Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Knights players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Experienced Czech Republic player Kamil Svrdlik, a towering center standing at 6'9'' and 39 years old, who graduated from FDU in 2011 and currently plays professionally in the Czech Republic, showcased his skills by leading Pardubice to victory in a thrilling match against NH Ostrava. The closely-ranked NH Ostrava team was defeated 110-98 in the Czech Republic Maxa NBL on Saturday night thanks to Svrdlik's impressive performance. Despite only playing for 14 minutes, Svrdlik managed to score 12 points, grab 4 rebounds, and provide 1 assist, displaying his efficiency and impact on the game. This victory marked Pardubice's fifth consecutive win, positioning them second in the league standings. Svrdlik, who has been with the team for 12 years, demonstrated his experience and leadership on the court, ultimately leading his team to success as the champion. As the season progresses, Svrdlik continues to be a key player for Pardubice, averaging 6.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in the six games he has played so far. With his consistent contributions and standout performances, Svrdlik remains a vital asset for his team as they strive for further success in the league.
#2. In a thrilling match on Friday night, the towering 6'6'' forward, Jo'el Emanuel, a 23-year-old Tribe alumnus from 2026 who honed his skills at FDU from 2022 to 2025 before embarking on his professional basketball journey in the United Kingdom, showcased his exceptional talent by leading Cheshire Phoenix to a remarkable victory over the league-leading Manchester (1-3) with a final score of 105-91 in the British Super League Basketball game. Emanuel, the standout player of the match, demonstrated his prowess by contributing 24 points, securing 4 rebounds, and playing for 31 minutes, a performance that truly reflected his capabilities despite being in his debut season in professional basketball. This game, a clash between two top 4 ranked teams, highlighted Emanuel's impact on the court, as his stellar play was instrumental in securing the win for Cheshire Phoenix, currently holding the fourth position in the league with a 2-2 record. Notably, this marks Emanuel's first year with the team, and his consistent contributions, averaging 12.8 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game in the four games played so far, underscore his promising trajectory in the league. In the face of formidable competition, Emanuel's exceptional performance against Manchester exemplified his determination and skill, confirming his status as a true champion on the court.
#3. Elyjah Williams, a 6'7'' forward who graduated from Northwestern in 2022 and previously played for FDU from 2017 to 2021, is currently showcasing his skills as a professional player in Japan. In a recent game for Yokohama Excellence, he was a standout performer in their 106-87 victory over the Blowinds, who are currently the league leaders, in the Japanese B.One League. Williams played a pivotal role in this important matchup, scoring 18 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists in just 29 minutes of play. This game was a highly anticipated showdown between two of the top 3 teams in the Center group, with Yokohama Excellence currently holding the third position with a 2-1 record. Williams continued his impressive form in another game against Fukui B, once again contributing 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists to help secure another victory for his team. His consistent and impactful performances on the court have been instrumental in Yokohama Excellence's success this season. Throughout the season, Williams has maintained solid statistics, averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game across three games. His skills and contributions have undoubtedly made him a key player for Yokohama Excellence as they strive for success in the league.
#4. Darnell Edge, a 29-year-old point guard standing at 6'2" and an alumnus of the Knights from 2019, currently plays professionally in Bulgaria. In a recent game, despite his notable performance, Edge could not prevent Balkan (0-2) from suffering a heavy defeat of 101-60 at home against the second-ranked Bahcesehir. Edge emerged as the top scorer for his team, contributing 11 points and 3 assists in 32 minutes of play. This season marks Edge's debut with the team, showcasing his skills with an impressive average of 14.5 points per game and 4.0 assists per game over two matches. Despite his strong individual performance, Balkan faced a tough loss in the game against Bahcesehir.
#5. Ansley Almonor, a 6'7'' forward who graduated from Kentucky in 2025 after playing for FDU between 2021 and 2024, is currently playing professionally in Greece. Despite his impressive basketball career, he could not lead AS Vikos Ioanninon to victory against Panathinaikos in the Greek Stoiximan Basketball League. In the recent match, Almonor struggled to make a significant impact, scoring only 3 points in 15 minutes of play. This game marked his debut for AS Vikos Ioanninon this season. Unfortunately, his team suffered a heavy defeat, losing 103-74 to the higher-ranked Panathinaikos. Although Almonor showcased his skills with his scoring, it was not enough to secure a win for his team in this challenging matchup.
#6. Grant Singleton, a 26-year-old 6'0'' point guard and Knights alumni from 2023, currently plays professionally in Azerbaijan. In his debut game for Ordu, he faced off against the formidable Gence team but unfortunately could not lead his team to victory. Despite his exceptional performance, where he scored 22 points, collected 7 rebounds, and made 10 assists resulting in a double-double, Ordu narrowly lost 92-90 on their home court. Singleton showcased his talent and skills on the court, proving to be a valuable asset to his team. However, his efforts were not enough to secure the win for Ordu in this challenging matchup against the reigning champion, Gence.
#7. Ahmed Barba-Bey, a 25-year-old guard standing at 6'3'' who graduated from FDU in 2025 and currently plays professionally in Hungary, made a significant impact in a recent game. His team faced TF Budapest, one of the league's weaker teams, and secured a dominant victory with a final score of 91-65 in the Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnoksag I/B Piros (second division) match held on Saturday night. Barba-Bey showcased his skills by contributing 10 points in just 13 minutes of play. During the game against TF Budapest, Barba-Bey displayed an outstanding performance by scoring 10 points, collecting 2 rebounds, and providing 1 assist. His contributions were instrumental in helping his team emerge as the champion of the match. Throughout the current season, Barba-Bey has maintained an average of 8.0 points per game and 1.5 rebounds per game across two games, showcasing his consistency and impact on the court.
#8. Arthur Cox, a towering 6'8'' forward/center and a 25-year-old Knights alumni from 2026, showcased his skills in his first game for Team Newcastle University this season. Despite his notable performance, Team Newcastle University (0-1) faced a tough 79-94 loss on the road against the higher-ranked (#7) Rebels. Cox contributed significantly with 13 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals in just 16 minutes of play. His impact was evident as he displayed great versatility on the court. In a valiant effort against Essex R., Cox excelled again, scoring 13 points, securing 3 rebounds, and providing 3 assists. However, his individual brilliance was not enough to lead his team to victory in the game. Cox's potential as a champion player was evident, but he and his team fell short against their opponents.
Other former Fairleigh Dickinson University players, who play in pro basketball:
Bismark Nsiah (6'8''-F-2002, played in 2024-25) signed for Skrljevo in Croatian Premijer Liga
Malik Miller (6'9''-F-1995, played in 2015-18) plays for Wyndham Devils in Australian Big V
Demetre Roberts (5'8''-PG-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Ramat Hasharon in Israeli National League
Cyril Martynov (7'0''-C-2004, played in 2025-26) plays for Ottawa Blackjacks in CEBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Fairleigh Dickinson University basketball alumni.
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