Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Every week we bring you a list of the top former Bluejays players who continue their career in pro basketball.
#1. Australian basketball player Samson Froling, a 7'0'' center/forward who graduated from Creighton in 2019, has been making waves in the Australian National Basketball League. Recently, he played a key role in the Illawarra Hawks' impressive victory over the Adelaide 36ers, contributing significantly to their 114-92 win. Froling's standout performance included a double-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assists in 32 minutes on the court. Despite the Illawarra Hawks currently holding the bottom position in the league with a 1-4 record, it's still early in the season, leaving room for dramatic turnarounds. Froling, in his eighth year with the team, demonstrated his exceptional skills and versatility during the game against Adelaide, earning praise and recognition as a champion player. His consistent performance this season, averaging 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, showcases his value to the team and cements his reputation as a finalist player.
#2. Experienced Venezuelan Gregory Echenique, a 6'10'' center at 35 years old and a Bluejays alumnus from 2013, played a pivotal role in the Kumamoto Volters' recent victory in the Japanese B.One League. Echenique, a former MVC Regular Season Champion with the Bluejays, showcased his skills by contributing 23 points and 9 rebounds in just 28 minutes of play against the fifth-ranked Dice, securing a 94-86 win for his team. The Kumamoto Volters, currently holding a 4-0 record, lead the South group in the league standings, with Echenique emerging as a standout performer. Echenique's impressive performance not only helped his team maintain an undefeated streak but also highlighted his prowess on the court as a true champion. Throughout the season, he has consistently displayed high-level stats, averaging 16.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Echenique's dominance on both ends of the court has undoubtedly solidified his reputation as a top-tier player and a force to be reckoned with in the league.
#3. Argentinian Francisco Farabello, a 6'3'' guard who graduated from Creighton in 2024 and currently plays professionally in Argentina, showcased his skills in a thrilling match on Friday night. In a closely-contested game against Instituto, Farabello led his team, Regatas, to a 73-63 victory in the Argentinian La Liga. Despite it being his first game of the season for Regatas, Farabello made a significant impact by contributing 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in just 21 minutes of play. Having joined Regatas for the first time this year, Farabello's performance was crucial in securing the win and elevating his team to fourth place in the league standings. With only three games remaining in the Regular Season, every match is now of utmost importance as teams jockey for playoff positions. Farabello's impressive display on the court against Instituto not only highlighted his individual skills but also demonstrated his ability to lead his team to victory when it matters most. It's clear that Farabello has the potential to be a true champion in the making.
#4. Khyri Thomas, a 6'3'' forward/guard who is a 30-year-old alumnus of the Bluejays from 2018, has been making a name for himself playing professionally in Turkey. In a recent game, Thomas, known for earning the All-Big East Defensive Player of the Year award during his college career, unfortunately could not lead his team, Aliaga Petkimspor Izmir, to victory against Erokspor in the Turkish ING Basketbol Super Ligi. Despite his best efforts, Thomas scored 7 points in just 14 minutes of play as his team suffered a 96-87 defeat on the road to the higher-ranked Erokspor, who currently hold the #7 position in the league standings. In the game against Erokspor, Thomas displayed his skills by contributing 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist, showcasing his versatility on the court. Despite his solid performance, his team fell short of securing a win. Throughout the season, Thomas has maintained impressive statistics, averaging 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, highlighting his valuable contributions to Aliaga Petkimspor Izmir.
#5. Marcus Foster, a 6'3'' shooting guard who graduated from Creighton in 2018 and received the All-Big East First Team award that year, is currently playing professionally in Greece for PAOK. In a recent BKT Eurocup match, Foster played a key role in his team's dominant 93-78 victory over the seventh-ranked Manresa. In his debut game of the season, Foster contributed 8 points and 3 assists in 25 minutes of play. This season marks Foster's first with PAOK, and despite being a newcomer, he has already made a significant impact. Additionally, with his strong performance against Manresa, Foster helped lead his team to victory and advance as the finalist in the match. His impressive stats of 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists showcase his valuable contributions to PAOK's success on the court.
#6. Will Artino, a 6'11'' center/forward and 34-year-old former Bluejays alumni from 2015, showcased his skills while playing professionally in Japan. In a recent game, he unfortunately could not lead the Fukuoka Rizing (2-2) to victory against the lower-ranked Rebnise (#5) in the South group. Despite his stellar performance, Fukuoka Rizing, currently in third place, suffered an 84-76 defeat in Renova. During the game, Artino displayed his talent by achieving a double-double, scoring 21 points, securing 11 rebounds, and contributing 2 blocks in 30 minutes of play. His remarkable skills were evident in a previous game against Kagoshima, where he scored 21 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and provided 2 assists. This exceptional performance not only showcased his abilities but also earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, solidifying his reputation as a true champion on the court. Throughout this season, Artino has maintained relatively strong statistics, averaging 12.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. It is worth noting that Artino is a naturalized Taiwanese, adding to his diverse background and experience in the world of basketball.
#7. Shereef Mitchell, a 6'1'' guard who is 26 years old and a graduate of Ohio in 2025, previously played for Creighton between 2019 and 2023 before beginning his professional career in Hungary. In his debut game for Phoenix-MT, despite his remarkable performance, Mitchell couldn't lead his team to a victory. The bottom-ranked Phoenix-MT suffered a 77-71 defeat at the hands of the higher-ranked Szedeak (#8) in Szeged last Saturday. Mitchell stood out as the top scorer, contributing 27 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in 35 minutes of play. Despite his impressive individual performance, Phoenix-MT was unable to secure the win against Szedeak.
#8. Nik Graves, a 6'3'' guard and 22-year-old Bluejays alumnus from 2026, showcased his skills by leading his Dutch team Leiden to a hard-fought 76-71 victory over Rotterdam, one of the league's weaker teams, in the BNXT League on Friday night. In his debut game for Leiden this season, Graves proved his worth as he was named the MVP of the game. He delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 19 points, collecting 5 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists in 31 minutes of play. Graves' impressive display on the court was instrumental in securing the win for his team, cementing their place as the champion of the match. His exceptional contributions undoubtedly played a crucial role in guiding Leiden to triumph over Rotterdam.
#9. Maurice Watson, a 5'10'' point guard who is 33 years old and graduated from Creighton in 2017, is currently playing professionally in Turkey. In a recent game, he was unable to lead TED Ankara to victory against Balikesir BBS. Despite his contribution of 7 points and 5 assists in 31 minutes of play, his team suffered a 91-85 loss. Watson displayed an impressive performance during the game, showcasing his skills with 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists. However, despite his notable efforts, TED Ankara was unable to secure the win. Throughout the season, Watson has maintained solid statistics, averaging 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
#10. Ryan Hawkins, a 29-year-old 6'7'' power forward and Bluejays alumnus from 2022, currently playing professionally in Bosnia, was unable to assist Bosna (0-1) in their recent game last Wednesday. Despite his commendable effort, Bosna suffered a narrow 75-72 defeat to the formidable Lietkabelis in Panevezys. Hawkins showcased his skills by emerging as the second-best scorer for Bosna, contributing 12 points along with 5 rebounds in 24 minutes of play. This game marked his debut appearance for Bosna this season, where he displayed an impressive performance. However, despite his noteworthy contributions, the team fell short against Lietkabelis, resulting in a disappointing outcome for the Bosnian team.
Other former Creighton University players, who play in pro basketball:
Martin Krampelj (6'9''-PF-1995, played in 2015-19) plays for Surne Bilbao Basket in Spanish Liga Endesa
Baylor Scheierman (6'7''-G-2000, played in 2022-24) plays for Boston Celtics in the NBA
Ryan Kalkbrenner (7'1''-C-2002, played in 2020-25) signed for Charlotte Hornets in the NBA
Josh Dix (6'6''-G-2004, played in 2025-26) signed for Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA
Doug McDermott (6'6''-F-1992, played in 2010-14) plays for Sacramento Kings in the NBA
Trey Alexander (6'4''-G-2003, played in 2021-24) signed for Utah Jazz in the NBA
KeyShawn Feazell (6'9''-F-1998, played in 2021-22) signed for AEK in Greek GBL
Rati Andronikashvili (6'5''-G-2001, played in 2020-20) signed for MoraBanc Andorra in Spanish Liga Endesa
Damien Jefferson (6'5''-SF-1997, played in 2017-17) signed for Bordo Sportif Balikesir in Turkish BSL
Alex O'Connell (6'6''-F/G-1999, played in 2020-22) signed for Westchester Knicks in the NBA G League
Jamiya Neal (6'5''-G/F-2003, played in 2024-25) signed for FMP BG in Serbian KLS
Ty-Shon Alexander (6'4''-G-1998, played in 2017-20) played for H.Safed Galil in Israeli National League
Justin Patton (7'1''-C-1997, played in 2015-15) played for Antonine in Lebanese DLBL
Steven Ashworth (6'1''-G-2000, played in 2023-25) played for Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Summer League
Kenny Lawson (6'10''-C-1988, played in 2006-11) played for Shizuoka Veltex in Japanese B.One League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Creighton University basketball alumni.
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