MU Alumni playing in European and Foreign Leagues Thread

[Herman Cain]

Henry getting steady playing time in Spain
https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Henry-Ellenson/334250

Jamil Found a team in Lithuania this year

https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Jamil-Wilson/189158

[DoctorV]

Highlight reel.  Good stuff:

https://twitter.com/ACBCOM/status/1602028569945075712

Dude is unreal. Never ceases to amaze me.

Pound for pound one of the best shooters to ever lace em up.

As Marquette fans having him and Steve Novak come through the program in the last 20 years is special.

[tower912]

If it weren't for the COVID shutdown, assuming normal production in The BEast tournament game and the NCAA tourney game, top 20 scorer in NCAA history.   

We won't see his like again.

[JWags85]

If it weren't for the COVID shutdown, assuming normal production in The BEast tournament game and the NCAA tourney game, top 20 scorer in NCAA history.   

We won't see his like again.

And still, on a pure PPG basis, he's top 5 all time for major conference players. And who is he behind? Pistol Pete, Big O, Elvin Hayes, and Otis Birdsong, while basically tied with Allan Houston.  Just remarkable considering his competition all 4 years

[warriorchick]

Markus with the game-winning shot from the literal corner:

https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1612179606383071237

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Markus with the game-winning shot from the literal corner:

https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1612179606383071237

Helluva shot. Not quite a game winner but a dagger

[Newsdreams]

Markus with the game-winning shot from the literal corner:

https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1612179606383071237

Chucker

[Herman Cain]

Markus with the game-winning shot from the literal corner:

https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1612179606383071237

Perfect environment for Markus. Smile on his face is good to see.

[🏀]

Gray contrasting color courts are awesome. Would love to see that in the Fiserv.

[MU82]

Perfect environment for Markus. Smile on his face is good to see.

He can make a lot of money and have a lot of fun.

What does happen fairly often for U.S. men and women playing basketball overseas is that eventually some just feel too homesick and isolated. But not all, obviously. Some love it and even make a home for themselves there.

I wish our all-time scoring leader, first-team All-American and great ambassador nothing but success.

[DoctorV]

Yep, hope he continues to have tons of success and becomes a folk hero of sorts in the highest level of Euroball, which he's already on his way to.

Selfishly, I really wish Olympiakos in Greece would sign him.

Something tells me that he's got a Jeremy Lin type moment, or Steve Novak etc, in the NBA in his future, and hopefully he can stick for several years.

[BobWildLoyalist]

Gray contrasting color courts are awesome. Would love to see that in the Fiserv.

Please, no

[Shooter McGavin]

Yep, hope he continues to have tons of success and becomes a folk hero of sorts in the highest level of Euroball, which he's already on his way to.

Selfishly, I really wish Olympiakos in Greece would sign him.

Something tells me that he's got a Jeremy Lin type moment, or Steve Novak etc, in the NBA in his future, and hopefully he can stick for several years.

100% Doctor V on his NBA moment coming.  There are only a handful of people on the planet that can shoot like Markus.  He would be a perfect microwave off an NBA bench.  I don't care how short he is.  The NBA GM who takes his head out of his ass first is going to be very happy they did.

[The Sultan]

100% Doctor V on his NBA moment coming.  There are only a handful of people on the planet that can shoot like Markus.  He would be a perfect microwave off an NBA bench.  I don't care how short he is. The NBA GM who takes his head out of his ass first is going to be very happy they did.

But it matters how short he is. Just did a quick look at the all NBA roster, and there are two guys in the entire league right now under six feet. Howard played 60+ games in the league so it's not as though he is a complete unknown. He will get his chance in the future, but it is completely understandable why NBA GMs are skeptical.

[JWags85]

He can make a lot of money and have a lot of fun.

What does happen fairly often for U.S. men and women playing basketball overseas is that eventually some just feel too homesick and isolated. But not all, obviously. Some love it and even make a home for themselves there.

Lot easier to overcome that when you're in Markus' position making a nice 6 figures, living/playing in a mid sized Western European city in an NBA sized arena, etc...  Same for someone like Fischer.  I think the scenarios you mention happen with guys in the second and third tier leagues who are playing in more off the beaten path areas for much lower salaries and amenities.  Big difference between playing in a French/Spanish/Greek city in front of 10K fans than playing in Lithuania/Georgia/Macedonia for a team in a town of 30K people on a court with volleyball/handball lines on it for $4-5K a month.

[Herman Cain]

Vander now playing in Qatar. I think he is on the same team that Dominic James was on for a few years.

https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Vander_Blue/197724

Seems like Vander has a good program going now. Plays the Mexican Season which starts in the late summer and then when it is finished in October, Vander picks up a second team somewhere in the world.

[Shooter McGavin]

But it matters how short he is. Just did a quick look at the all NBA roster, and there are two guys in the entire league right now under six feet. Howard played 60+ games in the league so it's not as though he is a complete unknown. He will get his chance in the future, but it is completely understandable why NBA GMs are skeptical.

Sultan I understand that argument well.  And in 99.9% of cases I agree.  But Howard is special (exceptional really) and falls within the 0.1% IMO.  I think a GM that takes a chance and the coach that lets him get some minutes with a second unit will be very happy in short order.  I hope that theory is tested.  I don't think he got the shot in Denver that I am talking about.  The kid needs a little bit more leash and PT and he will thrive.

[avid1010]

Dude is unreal. Never ceases to amaze me.

Pound for pound one of the best shooters to ever lace em up.

As Marquette fans having him and Steve Novak come through the program in the last 20 years is special.

It would be interesting to see how he would fit in on a Shaka coached team that stresses defensive accountability and playing for each other.

I know I'm in the minority here...but I didn't care for his style of play.  Maybe that was Wojo and/or the talent we had...but he's not even in the same discussion as a Travis Diener IMHO. 

[avid1010]

Sultan I understand that argument well.  And in 99.9% of cases I agree.  But Howard is special (exceptional really) and falls within the 0.1% IMO.  I think a GM that takes a chance and the coach that lets him get some minutes with a second unit will be very happy in short order.  I hope that theory is tested.  I don't think he got the shot in Denver that I am talking about.  The kid needs a little bit more leash and PT and he will thrive.

Don't see it...he's not a 3 and D guy...he's not capable of finishing at the rim...as a result isn't going to create for others.  The Euro clips show him playing off the ball...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Don't see it...he's not a 3 and D guy...he's not capable of finishing at the rim...as a result isn't going to create for others.  The Euro clips show him playing off the ball...

I wouldn't say Markus isn't capable of finishing at the rim. He was very capable in college. I didn't watch him enough in the pros but he shot 53.7% from 2 in his first year (35.5 in his second year).

[Jay Bee]

Vander now playing in Qatar. I think he is on the same team that Dominic James was on for a few years.

Hope he's not rockin any gear w a rainbow on it hey

[JWags85]

Sultan I understand that argument well.  And in 99.9% of cases I agree.  But Howard is special (exceptional really) and falls within the 0.1% IMO.  I think a GM that takes a chance and the coach that lets him get some minutes with a second unit will be very happy in short order.  I hope that theory is tested.  I don't think he got the shot in Denver that I am talking about.  The kid needs a little bit more leash and PT and he will thrive.

Markus got plenty of leash and PT in Denver, and I actually think Malone quite liked him.  The problem was they had plenty of guard depth, young guard depth, and there just wasn't PT for trying to take a flier on an undersized 2G developing.  It just wasn't a good roster situation for him.

[avid1010]

I wouldn't say Markus isn't capable of finishing at the rim. He was very capable in college. I didn't watch him enough in the pros but he shot 53.7% from 2 in his first year (35.5 in his second year).

Well if he can finish at the rim, and we all agree he's a lights out shooter, this NBA thing should be easy. 

The easy out for me on this argument...the NBA is pretty good at finding and developing talent.  He didn't stick for a reason...if Denver wasn't a great fit...we really believe no other teams realized this and scooped him up?

[DoctorV]

I feel like there is a team in Milwaukee that can use him as an off the bench spark this season.
A team that's been putrid beyond the arc and loves to shoot a ton of 3s.

[Shooter McGavin]

I feel like there is a team in Milwaukee that can use him as an off the bench spark this season.
A team that's been putrid beyond the arc and loves to shoot a ton of 3s.

This describes many NBA teams.  There is one an hour and a half south of Milwaukee who could use him as well.  NBA GMs are overthinking this or overlooking this.