Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Salukis players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Notice impressive performance of Marcus Domask (19 points), Aaron Cook (13 points), and JD Muila (15 points).
#1. Marcus Domask, a 26-year-old 6'6'' guard/forward who graduated from Illinois in 2024, previously played for SIU from 2019 to 2023 and received the CSC NCAA Division I Academic All-District Team award during that time. Currently, he is a professional basketball player in Belgium. In a recent game, despite Domask's impressive performance as the top scorer with 19 points in 24 minutes, his team Oostende suffered a loss to the Antwerp Giants with a score of 89-84. Domask showcased his skills by not only scoring 19 points but also contributing 2 rebounds and 1 assist against Antwerp. Throughout this season, he has maintained solid statistics, averaging 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
#2. Aaron Cook, a 6'2'' guard and 28-year-old Bulldogs alumnus from 2022, who previously played at SIU between 2016 and 2020, showcased his talent as he led the Taranaki Airs to a crucial victory against the closely-ranked Tauranga (5-7) with a score of 85-73 in the recent New Zealand National Basketball League game. In an impressive performance, Cook contributed 13 points and 7 assists in 35 minutes of play. The Taranaki Airs, currently standing at eighth place in the league with a record of 4-8, secured their first win after a streak of seven consecutive losses, thanks to Cook's leadership on the court. In a recent game against Whai, he not only scored 13 points but also grabbed 1 rebound and dished out 7 assists, playing a pivotal role in his team's victory. His stellar performance further solidified his reputation as a champion in the league. This season, Aaron Cook has maintained solid statistics, averaging 13.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, 6.9 assists per game, and 2.5 steals per game, which ranks him as the second best in the league. His consistent contributions and exceptional skills exemplify his status as a finalist in the league.
#3. In a recent Canadian Elite Basketball League match, the 26-year-old 6'8'' forward JD Muila, a graduate of SIU in 2023 who currently plays professionally in Canada, played a pivotal role in the Niagara River Lions' victory over the Alliance with a score of 93-75 on Saturday night. Muila, a rising star in his third season of professional basketball, showcased his talent by achieving a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in just 25 minutes of play. Despite his team's somewhat weak 5-5 record this season, Muila's exceptional performance against the Alliance demonstrated his growing prowess on the court. Furthermore, Muila continued his impressive form in a game against Montreal, once again contributing 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead his team to victory. His outstanding display earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, solidifying his reputation as a champion player with remarkable skills. Muila's consistent contributions have been key for the Niagara River Lions this season, where he maintains averages of 5.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. It is also notable that Muila holds dual citizenship of both America and the DR Congo, allowing him to compete as a domestic player in DR Congo. His talent, dedication, and recent performances have truly highlighted him as a champion player to watch in the basketball world.
#4. Experienced champion Jeff Early Jr., a 6'3'' guard who is 37 years old and an alumnus of Salukis from 2013, currently plays professionally in Puerto Rico. In a recent game, Early Jr. was unable to lead Criollos de Caguas (18-10) to victory over the Atleticos (20-10) in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Despite his efforts, he only managed to score 4 points in 18 minutes of play. The Criollos de Caguas, who are in second place with an 18-10 record, suffered a 100-90 defeat on the road against the Atleticos, the top team in Group B. Early Jr. did have a noteworthy performance in another game against San German, where he contributed 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist. However, his team still ended up losing the game. So far this season, Early Jr. has been averaging 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
Other former Southern Illinois University players, who play in pro basketball:
Barret Benson (6'10''-C-1997, played in 2019-20) plays for Gornik Zamek Ksiaz Walbrzych in Polish OBL
Xavier Johnson (6'1''-G-2000, played in 2022-24) plays for HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim in German ProA
Jovan Stulic (6'6''-G-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Sloboda in Bosnia and Herzegovina Division I
Kavion Pippen (6'10''-C-1996, played in 2017-19) played for Maine Celtics in the NBA G League few monts ago
Ben Coupet Jr. (6'7''-G-1998, played in 2021-22) plays for Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League
Jarrett Hensley (6'8''-F-2000, played in 2023-25) plays for Miasto Szkla Krosno in Polish OBL
Troy D'Amico (6'7''-F-2002, played in 2021-24) plays for B.Braun Sheffield Sharks in British SLB
Armon Fletcher (6'5''-SG-1995, played in 2014-14) played for Taranaki Airs in New Zealand NBL last year
Eric McGill (6'3''-G-1996, played in 2017-20) plays for Caspiy Aktau in Kazakhstan National League
Anthony Beane (6'2''-G-1994, played in 2012-16) played for Pelita Jaya in Indonesian IBL last year
Thik Bol (6'8''-F-1996, played in 2016-22) played for Brissac-Aubance in French NM2 last year
Michael Rodriguez (5'10''-PG-1994, played in 2015-17) played for Lenfer in Cape Verdean ACVB last year
Sean Lloyd (6'5''-G/F-1996, played in 2015-19) played for Frontinos in Venezuelan SPB last year
Lance Jones (6'1''-G-2000, played in 2019-23) played for El Calor in Mexican LNBP last year
R.J. McGee (6'5''-G-2000, played in 2023-24) played for Lake County Legacy in the TBL last year
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Southern Illinois University basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
