Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Spartans players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Tyson Leitao, a talented 6'9'' forward at 23 years old, graduated from Tampa in 2025 and currently plays professionally in Germany. In a recent game, despite his exceptional performance, Leitao couldn't prevent his team, Rist Wedel, from suffering a heavy 77-58 defeat at the hands of the higher-ranked Schwelm, who are placed 11th in the North group, while Rist Wedel is currently in the 13th position with a 1-2 record. Leitao showcased his skills by recording a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 33 minutes of play, a remarkable feat for a player in just his second season in professional basketball. Although the team may have faced a setback, it's still early in the season, leaving room for improvement and positive changes. Leitao's impressive performance against Schwelm earned him recognition, including a stat line of 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 1 assist. Despite his efforts, the victory eluded his team on that occasion. His outstanding display also led to him being awarded the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, underscoring his skills and determination on the court as a true champion. This season, Leitao has been delivering solid performances with an average of 12.7 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game (ranking fourth best in the league), 2.0 assists per game, and 1.3 steals per game in the three games he has played so far. It's worth noting that Leitao is a naturalized American, showcasing his versatility and adaptability both on and off the court.
#2. Duke Shelton, a 30-year-old former Spartans alumni from 2018, currently playing professionally in the United Kingdom, was unable to lead Manchester Basketball to victory against Cheshire Phoenix in the British Super League Basketball. Despite his efforts on the court, where he recorded 2 points and 3 rebounds in a game that ended in a 91-105 loss for Manchester Basketball, Shelton's team faced their third consecutive defeat. The game against Cheshire Phoenix did not turn out to be one of Shelton's standout performances, as he scored only 2 points in 5 minutes of play. Shelton, known for his defensive prowess and having been awarded the All-SSC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018, showcased his skills during the game. However, his individual contributions were not enough to secure a win for Manchester Basketball. So far this year, Shelton has been averaging 3.3 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game across three games, demonstrating his consistency on the court despite the team's recent struggles.
Other former University of Tampa players, who play in pro basketball:
Alberto Moreno (6'3''-G-1996, played in 2016-19) played for SBA in Spanish Segunda FEB
Cedric Belemene (6'7''-F-1996, played in 2018-19) played for Tijola in Spanish Tercera FEB
Freddy Ibrahim (6'3''-G-1996, played in 2015-19) signed for Abra in Filipino MPBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Tampa basketball alumni.
Tyson Leitao is last week best Spartans alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @iserlohnkangaroos)
Ex-Players
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