseas. I'm guessing they aren't alone in choosing relative European certainty over NBA uncertainty.

But he was washed in terms of NBA potential.  He got his NBA chance, he was in his late 20s, he reached his NBA peak prior and there was a greater chance of him being cut/bouncing on 10 days then playing even 3-4 more years as an end of the bench guy.  He played a combined 6 min in 2 playoff games that the Blazers lost by 20 and 30 points.  The literal least amount of minutes on the entire team.  His NBA journey was done.

Markus is different because his choice is G League or playing high level in Europe.  At 23, both are trying to get back on the NBA radar, but the latter offers a bigger payday.  And Markus is already going to a higher level than Travis was playing at.  Plenty of guys played in Europe in their early/mid 20s and got back on the NBA radar before sticking.  Pat Beverly, PJ Tucker, Darius Miller, etc...

But back to the original point, nobody, even European guys, anywhere close to their prime are staying in Europe versus being even Jordan Nwora/Jevon Carter.

[lawdog77]

Brendan Bailey playing well in Sweden

https://www.eurobasket.com/Sweden/news/770014/Bailey-number-one-in-Sweden-Basketligan-for-round-2

[jfp61]

Good for Brendan. I saw the G league wasn't working out for him. Happy he found a decent spot.

[tower912]

Good for BB.  I wish he had come back for another year.   

[muwarrior97]

Brendan Bailey playing well in Sweden

https://www.eurobasket.com/Sweden/news/770014/Bailey-number-one-in-Sweden-Basketligan-for-round-2

Nice! Oh what could have been eh'

Koby McEwan getting a shout-out in the same article

[Herman Cain]

Modest results for Markus in Europe so far . Those leagues are tougher than many realize .

https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Markus-Howard/Spain/Bitci-Baskonia-Vitoria/337691

[MU82]

Good for BB.  I wish he had come back for another year.

Bailey's such an interesting case. His father is a bright guy who obviously knows the ins and outs of NBA basketball; he had to know his son had zero chance at the NBA.

I'd love to read or see an interview of Thurl in which a few questions about Brendan's decision are asked.

[cheebs09]

Bailey's such an interesting case. His father is a bright guy who obviously knows the ins and outs of NBA basketball; he had to know his son had zero chance at the NBA.

I'd love to read or see an interview of Thurl in which a few questions about Brendan's decision are asked.

I wouldn't be shocked if NIL was around, Bailey would have stayed. I think he wanted to go out and make money. I believe he had a child around that time too.

[Newsdreams]

Bailey's such an interesting case. His father is a bright guy who obviously knows the ins and outs of NBA basketball; he had to know his son had zero chance at the NBA.

I'd love to read or see an interview of Thurl in which a few questions about Brendan's decision are asked.

He was going to become a father in less than a year, could have had something to to do with.

[MU82]

Thanks. I either never heard about his impending fatherhood or forgot about it. Makes more sense now.

[Newsdreams]

Thanks. I either never heard about his impending fatherhood or forgot about it. Makes more sense now.

I don't think it was mentioned here but was on his Instagram. I followed him, I'm a creepy old man

[Newsdreams]

Thanks. I either never heard about his impending fatherhood or forgot about it. Makes more sense now.

First time he posted about it
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIELt7ApDg8/?igshid=NDc0ODY0MjQ=

[MU82]

Nice.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

https://twitter.com/kantinu/status/1581023808496226306

I guess Howard can hit buzzer beaters 

33 points on 8/12 3P shooting is not too shabby either

[Newsdreams]

https://twitter.com/kantinu/status/1581023808496226306

I guess Howard can hit buzzer beaters 

33 points on 8/12 3P shooting is not too shabby either

Chucker

[Herman Cain]

https://twitter.com/kantinu/status/1581023808496226306

I guess Howard can hit buzzer beaters 

33 points on 8/12 3P shooting is not too shabby either

Nice to see Markus with a break out game. Hope he keeps up the momentum .

Seems like he was having a lot of fun .

[Uncle Rico]

https://twitter.com/kantinu/status/1581023808496226306

I guess Howard can hit buzzer beaters 

33 points on 8/12 3P shooting is not too shabby either

I'd be more excited if he was white and quit on the program

[Elonsmusk]

I'd be more excited if he was white and quit on the program

How long do you plan on beating this dead horse?  Your pre-occupation with making the Markus/Hauser deal racial is just plain stupid.  The reality is, is that if we had a Head Coach at that time who had a clue, the issue would have been resolved.  Instead we had a complete doofus as coach who essentially discouraged playing team basketball by imploring Markus to shoot more and to give him the "ultimate green light." 

Not Markus's fault - he did what the coach asked.  Not the Hausers fault, that being skilled shooters themselves, they didn't want to play for a coach who didn't value team basketball and their skills.  Most basketball players don't love busting their ass on defense for 30 seconds, and to then go to the other end and see their teammate frequently jack up 25' step back 3's less than 10 seconds into the shotclock.

[Uncle Rico]

How long do you plan on beating this dead horse?  Your pre-occupation with making the Markus/Hauser deal racial is just plain stupid.  The reality is, is that if we had a Head Coach at that time who had a clue, the issue would have been resolved.  Instead we had a complete doofus as coach who essentially discouraged playing team basketball by imploring Markus to shoot more and to give him the "ultimate green light." 

Not Markus's fault - he did what the coach asked.  Not the Hausers fault, that being skilled shooters themselves, they didn't want to play for a coach who didn't value team basketball and their skills.  Most basketball players don't love busting their ass on defense for 30 seconds, and to then go to the other end and see their teammate frequently jack up 25' step back 3's less than 10 seconds into the shotclock.

Yes, how long will I beat that dead horse?

[Elonsmusk]

Yes, how long will I beat that dead horse?

Yes.

[MU82]

How long do you plan on beating this dead horse?  Your pre-occupation with making the Markus/Hauser deal racial is just plain stupid.  The reality is, is that if we had a Head Coach at that time who had a clue, the issue would have been resolved.  Instead we had a complete doofus as coach who essentially discouraged playing team basketball by imploring Markus to shoot more and to give him the "ultimate green light." 

Not Markus's fault - he did what the coach asked.  Not the Hausers fault, that being skilled shooters themselves, they didn't want to play for a coach who didn't value team basketball and their skills.  Most basketball players don't love busting their ass on defense for 30 seconds, and to then go to the other end and see their teammate frequently jack up 25' step back 3's less than 10 seconds into the shotclock.

Speaking of beating a dead horse! I wonder if in 20 years you'll still be whipping this old gray mare.

Anyhoo ...

Sam had about the same stats at Virginia that he had at Marquette, and he completed his 0-for-the-NCAAT history with a 4-for-16 choke-a-thon as UVa's "chucker" vs. the mighty Ohio Bobcats. After escaping the evil Markus/Wojo combo to play under a Hall of Fame coach, Joey has regressed by miles. Turns out, his best role as a college basketball player was as one of Markus' wingmen.

And anyhoo ...

Great to see Marquette's all-time scoring leader and first-team All-American doing well. That was an amazing shot, and I thank the Wiz for providing the video. I do wish Markus had hit similar shots against Seton Hall and St. John's, though.

[Uncle Rico]

Yes.

Crean sucks