One of the great parts of cheering for a team like Florida is that following the careers of players doesn’t have to stop once their time in Gainesville finishes. Many players continue their basketball journey elsewhere, and while most endeavor to play in the NBA, a lot of these athletes end up around the world in different leagues. If you are wondering where some of your favorite alumni have ended up, here is a quick run down of the players that are somewhere outside of the NBA.
Michael Frazier has spent a lot of his career in the G League, but now is looking at different opportunities where he can make a bit more money which led him to Lebanon where he played for Beirut which is one of the top clubs in that league. He averaged 19.2 points per game in his brief stint there, showcasing the smooth jumper that he has always possessed.
Casey Prather has carved out an excellent career for himself in Australia where he has been for a number of years, returning once again to Brisbane where he starred with 18.8 points per game. After that season completed he went to play in China in order to make some extra money in the offseason. Prather’s career has been a tremendous one, and after averaging 18.8 points per game it doesn’t look like he’s in danger of slowing down.
Also playing in Australia’s NBL is Gorjok Gak, who has steadily seen his game grow to the point where he is a regular rotation piece in an excellent league.
Dontay Bassett had a dominant season in Finland and now plays in the Canadian Elite Basketball League where he is putting up excellent numbers for the Montreal Alliance. Tyrese Samuel, Osayi Osifo, and Scottie Lewis also are currently in or have played in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in the past year, so it’s a great place to see some former Gators.
Walter Hodge is still putting up threes at volume in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros de Santurce, averaging 11.6 points per game. At 38 years old, he is still looking to get everything possible out of his basketball career.
If you’re looking for an absolutely fantastic basketball story, look no further to Kevarrius Hayes. There was a time at Florida where Hayes considered quitting basketball, but instead he pushed through, not only finishing his eligibility with the Gators but moving on to Europe where he has had an incredible career continuing to take steps up with every season. The last two years he has been a key performer with Paris, a team playing in the Euroleague which is the top level of competition in the world outside of the NBA, and his great work on the defensive end earned him a contract this summer with AS Monaco–one of the top paying clubs in Europe. Hayes has played great basketball while living in beautiful cities making a ton of money–something that shows just how amazing a career someone can have even if they don’t go to the NBA.
Speaking of Euroleague players, we unfortunately have to talk about the horrible luck of Scottie Wilbekin. Wilbekin has been one of the top players in Europe for nearly a decade, and he was expected to play a huge role once again for Fenerbahce, a top club that went on to win the Euroleague title. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in the literal first game of the season, and missed the entire year. While it is getting to be late in his career he is expected to make a comeback where he will hopefully continue his winning ways.
Another Gator guard that has been one of the top Euroleague players is Nick Calathes who spent the past year at Monaco, the club that Kevarrius Hayes is headed to. Averaging 5.5 assists per game, he is still one of the best playmakers in Europe.
Tyree Appleby’s pro career has been off to an astonishing start. In his first season Appleby went to a great French league and averaged 15.5 points and 6.1 assists per game which earned him a contract in the even better Turkish league–where he saw his production increase to 18.2 points per game. His game seems perfectly fitted to the European style which could see him get a huge contract this offseason.
Omar Payne’s college career didn’t exactly go as well as some might have expected, but he landed in an excellent league in Greece where he had a solid rookie season and could get a great opportunity moving forward. The market for athletic bigs in Europe is always a hot one, so if Payne wants to keep pushing he’ll have opportunities.
Injuries continue to slow down John Egbunu from time to time, but he still remains capable of playing at a high level when he’s healthy and he has remained playing in good leagues, most recently in Italy with Napoli where he averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
This isn’t an exhaustive look, but it’s a spotlight into how some of Florida’s alumni continue to perform.