mick
Junior Member
Posts: 265
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Post by mick on Oct 23, 2005 19:13:46 GMT -5
From time to time there are questions about which Bonnies are playing where. If you go to www.usbasket.com you can eventually log onto a Bonnie site and the former player section lists who is playing where. It seems there are 14, soon to be 15, former Bonnies playing professional basketball. Here is an update: JR Bremer is now with Angelico in Italy; Saulius Dumbliaskas is beginning his first season in Estonia with Rakvere; Terrence Durham has moved from the British Basketball League to the first division team, Angers in France. Marques Green is giving France another try, playing for Nancy; James Hayden is in the third division in Germany with Kirchheim and Kevin Houston is returning to M. Hainat in Belgium. I believe Kevin was the team's leading scorer last year. Vidal Messiah has just signed with a new team in France, it was the headline on www.eurobasket.com last night, but I forget which team. Rashaan Palmer has returned from Europe and is now playing with the the Harlem team team in the ABA; Patricio Prato is with Air AV in Italy and also plays for the Argentina National Team; James Singleton is with Grand Rapids; Jamil Terrell is with Niagara Falls in the ABA and Tim Winn is with the Buffalo team in the ABA. Peter VanPaassen is with Den Helder in the Netherlands and with the Dutch National Team; David Vanterpool has moved to Russia and is playing for in the top league with CSKA and Yankuba Camara, finishing up his degree this semester on campus is planning of playing in Europe next year and has already spoken with professional team in Iceland, Latvia and several others. |
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Post by rimRocka44 on Oct 24, 2005 6:44:56 GMT -5
Additionally, I believe Caswell Cyrus has signed on to play for the Rochester team in the ABA.
Thanks for the updates.
p.s. Heck if Dumbliaskas and Camara can sign on, maybe I should move to Europe and try my hand at pro ball.
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Post by mangham on Oct 24, 2005 9:49:33 GMT -5
if you earn any compensation, you are a professional.
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Post by bababooey on Oct 24, 2005 10:10:15 GMT -5
Thanks for the update! Also, as of the last time I checked their website, Robert Cheeks was on the extended roster for the Northeast Pennsylvania team in the ABA.
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Post by criley on Oct 24, 2005 13:30:53 GMT -5
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mick
Junior Member
Posts: 265
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Post by mick on Oct 24, 2005 19:37:47 GMT -5
There is no question that each country has various levels of play and quality of professionals. However, these leagues are all professional leagues, while the quality varies per league. Many of the smaller country leagues are akin to the multiple "minor leagues" here in the states - such as the ABA, USBL, etc. In the more accomplished basketball countries, Spain, Italy, Germany, etc. - players like Patricio Prato play at two levels - the in-country league and the Euro League.
However, as for compensation, most of these professional Bonnies are making very comfortable numbers. For example, Pete Van Paassen signed a 5-year contract with the A League team in Holland which provides him with a salary in excess of $300,000 per year, a team paid apartment, auto and numerous other perks. I have communicated with Saulius over the fall and his compensation is about $50,000 per year and includes an apartment and food/living allowance.
To put this in comparison, players in the ABA playing in Buffalo will pull in under $25,000 for the season. Americans playing in China are pulling down about $2,000 per month and given generous allowances for food, housing, etc. At any rate, most of these guys are doing what they enjoy, trying to make money at it and are professionals, regardless of the level of play. By the way, on my European travels I've attended a number of these games in seveal countries, the nightly crowds are not NBA level, not even major college level, but they often beat the attendance figures in our non-NBA leagues.
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Post by ThomasMerton on Oct 25, 2005 12:42:56 GMT -5
Great stuff, Mick. Thanks for the updates.
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BonniesFan
Sophomore Member
SEEEEE YAAAAAA
Posts: 151
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Post by BonniesFan on Oct 25, 2005 13:59:55 GMT -5
Great to see former Bonnies doing well professionally. I'd just like to know how Saulius and Yankuba made it to the pros!
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Post by JR's Credit Card on Oct 26, 2005 15:24:43 GMT -5
For example, Pete Van Paassen signed a 5-year contract with the A League team in Holland which provides him with a salary in excess of $300,000 per year, a team paid apartment, auto and numerous other perks. Mick- Where are you getting this info from? I would be very surprised... actually, I'll eat your hat if this is true. I've been to some A league games in Holland. 1 to 2,000 (at the absolute most... normally less than 1,000 in what would be considered a high school gym in the US) people in attendence, and terrible basketball. I'm sure Peter will be one of the better players in the league, and I'm equally sure that his entire team doesn't make that amount of money in a season. How did you find this info out? |
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mick
Junior Member
Posts: 265
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Post by mick on Oct 26, 2005 21:12:00 GMT -5
My information is very straight forward, I communicate regularly with Peter. He was my summer intern several years ago and his family spent a summer with us as our guest. Pete and Esther had dinner at my house this past summer and I've helped him with some of his contract negotations. I also communicate with JR and watched him play in Europe last year. European basketball isn't the backwoods that everyone seems to think it is. After all, a crowd of 1,000 in a "high school" size gym is generally larger than crowds in the USBL. Don't forget the Pennsylvania Valley Dogs - were Tim Winn played a year or so ago - plays in a high school gym.
This past summer, Saulius and I communicated about whether he was going to go to grad school in Virginia and serve as a graduate assistant to the school's basketball program or try to play professionally in Europe. We decided it was best to try to play for a few years and he hooked up with an team in Estonia.
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Post by JR's Credit Card on Oct 27, 2005 22:07:34 GMT -5
If you say so... I have no reason to believe that you would be lying. I believe that you are mis-informed, I guess. Anyway, I don't think that European basketball is backwoods, but Hollad basketball DEFINITELY is. I would also submit that the USBL is backwoods basketball, as well.
At any rate, it is really nice to see so many former Bonnies playing professionally.
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Post by FroMunga on Oct 27, 2005 22:35:16 GMT -5
I've attended a number of these games in seveal countries, the nightly crowds are not NBA level, not even major college level, but they often beat the attendance figures in our non-NBA leagues. Nobody cares about our non-NBA leagues. The NBA tossed a ton of money at ESPN for coverage to try and drum up publicity for the league. To state the foreign leagues are equivalent to our non-NBA leagues doesn't say a whole lot for the level of play. Fact is, in Europe, these leagues are their NBA and still they can't draw crowds. The players deserve credit for extending their playing days and making a living but you gotta keep this in perspective. In the US, if you want to see a bunch of talented but "not talented enough" players go to any rec league of a major city. Wait till you see the pathetic attendance figures for the local non-NBA leagues. The novelty will quickly wear off on the locals when they realize D-1 programs offer better hoops and that doesn't say much right now. |
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Bona3550
Junior Member
Giddy-up!
Posts: 476
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Post by Bona3550 on Oct 28, 2005 14:59:45 GMT -5
This past summer, Saulius and I communicated about whether he was going to go to grad school in Virginia and serve as a graduate assistant to the school's basketball program or try to play professionally in Europe. We decided it was best to try to play for a few years and he hooked up with an team in Estonia. WE decided? Mick, are you Saulis' agent or something?
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