Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Nittany Lions players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Notice impressive performance of David Jackson (18 points), Michael Watkins (12 points), and Lamar Stevens (5 points).
#1. Experienced champion David Jackson, a 6'4'' guard at 43 years old who graduated from Penn State in 2007 and currently plays professionally in Brazil, played a crucial role in Sesi/Franca Sao Paulo's triumph over the closely-ranked Pinheiros (30-8) with a final score of 85-76 in a highly anticipated derby game in the Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil last Sunday. In this pivotal match between two top 4 ranked teams, Jackson's team, Sesi/Franca Sao Paulo (32-6), emerged victorious, solidifying their first-place position in the league with their tenth consecutive win. During the game, Jackson showcased his skills by recording an impressive 18 points in just 30 minutes of play, in addition to grabbing 3 rebounds and providing 1 assist against the tough opponent, Pinheiros. His outstanding performance on the court was instrumental in guiding his team to success, highlighting his capabilities as a true champion. This season marks Jackson's fifth year with the team, and his consistent contributions have been reflected in his solid statistics, averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in the 48 games he has played so far.
#2. Michael Watkins, a 30-year-old former Nittany Lions alumni who stands at 6'9'' and currently plays professionally in Lebanon, made his debut for Homentmen in their recent game against the second-ranked team, Sagesse. Despite his commendable effort, Homentmen suffered a devastating 106-60 loss in the derby match. Watkins showcased his skills by achieving a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, along with contributing 4 blocks during his 34 minutes on the court. This performance marked his first game of the season for Homentmen. His remarkable display of 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks highlighted his impact on the game, earning him recognition from eurobasket.com with the Triple-Double Badge. Despite Watkins' impressive contributions, Homentmen fell short in securing the victory against Sagesse.
#3. Lamar Stevens, a 6'8'' small forward who graduated from Penn State in 2020 and received the USBWA All-District II Team award that same year, is currently playing professionally in France. In a recent game for Paris Basketball, he played a crucial role in their narrow 94-91 victory over Cholet Basket, a closely-ranked opponent with a record of 19-11. Despite only scoring 5 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in 23 minutes of play, Stevens made a significant impact on the game. Paris Basketball, with a record of 22-8, currently holds the second position in the league standings. This season marks Stevens' debut with the team, and his performance against Cholet showcased his talent and contribution to the team's success. His 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists were instrumental in securing the important victory. Throughout the season, Stevens has been averaging 9.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game across 24 appearances. His consistent performance on the court has been vital in helping Paris Basketball maintain a strong position in the league standings.
#4. Nigerian player Qudus Wahab, a towering 6'11'' forward at 26 years old and an alum of Nittany Lions from the class of 2024, currently showcases his talent playing professionally in France. In a recent match, Wahab faced off against the aforementioned Lamar Stevens in the French Betclic ELITE league. Despite Wahab's efforts, Cholet Basket (19-11) fell short against Paris Basket (22-8), with Wahab contributing 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 17 minutes of play. The game ended in a close 94-91 victory for Paris Basket, who holds the second rank in the league standings. This marks Wahab's debut season with Cholet Basket, where he has been averaging 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game over the course of 36 games. Wahab's performance against Paris Basket highlighted his skills on the court, even though his team ultimately faced defeat.
#5. Andrew Funk, a 6'5'' guard who graduated from Penn State in 2023 and received the CSC NCAA Division I Academic All-District Team award that year, currently plays professionally in Belgium. Despite his efforts, he could not lead Windrose Giants Antwerp to a victory against Oostende, one of the league's weakest teams. In the game, Funk scored 6 points and provided 2 assists in 15 minutes of play, but Windrose Giants Antwerp ultimately lost 76-81 on the road. Despite the loss, Funk's performance was notable. In the current season, he is averaging 7.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in 10 games played.
Other former The Pennsylvania State University players, who play in pro basketball:
Alex Bentley (5'8''-PG-1990, played in 2009-13) plays for UMMC in Russian PBL
Stanley Pringle (6'1''-PG-1987, played in 2005-09) plays for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Filipino PBA
Yanic Niederhauser (7'1''-F-2003, played in 2024-25) plays for Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA
Seth Lundy (6'6''-G/F-2000) played for Atlanta Hawks in the NBA few monts ago
Jalen Pickett (6'3''-G-1999, played in 2021-23) plays for Denver Nuggets in the NBA
Jeffrey Brooks (6'8''-PF-1989, played in 2007-11) plays for Trieste in Italian Serie A
Daniil Kasatkin (6'7''-G-1999, played in 2017-19) plays for Enisey in Russian VTB United League
Jamari Wheeler (6'1''-G-1997, played in 2017-21) plays for Dubrovnik in Croatian Premijer Liga
Tim Frazier (6'1''-PG-1990, played in 2009-14) plays for Minas Belo Horizonte in Brazilian NBB
Sasa Borovnjak (6'9''-C-1989, played in 2009-13) plays for Timisoara in Romanian Liga Nationala
Zach Hicks (6'8''-F-2003, played in 2023-25) plays for South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League
Tony Carr (6'5''-G-1997, played in 2016-18) plays for Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League
D'Marco Dunn (6'5''-G-2003, played in 2023-25) plays for KTP-Basket in Finnish Korisliiga
Greg Lee (6'9''-F-1998, played in 2021-22) plays for ESSM Le Portel Cote d'Opale in French Betclic ELITE ProA
Nick Kern Jr. (6'6''-G, played in 2023-25) plays for B.Braun Sheffield Sharks in British SLB
Leo O'Boyle (6'7''-F-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Leeuwarden in Dutch DBL
John Harrar (6'9''-F-1999, played in 2017-22) plays for Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo in Japanese B1 League
Mikey Henn (6'8''-C-1997, played in 2022-23) plays for Otago Nuggets in New Zealand NBL
RayQuawndis Mitchell (6'5''-G, played in 2023-24) plays for Illiabum in Portuguese Proliga
Trent Buttrick (6'9''-F-1998, played in 2017-21) plays for Saitama Broncos in Japanese B3 League
Justin Hamilton (6'8''-C-1987, played in 2008-12) played for Steel City Yellow Jackets in the ABA last year
Curtis Jones (6'3''-G-1997, played in 2019-20) plays for Uni Baskets Muenster in German ProA
Josh Reaves (6'4''-G/F-1997, played in 2015-19) plays for Paisas in Colombian LBP
Ace Baldwin Jr. (6'1''-G-2001, played in 2023-25) plays for Osceola Magic in the NBA G League
DJ Newbill (6'4''-G-1992, played in 2011-11) signed for Altiri Chiba in Japanese B1 League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of The Pennsylvania State University basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
