Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Every week we bring you a list of the top former Matadors players who continue their career in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Cameron Young (23 points), Alfonso Plummer (12 points), and Daichi Taniguchi (11 points).
#1. Cameron Young, a 6'5'' guard who graduated from Quinnipiac in 2019 and played at Arizona W. CC between 2014 and 2016, has been making waves in the Turkish ING Basketbol Super Ligi as a pro player in Turkey. Recently, he led Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir to a surprising victory over the third-ranked Bahcesehir with a score of 88-74, showcasing his skills as a champion. In this game, he was named the MVP after scoring an impressive 23 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists in just 30 minutes on the court. Despite Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir being placed second from the bottom in the league standings, Cameron Young's exceptional performance has been instrumental in keeping the team competitive. With only three games remaining in the Regular Season, every match is crucial for the team's position in the league. Young's consistent high stats, averaging 16.7 points per game (the third-best in the league), along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in the 24 games he has played so far, highlight his impact as a standout finalist in the league.
#2. Puerto Rican Alfonso Plummer, a 6'1'' shooting guard and former Fighting Illini alum from 2022, has been making his mark in professional basketball in Bosnia. Despite his standout performance, Plummer couldn't prevent his team, KK Bosna Meridianbet Sarajevo, from suffering a narrow 89-86 defeat at the hands of the league leaders, Igokea. In the game, Plummer showcased his skills by contributing 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 29 minutes of play, establishing himself as the second-highest scorer. This season marks Plummer's debut with the team, and he has been consistent with an impressive average of 14.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game across 15 appearances. With only one crucial game left in the AdmiralBet ABA League Second Stage, Plummer's performance will be pivotal in determining the team's fate. Despite the challenging loss against Igokea, Plummer's contributions and dedication on the court have not gone unnoticed, showcasing his potential as a champion player.
#3. Experienced Japanese champion Daichi Taniguchi, a 6'7'' forward/center who is 36 years old and graduated from SE Oklahoma in 2015 but played at Arizona W. CC between 2010 and 2012, showcased his skills as he led the Gunma Crane Thunders to a dominant victory over the 12th-ranked Brave Thunders (14-39), with a final score of 97-77 in the Japanese B1 League this past Saturday. Taniguchi's impactful performance included scoring 11 points in just 9 minutes of play. The Gunma Crane Thunders, currently holding the second position in the East group with a record of 37-16, have been on an impressive streak of 13 consecutive victories. Taniguchi's contributions on the court have been instrumental in his team's success, exemplified by his 11-point performance against the Kawasaki BT that helped secure another win for his team. Throughout this year, Taniguchi has maintained an average of 2.4 points per game in the 41 games he has played, showcasing his consistency and dedication to his team's success. His experience and leadership as a champion player have undoubtedly played a significant role in the Gunma Crane Thunders' accomplishments in the league.
#4. Serbian champion Zarija Grbovic, a 6'6'' forward who is 22 years old, previously played for the Panthers alumni in 2025. Prior to that, he played at Arizona Western Community College between 2023 and 2024 before turning pro in Serbia. Despite his best efforts, Grbovic could not lead Loznica (12-17) to a victory against IBC (12-17) in the Serbian Druga Muska Liga Srbije (second division), with Loznica losing 87-91 at home to the higher-ranked (#10) IBC. Grbovic scored only 2 points in 9 minutes on the court during the game, which he may not consider one of his best performances. With one more critical game remaining in the Regular Season, Grbovic and his team are hoping to bounce back and secure a win. Throughout this year, Grbovic has been averaging 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in the 27 games he has played.
Other former Arizona Western College players, who play in pro basketball:
Kenny Dawkins (5'10''-PG-1987, played in 2005-07) plays for Botafogo in Brazilian NBB
Mateus Oliveira (6'10''-F-1991, played in 2010-12) played for Sao Leopoldo Mandic Basket in Brazilian Paulista few monts ago
Renan Lenz (6'10''-F/C-1990, played in 2010-12) played for Fortaleza B.C. Cearense in Brazilian NBB last year
Lester Medford Jr. (6'1''-PG-1993, played in 2011-12) plays for Slovan in Slovakian Tipos SBL
Joao Camargo (6'8''-F-2001, played in 2020-21) played for Assis Basket in Brazilian Paulista last year
Matija Jokic (6'8''-F-1998, played in 2018-19) played for Correcaminos UAT Victoria in Mexican LNBP last year
Isaiah Amato (6'5''-G-2001, played in 2022-23) plays for Coldmaris BBC Nord Dragonz Eisenstadt in Austrian BSL
Najeeb Muhammad (6'2''-PG-2001, played in 2019-22) plays for P.Olimpas in Lithuanian NKL
Toby Campbell (6'9''-F/C-1998, played in 2015-16) played for Illawarra Hawks 2nd team in Australian NBL One last year
Bryson Langdon (5'9''-PG-1999, played in 2018-19) played for Elan Coton in Beninese Pro-League 1 last year
Daniel Kiely (5'11''-PG-1998, played in 2019-20) played for Skenderbeu in Albanian Superliga last year
Matija Kustudic (6'1''-G-2004, played in 2023-24) played for Ivanjica in Serbian 2MLS last year
Ezekiel Alley (6'1''-G-1999, played in 2017-18) plays for Caja 87 in Spanish Segunda FEB
Lonnie Langston (6'1''-G-1999, played in 2017-19) plays for Mesquite Desert Dogs in the TBL
Clement Pichard (6'3''-G-2002, played in 2023-24) played for Sallertaine in French Regional League last year
Marvin Mapaga (6'7''-F-1993, played in 2017-19) plays for Moanda BB in Gabonese D1
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Arizona Western College basketball alumni.
Cameron Young is last week best Matadors alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @Kskbasketbol)
