Excellent decision for Max. Only problem is, in Europe, Montana is harder to say than Hoetzel.
With apologies to the football fans who might have a hard time with one more lengthy basketball post, I'm thinking there are basketball fans who'd like to know what happened to our recent grads.
Many, many Aztecs have gone on to play professionally and profitably domestically or overseas. The better ones often initially take gigs in the NBA minors, and some, like JJ and Jamaal, bounce in and out of the NBA on short contracts. Malcolm was around long enough to almost claim an NBA career. If you can think of an Aztec star since Randy Holcomb, you're thinking of a guy who played professionally and likely made good money.
From most recent to the older guys ...
Dakarai Allen - '17 - Part time starter for the Clippers G-league team. Has posted some big numbers a few times. If he goes overseas, he'll have a long career and make the big bucks.
Matt Shrigley - '17 - Hasn't played professionally.
Skyler Spencer - '16 - Played his first pro year in Kuala Lumpur. Playing with Dakarai in the G-league, after a stint with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants. Cool name, ya gotta admit. I wonder if they have SDSU rights, because you'll see a lot of our guys have gone through there.
Angelo Chol - '16 - Originally played in Portugal, now in Japan. Not a starter, but making money.
Winston Shepard - '16 - Played a year in Hungary, now with the Warriors G-league affiliate, where he averages about 10 ppg in 25 mins. Not surprisingly, very inconsistent performer.
J.J. O'Brian - '15 - Has played with the Jazz, Clippers and now Trailblazers G-league affiliates. He's a starter, and was called up by the Jazz once. A guy who could make a handsome living overseas. Now capable of a 25 p 10 r 5 a game every night.
Dwayne Polee - '15 - Played a couple years in the NBA minors, but left in January '17.
Xavier Thames - '14 - Split his first pro season between Spain and the Mad Ants. Strong year with the Mad Ants in '16, but left to make some bucks in Europe in '17, where he played starter minutes in Macedonia. Began this season in Israel, now starting in Greece.
Josh Davis - '14 - Started with the Spurs affiliate in '14, where he was doing great. Moved to the Philippines in January, where he started and had some huge games. Like, 33 p, 24 r, 3 a, 5 s. Spent the next season in Japan, where he averaged 13 p and 16 r. Same team in '17, similar results. Still starting for a different Japanese team this year.
Jamaal Franklin - '13 - Bounced between the Grizzles and Mad Ants in '14. Spent '15 in China, where he started posting some incredible stat lines, like 53 pts, 7 rb, 4 a, 3 s. Sniffed the G-league and Puerto Rico in '16, then back to China, where he
averaged 34 pts, 11 r, 10 a and 3 s. Same Chinese team in '17, and his averages were about the same. Best stat line? 60 pts, 13 r, 21 a, 3 bs and 2 s. Honest to God. New team in China this year, and his averages are down but only slightly. Top game was 58 pts, 15 r, 9 a, 7 bs and 4 s. Went to the line 29 times in that game! Jamaal is a STAR in China. Which, of course, we all know he can handle.
Deshawn Stevens - '13 - After some time away from the game, he now starts for a team in Italy, averaging 16 ppg, 9 rebounds.
Chase Tapley - '13 - Spent a year in Uruguay and the G-league. Looks like he's not playing now.
Garrett Green - '12 - Dabbled for a coupled years in the G-league and Hungary (where he posted big numbers) but looks like he's on to other things.
Tim Shelton - '12 - Went immediately into coaching.
Kawhi Leonard - '11 - Duh.
Malcolm Thomas - '11 - Started his pro career in South Korea, where he averaged 21 p, 11 r 3 bs and 2 s. Played the 2H of the G-league schedule where he averaged about 15 p, 10 r, then got his first call up to the Spurs. Started the next season with Maccabi in Israel, then spent about two weeks in the NBA with the Warriors and Bulls. Spent the '14 season bouncing between the G-league and the Jazz. Memorable stat line for the LA Defenders ... 36p 18r 3a 3bs 4s. Played the early part of the '15 season with the Sixers, and finished in Puerto Rico. '16 season spent with the Defenders. Spent '17 in China, where he averaged 20p 16r 4a 2bs 2s. He's averaging 9 p and 4 r for Khimki, a Euroleague team in Russia.
Billy White - '11 - Spent some time in the G-league, then Greece, then Mexico (21 p 8 r), then Israel (21 p 9 r), then Halifax in the Canadian league. He's been there for 3 years, and posting big numbers. 19 p 9 r in '17, and 21 p 9 r this season. I'm guessing he's a star in Nova Scotia.
Brian Carlwell - '11 - Started in Argentina, then Japan, and the last three years with Perry Lakes in Australia, where he's averaged 17 p 11 r 2 bs. Looks like he may have a new home team.
D.J. Gay - '11 - DJ played well in Slovenia and Italy before returning to the US.
Mehdi Cheriet - '11 - ... has enjoyed a long professional career in France. Of course.
The list goes on and on.
The '09 class sent Kyle Spain, Lorrenzo Wade, Ryan Amoroso and Richie Williams to the pros. Pretty sure Richie's team won the German league last season. He, Ryan and Kyle are still making money from their basketball talent, and Lorrenzo was playing until the end of last year.
That's just the last 10 years. Let's just say etc for the Aztecs grads that proceeded them.
Really proud of all these guys, and thrilled to see they continue to make a living from a game they love.
Aztec M. BasketballVerified account@Aztec_MBB 12m12 minutes ago
