Where are they now?

[cougjunkie]

The thread where we keep track of former cougars in the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.

I looked up a few former cougars last night that are all playing basketball in Europe. For those that don't know Europe/Asia have several different leagues some better than others. The top leagues are limited to the number of American born players they can have on their roster. At one time it was 2 but they can receive exemptions to add 1 additional.

The lower leagues do not have these limitations and can add more Americans which is where most of the former cougars have ended up. Also in Europe you don't see guys playing big minutes. The coaches over there go 10-12 deep and everone plays 15-25 minutes. Rarely do guys log 30+ minutes in a game. The leading scorer in Europe this year is Bobby Brown who is averaging 20.2 points per game and is the only player averaging over 20.

Lee Cummard current team Aalstar (Belgium)
9.0 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.2 assists. 18.2 min. 52% from the floor and 35% from three.

Trent Plaisted current team Limoges (France)
8.3pts, 6.0 reb in 25.6 min. Shooting 51.7% from the floor

Jonathan Tavernari current team Givova Scafati (Italy)
7.7 pts 3.2 reb in 20.2 min. 47% from the floor and 46% from three

Rafael "Babby" Araujo current team Mogi Das Cruzes (Brazil)
14.8pts 6.2 reb in 26 min. 56% from the floor
(Rumor has it he has ditched out on his wife and kids and started going by Babby so they could not find him down in Brazil. Not sure how legit this is but I have read it in a few different places now but mostly comments on message boards)

Chris Miles current team Saint Brieuc (France)
He has not played this year due to injury. Last year he played for Hanau (Germany) and averaged 12.6 pts and 7.7 rebounds on 60% shooting in 28 min.

Charles Abouo current team Lobe Huesca (Spain)
8.9pts, 5.0 reb, 2 steals in 29.2 minutes. Shooting 42% from the floor and 15% from three. Reputation as the leagues best defender.

Noah Hartsock current team Aalstar (Belgium) (Lee Cummards teammate)
4.2pts 3.7 reb in 18 minutes. 47% from the floor, 33% from three.

Keena Young current team Namika Lahti (Finland)
13pts, 7.0 rebounds, 30.2 minutes shooting 57% from the floor. Keena has two league mvps in Korea.

Rashaun Broadus current team Neptunas (Lithuania)
7.6 pts, 3.1 assists on 47% shooting in 21.9 minutes. His team won the league championship last year and he was the finals MVP.

Terrell Lyday current team Unics (Russia)
11.9 pts, 3 reb, 51% from the floor and 32% from three in 23 minutes. He plays in the Super League which is the highest league in Russia the same league Travis Hansen played in. He plays with several ex-nba players (Primoz Brezec, Nenad Krstic, Sonny Weems, James Augustine, Zoran Planinic to name a few)

Vuk Ivanovic current team (last played in 2012 in France)
averaged 5.3pts and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes shooting 57% from the floor

Luis Lemes current team San Jose/Unimed (Brazil)
5.3 pts and 2 assists in 21 minutes on 54% shooting. His team beat Utah over the summer on their trip through South America.

Trent Whiting retired in 2012 after a long successful career in Europe. In his last season he averaged 15.2 points per game for Aget Imola in Italy.

Mekeli Wesley retired in 2010 after a long career as well. He played his final year in Mexico scoring 18 points on 57% from the floor and 47% from three.

Other players that had brief European careers (and played in Europe within the past 5 years) Brock Reichner, Kent Tuttle, Kevin Woodbury, Logan Magnusson, Mike Hall, Travis Hansen and Mark Bigelow.

You can see the entire list here: http://www.usbasket.com/team.asp?Cnt...eam=541&Page=4


Other notables that did not play at BYU:

Jaycee Carroll (Utah State) current team Real Madrid (Spain)
12.4 pts, 54% from the floor and 40% from three. Real Madrid is the premier team in Europe and they play in the highest league. Carroll is a superstar over there.

Tai Wesley (Utah State) current team Rouen (France)
11.5 pts, 5.8 rebounds in 22 minutes shooting 56% from the floor

Ryan Toolson (UVU) current team G. Canaria 2014 (Spain)
14.0 pts on 56% from the floor and 47% from three in 25 minutes per game.

[jay santos]

My first reaction is I feel sorry for the fans of some of these teams.

[kccougar]

That's a long list. Good for them all. What kind of money do these guys make playing in the 2nd tier of european basketball?

[byu71]

The thread where we keep track of former cougars in the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.

I looked up a few former cougars last night that are all playing basketball in Europe. For those that don't know Europe/Asia have several different leagues some better than others. The top leagues are limited to the number of American born players they can have on their roster. At one time it was 2 but they can receive exemptions to add 1 additional.

The lower leagues do not have these limitations and can add more Americans which is where most of the former cougars have ended up. Also in Europe you don't see guys playing big minutes. The coaches over there go 10-12 deep and everone plays 15-25 minutes. Rarely do guys log 30+ minutes in a game. The leading scorer in Europe this year is Bobby Brown who is averaging 20.2 points per game and is the only player averaging over 20.

Lee Cummard current team Aalstar (Belgium)
9.0 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.2 assists. 18.2 min. 52% from the floor and 35% from three.

Trent Plaisted current team Limoges (France)
8.3pts, 6.0 reb in 25.6 min. Shooting 51.7% from the floor

Jonathan Tavernari current team Givova Scafati (Italy)
7.7 pts 3.2 reb in 20.2 min. 47% from the floor and 46% from three

Rafael "Babby" Araujo current team Mogi Das Cruzes (Brazil)
14.8pts 6.2 reb in 26 min. 56% from the floor
(Rumor has it he has ditched out on his wife and kids and started going by Babby so they could not find him down in Brazil. Not sure how legit this is but I have read it in a few different places now but mostly comments on message boards)

Chris Miles current team Saint Brieuc (France)
He has not played this year due to injury. Last year he played for Hanau (Germany) and averaged 12.6 pts and 7.7 rebounds on 60% shooting in 28 min.

Charles Abouo current team Lobe Huesca (Spain)
8.9pts, 5.0 reb, 2 steals in 29.2 minutes. Shooting 42% from the floor and 15% from three. Reputation as the leagues best defender.

Noah Hartsock current team Aalstar (Belgium) (Lee Cummards teammate)
4.2pts 3.7 reb in 18 minutes. 47% from the floor, 33% from three.

Keena Young current team Namika Lahti (Finland)
13pts, 7.0 rebounds, 30.2 minutes shooting 57% from the floor. Keena has two league mvps in Korea.

Rashaun Broadus current team Neptunas (Lithuania)
7.6 pts, 3.1 assists on 47% shooting in 21.9 minutes. His team won the league championship last year and he was the finals MVP.

Terrell Lyday current team Unics (Russia)
11.9 pts, 3 reb, 51% from the floor and 32% from three in 23 minutes. He plays in the Super League which is the highest league in Russia the same league Travis Hansen played in. He plays with several ex-nba players (Primoz Brezec, Nenad Krstic, Sonny Weems, James Augustine, Zoran Planinic to name a few)

Vuk Ivanovic current team (last played in 2012 in France)
averaged 5.3pts and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes shooting 57% from the floor

Luis Lemes current team San Jose/Unimed (Brazil)
5.3 pts and 2 assists in 21 minutes on 54% shooting. His team beat Utah over the summer on their trip through South America.

Trent Whiting retired in 2012 after a long successful career in Europe. In his last season he averaged 15.2 points per game for Aget Imola in Italy.

Mekeli Wesley retired in 2010 after a long career as well. He played his final year in Mexico scoring 18 points on 57% from the floor and 47% from three.

Other players that had brief European careers (and played in Europe within the past 5 years) Brock Reichner, Kent Tuttle, Kevin Woodbury, Logan Magnusson, Mike Hall, Travis Hansen and Mark Bigelow.

You can see the entire list here: http://www.usbasket.com/team.asp?Cnt...eam=541&Page=4


Other notables that did not play at BYU:

Jaycee Carroll (Utah State) current team Real Madrid (Spain)
12.4 pts, 54% from the floor and 40% from three. Real Madrid is the premier team in Europe and they play in the highest league. Carroll is a superstar over there.

Tai Wesley (Utah State) current team Rouen (France)
11.5 pts, 5.8 rebounds in 22 minutes shooting 56% from the floor

Ryan Toolson (UVU) current team G. Canaria 2014 (Spain)
14.0 pts on 56% from the floor and 47% from three in 25 minutes per game.

Great post. Thanks for the information.

[smokymountainrain]

Geez, Lyday must be about 60 by now.

[FN Phat]

That's a long list. Good for them all. What kind of money do these guys make playing in the 2nd tier of european basketball?

Great question

[Surfah]

Kent Tuttle. I wondered what happened to that guy. Looks like he was a Mormon Bachelor? What the hell was that?

[cougjunkie]

Salaries vary based on league.

The upper echelon of the euro league where Jaycee Carroll, Terrell Lyday and previously Travis Hansen played pay anywhere from $250,000 upwards of $3 million. Hansen was making about 1.5 million when he retired. Jaycee Carroll currently makes $800,000.


The lowest level like Lithuania for example where Rashaun Broadus is playing pays between $50,000-85,000. The problem is at least from what I have read you spend a lot of time chasing your paycheck.

I know that Chris Miles is making between $150-200k per a family member of his. I would guess most of the other players are somewhere between $100-200k per year. Not a bad living by any means. But definitely not NBA money.

[Surfah]

That's a long list. Good for them all. What kind of money do these guys make playing in the 2nd tier of european basketball?

Some of them like Slim Hansen made really good money. I bet Carroll does really well.

[Art Vandelay]

Some of them like Slim Hansen made really good money. I bet Carroll does really well.

Trav made really good scratch in Russia (tax free, I believe), had a beautiful home, a C-class Mercedes, and negotiated free first class flights back to the states for his family, once a month. He was definitely happy, to Be Back in the U-S-S-R!

[MarkGrace]

Salaries vary based on league.

The upper echelon of the euro league where Jaycee Carroll, Terrell Lyday and previously Travis Hansen played pay anywhere from $250,000 upwards of $3 million. Hansen was making about 1.5 million when he retired. Jaycee Carroll currently makes $800,000.


The lowest level like Lithuania for example where Rashaun Broadus is playing pays between $50,000-85,000. The problem is at least from what I have read you spend a lot of time chasing your paycheck.

I know that Chris Miles is making between $150-200k per a family member of his. I would guess most of the other players are somewhere between $100-200k per year. Not a bad living by any means. But definitely not NBA money.

In the better leagues they also have no expenses (housing, car, food all covered by teams). It's definitely a good gig.

[BigPiney]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[cougjunkie]

A few other tidbits about former cougars:

Jernaro Gilford has been the head coach at a high school in Southern California the past 3 seasons. He was recently hired as a graduate assistant at Whitter college.

[Surfah]

A few other tidbits about former cougars:

Jernaro Gilford has been the head coach at a high school in Southern California the past 3 seasons. He was recently hired as a graduate assistant at Whitter college.

That seems like a really good thing.

[cougjunkie]

That seems like a really good thing.

Yep let them get experience somewhere else and if they turn out we can snatch them up.