Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Huskies players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Notice impressive performance of RJ Cole (16 points), Adama Sanogo (22 points), and Ater Majok (17 points).
#1. RJ Cole, a 6'0'' point guard aged 26, who graduated from UConn in 2022 and received the USBWA All-District I Team award that year, currently plays professionally in Italy for Umana Reyer Venezia. In their recent game against the higher-ranked team Armani Milano, despite Cole's impressive performance, Venezia suffered a 79-92 loss on the road. Cole emerged as the second-highest scorer for Venezia, contributing 16 points and providing 5 assists during his 29 minutes on the court. This season marks Cole's debut with the team, and he has been showcasing his talent consistently. Against Milano, he displayed his skills by scoring 16 points, securing 3 rebounds, and distributing 5 assists. Despite his notable individual efforts, Venezia was unable to secure the victory. Throughout the season, Cole has maintained strong performances, boasting an average of 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game across the 39 games he has played. His impressive statistics highlight his impact on the team and his prowess as a talented champion on the court.
#2. Mali Adama Sanogo, a 24-year-old center standing at 6'9'' and an alumnus of the Huskies from 2023, currently plays professionally in Israel. Despite his notable achievements, including receiving the USBWA All-District I Player of the Year award, he could not lead Hapoel Holon to victory in their recent game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv. The fifth-placed Hapoel Holon suffered a 74-84 loss in Tel Aviv, despite Sanogo's exceptional performance on the court. In the game, Sanogo recorded a double-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in just 28 minutes of play, showcasing his skill and impact. This remarkable display is particularly impressive considering that Sanogo is only in his third season of professional basketball. Although his individual performance was outstanding, it was not enough to secure a win for Hapoel Holon, marking their first loss after a three-game winning streak. Throughout the season, Sanogo has maintained high statistics, averaging 18.1 points per game (ranking him third best in the league) and 9.9 rebounds per game (leading the league) in the 17 games he has played thus far. His consistent performance and strong contributions have solidified his position as a champion player in the league, despite the recent loss to Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
#3. Experienced South Sudanese center Ater Majok, who stands at 6'11'' and is 38 years old, graduated from UConn in 2010 and currently plays professionally in Lebanon. In a recent game, Majok couldn't prevent Beirut Club (10-12) from suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of the dominant Al Riyadi, with a final score of 130-89 in a derby match. Despite his commendable performance, where he emerged as the second-best scorer with 17 points, Majok's efforts were not enough to secure a victory for Beirut Club. Additionally, he contributed 5 rebounds and 2 blocks during his 31 minutes on the court. This defeat marked Beirut Club's fourth consecutive loss in a row, highlighting the team's struggle in recent games. Majok has been showcasing solid performance this season, averaging 12.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game across the three games he has played so far. It is interesting to note that Majok holds dual citizenship, being both American and South Sudanese, which allows him to play in South Sudan as a domestic player.
#4. Stephon Castle, a 21-year-old guard standing at 6'6" and an alum of the Huskies from 2024, was instrumental in helping them clinch the Big East Regular Season Champion title that year. Since then, he has transitioned to playing professionally in the NBA. In a recent game, Castle, now a player for the San Antonio Spurs, faced off against the New York Knicks in a close match in New York City. Despite Castle's impressive performance, where he contributed 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while making all eight of his free throws in just 26 minutes of play, the Spurs were narrowly defeated 107-106 by the Knicks. This loss marked the Spurs' first defeat following three consecutive victories. Throughout the season, Castle has been showcasing exceptional skills on the court, averaging 17.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game across 92 games. Despite his individual success, Castle's efforts were not enough to secure a victory for the Spurs in their recent game against the Knicks.
#5. Malachi Smith, a 6'1'' guard who graduated from UConn in 2026 and helped them reach the final of the NCAA that year, is currently playing professionally in Puerto Rico. In a recent game, despite Smith's standout performance, he was unable to help the Capitanes de Arecibo (15-11) secure a victory. The team suffered a crushing 105-63 defeat at the hands of the leading Vaqueros in Group A, marking their sixth consecutive loss. Smith, in his first professional season, showcased his talent by scoring 17 points, making all seven of his free throws, in just 21 minutes of play against Bayamon. He also contributed with 1 rebound and 1 assist. Although his individual performance was impressive, it was not enough to lead his team to a win. Throughout the current season, Smith has been averaging 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in the 12 games he has played so far. Despite the challenges faced by Capitanes de Arecibo, Smith's potential as a rising star in professional basketball is evident.
#6. German Niels Giffey, a 6'7'' forward who is 35 years old and an alum of the Huskies from 2014 when he helped them secure the NCAA Champion title, currently plays professionally in Germany. Despite his efforts, Giffey was unable to lead FC Bayern Muenchen Basketball to victory against ALBA Berlin. The recent game on Sunday, where he only scored 2 points in 13 minutes, cannot be considered one of his best performances. Unfortunately, his team suffered a 79-86 defeat to ALBA Berlin. Giffey managed to contribute with 2 points and 2 rebounds in the match, but it wasn't enough to secure a win for his team. Throughout this year, Giffey has been averaging 7.0 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game in 39 appearances.
#7. Hassan Diarra, a 6'2'' guard who recently graduated from UConn in 2025, is currently playing professionally in Lithuania. In a recent match against Zalgiris, although Diarra put up an impressive performance by contributing 7 points and 1 assist in 22 minutes of play, he could not lead Juventus to victory. Unfortunately, his team suffered a tough loss, with Zalgiris emerging as the champion with a final score of 95-77. Despite the defeat, Diarra has been showcasing solid performance throughout the season, averaging 12.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 29 appearances. As a finalist, Diarra continues to demonstrate his skills and determination on the court, aiming to lead his team to success in future matchups.
Other former University of Connecticut players, who play in pro basketball:
Shabazz Napier (6'1''-PG-1991, played in 2010-14) played for FC Bayern Muenchen Basketball in German BBL few monts ago
Christian Vital (6'2''-G-1997, played in 2016-20) plays for Tortona in Italian Serie A
Liam McNeeley (6'7''-F-2005, played in 2024-25) plays for Charlotte Hornets in the NBA
Andre Jackson Jr. (6'6''-G-2001) plays for Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA
Tyrese Martin (6'6''-G-1999, played in 2020-22) plays for Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA
Jordan Hawkins (6'5''-G-2002) plays for New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA
Andre Drummond (6'11''-C-1993, played in 2011-12) plays for Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA
Donovan Clingan (7'2''-C-2004, played in 2022-24) plays for Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA
Tristen Newton (6'5''-G-2001, played in 2022-24) plays for Houston Rockets in the NBA
Cam Spencer (6'4''-G-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA
Josh Carlton (6'10''-F/C-1999, played in 2017-21) plays for Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in Chinese CBA
Jalen Adams (6'3''-SG-1995, played in 2015-19) plays for Parma-Pari in Russian VTB United League
Gavin Edwards (6'9''-F/C-1988, played in 2006-10) plays for Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya in Japanese B1 League
Isaiah Whaley (6'9''-F/C-1998, played in 2017-22) plays for Napoli in Italian Serie A
Alterique Gilbert (6'0''-PG-1997, played in 2016-20) played for Gornik Zamek Ksiaz Walbrzych in Polish OBL last year
Amida Brimah (7'0''-C-1994, played in 2013-17) plays for Coviran Granada in Spanish Liga Endesa
Terry Larrier (6'8''-F-1995, played in 2015-15) plays for Soles in Dominican Rep. LNB
Samson Johnson (6'10''-C-2002, played in 2021-25) plays for Noblesville Boom in the NBA G League
Omar Calhoun (6'6''-G-1993, played in 2012-16) played for Bisons in Finnish Korisliiga last year
Rodney Purvis (6'4''-SG-1994, played in 2013-13) plays for Kozuv in North Macedonian Super League
Uri Cohen Mintz (6'9''-F/C-1973, played in 1994-95) plays for Ramat Hasharon in Israeli National League
Kentan Facey (6'9''-PF-1993, played in 2013-17) plays for Caen Basket Calvados in French ProB
Daniel Hamilton (6'7''-SG-1995, played in 2014-16) plays for Al Faisaly in Jordanian Premier League
Tyler Polley (6'8''-F-1999, played in 2017-22) plays for Brampton Honey Badgers in CEBL
Ryan Boatright (6'0''-PG-1992, played in 2011-15) played for Stars of Storrs - UConn Alumni in the The Basketball Tournament last year
Lasan Kromah (6'6''-SG-1991, played in 2013-14) plays for Taiwan Beer Leopards in Taiwanese TPBL
DeAndre Daniels (6'9''-F-1992, played in 2011-14) played for Stars of Storrs - UConn Alumni in the The Basketball Tournament last year
Tarin Smith (6'3''-G-1995, played in 2018-19) played for LA Ignite in the The Basketball Tournament last year
Hasheem Thabeet (7'2''-C-1987, played in 2006-09) plays for Dar City in Tanzanian NBL
James Bouknight (6'4''-G-2000, played in 2019-21) plays for Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico in the NBA G League
Joey Calcaterra (6'3''-G-1998, played in 2024-25) plays for Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Connecticut basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
