Expat Hoops: Recent Episodes
Expat Hoops
Expat Hoops is the premier podcast telling the unique stories from overseas basketball through the perspective of the players.
Kendrick Perry is a Youngstown State alum who has had a unique career. He started his pro career with experiences in the NBA Summer League and with Australia’s Sydney Kings right out of the gate. He’s also spent time in Hungary, Macedonia, Russia, France, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece, & Montenegro before signing with the Spanish club Unicaja in 2022. We caught up with him shortly after the FIBA Intercontinental Cup where Unicaja won the Championship and made a little news in the process.
We're happy to welcome Chaundee Brown Jr. to the Expat Hoops Podcast. Chaundee was a high level recruit who starred at Wake Forest for 3 years before transferring to the University of Michigan for his final collegiate season. After college, he played in the NBA G League as well as spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers as well as the Atlanta Hawks before beginning his overseas career. Since then, he's played in Puerto Rico, Canada, France and Germany. This season, he's joined on with the Kobe Storks in Japan's B.League.
In episode 101 of Expat Hoops we welcome Andy Ogide to the pod to talk about his career playing basketball professionally overseas. For college, he attended the Ole Miss before transferring to Colorado State University to graduate there. Professionally, he played in numerous countries starting with Spain, and ending with Romania. In between, he played in Russia, France (Pro B), Israel, Japan, Italy, Turkey, and Argentina. He has also played for Team Nigeria in numerous international competitions including the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Welcome to another episode of Expat Hoops. This is episode 100 and today we welcome Stan Okoye to the pod. He’s just finished his 11th season overseas, which 11 professional seasons is enough to talk about off the top. Professionally, he’s played in Israel, Australia and France but a bulk of his time abroad has been Italy and Spain. Throw in the fact he’s also played for Team Nigeria in numerous international competitions including the Olympics, the injuries along the way, and the fact he only had one D-1 offer, we highly suggest you stick around to hear his story.
Today we welcome Taylor Murray who played for Kentucky in college, where she became the only player in program history to end her career with at least 1,350 points, 280+ steals and 450+ assists. Taylor graduated in 2019 from Kentucky and began her first season overseas in Hungary. Then…covid happened. She has since played in Sweden and Great Britain before this last season spent in Romania. We’re happy to welcome her to the pod and talk about her career and experiences overseas.
In Episode 98 of Expat Hoops, we welcome Amanze Egekeze who played for Belmont in college, graduated in 2018, and joins us from Kataja in Finland where he is currently playing in the Korisliiga. This is his second season in Finland, with prior stops in Japan, Korea, Greece, France, and the Netherlands.
In addition to his professional career, he became a member of the Nigerian National team and played with the team in the qualifiers for AfroBasket 2021 and World Cup Qualifiers.
Today we welcome René Rougeau. He is a Los Angeles native who played for UNLV in college and is in the midst of his 15th season overseas. This season he’s playing in Finland for the Helsinki Seagulls.
Although he has had great success over the course of his career, he's faced a tough start to his pro career and a few set backs along the way. Hear about both the highs and the lows as he recaps his career through New Zealand, Mexico, Venezuela, Israel, France, and Finland.
Today we welcome Remy Abell who had quite the college career stateside before heading overseas. He started at Indiana, spent 2 years there, had to sit out a year to transfer (those rules feel like so long ago now), then spent the last 2 seasons at Xavier. He began an overseas basketball career that is now in it's 8th season, travelling through Finland, Hungary, Bosnia, and Cyprus.
This is Episode 95 of the Expat Hoops Podcast and today we welcome Troy Vasco. The Baltimore native played for the Baltimore Catholic League power Mount Saint Joe's before heading off to Allegany College in Mountain Maryland prior to becoming a professional basketball player. In fact, he would even teach as his day job while training and playing semi-pro for a few years post college before officially becoming a pro player. When we sat down with Troy, he had played in Antigua for 3 years and is still looking for new challenges abroad.
In Episode 94 of the Expat Hoops Podcast, we welcome former overseas pro Sean McCaw. His pro career lasted over a decade and he enjoyed it so much overseas, he stayed. He joins us from Germany today to talk about his experiences in his career as well as what he does today to stay active in the world of overseas basketball.
We welcome Rocky Kreuser in Episode 93 of the Expat Hoops Podcast. After a stellar college career at North Dakota State University, the Minnesota native’s pro career started in 2022 in Germany. This season he joined Belgian powerhouse Antwerp Giants where he averages 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds through 19 games so far.
He sat down with us from Antwerp to talk about how his career overseas got started as well as his experiences on and off the court while playing basketball professionally overseas.
We welcome Roydell Brown in Episode 92 of the Expat Hoops Podcast. His pro career started in 2020 in Slovakia, then he joined KTP-Basket in Finland for the 2021-22 season and he has played there pretty much ever since (save for the summer of 2023 when he played in Columbia). He joins us from the home of KTP-Basket, Kotka Finland to talk about his experiences on and off the court while playing basketball professionally overseas.
In episode 91 of Expat Hoops, we sit down with Germantown, Maryland native Javon Daniels. Javon is a former Division III player who started out his overseas career in Scotland and has enjoyed it so much, he stayed. He is now in his third season in the Scottish Basketball Championship (SBC for short), now with his second club the Falkirk Fury.
In episode 89 of Expat Hoops Podcast, we're happy to welcome back Jay Threatt. The former George Mason and Delaware State player has been an overseas pro and is now 12 years in. He started off in Iceland and has taken him to all across Europe. Last time we caught up with him two years ago, he was in Poland. A lot has happened since then and he joins us now from Romania.
On this episode 88 of Expat Hoops, we’re happy to welcome Madi Torresin. The Pennsylvania native, but Canadian national, is a 2019 grad of West Chester University, by way of UMBC. She’s played in Germany, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Luxemborg, Australia. She’s currently playing in France’s League, albeit in the small nation of Monaco just off the southern portion of France.
In episode 86 of Expat Hoops, we sit down with Jared Kimbrough, who played for La Salle before transferring and graduating from the University of Hartford. Jared is in the midst of his first professional season overseas, and it has already been eventful with plenty of stories to tell.
We caught up with Will Thomas, now in his 16th season overseas. He rejoined Unicaja Malaga this season after having played for AS Monaco last season. Just recently, Will became one of only 7 foreign born players to play in over 200 games for Unicaja. It's always great sitting down with Will to catch up, and we hope you enjoy this pod as much as we did.
In Episode 84 we're happy to welcome Jeremiah Wilson to the pod. The Chicago, Illinois native played for Casper Community College before transferring to Tarleton State before heading overseas to start his career as a pro. He’s been playing professionally for 13 seasons overseas in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East.
In Episode 83 of Expat Hoops we welcome Gavin Ware to the pod. The Starkville, Mississippi native stayed home to play for Mississippi State before heading overseas to start his career as a pro. He’s had stops in Belgium, Germany, Japan, and extensive time in France. We sat down with Gavin after his 7th season. Turns out, we got to break the news that Gavin is committed to go back to Japan for his 8th and 9th season.
Dino Gregory, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, played in the Baltimore Catholic League for Mount Saint Joe’s, then for the University of Maryland before heading overseas to start his career as a pro. He had stops in Sweden, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Romania. Dino has since retired from pro basketball, but still plays in leagues for fun while being a firefighter for the Kirkland, Washington Fire Department.
Welcome to Expat Hoops, the ultimate podcast for basketball enthusiasts and fans of the global game! In this episode, we welcome Xavier Sewell, who takes us through his basketball career from NAIA though Portugal, France, and Norway. Throughout this captivating interview, Xavier reveals the triumphs and challenges he encountered while pursuing his passion in these diverse leagues. Discover the relentless dedication and sacrifice required to compete at the highest level and the sheer joy of playing the game he loves in different cultures.
In this episode, we are thrilled to have the incredible Louis Hinnant joining us, as we dive deep into his fascinating overseas basketball career. His overseas basketball journey spanned Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Ukraine, Germany, and Poland. Don't forget to subscribe to Expat Hoops for more captivating interviews with international basketball icons, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and expert analysis. Join our vibrant community of hoop enthusiasts, and let's explore the world of basketball together. Follow us on social media to stay updated on all things basketball and connect with fellow fans. Remember, the ball never stops bouncing, and Expat Hoops is your passport to the thrilling world of global basketball.
In this episode, we sit down with O.D. Anosike, a New York native and Siena College alum who has found success playing professionally in countries all over the world. Anosike takes us through his basketball journey, from playing at Siena College to pursuing a career overseas. He shares the challenges he faced adjusting to different cultures and playing styles, as well as the rewards of experiencing new places and meeting new people. As a player who has competed in top-level leagues in Europe, Asia, and Mexico, Anosike offers a unique perspective on the global game of basketball. He discusses the similarities and differences between basketball cultures in different parts of the world, and how he has adapted his game to fit each situation. Whether you're a basketball fan or just interested in hearing about life as an expat athlete, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we dive deep into the world of overseas basketball with Od Anosike on Expat Hoops.
Cassandra Brown has played in over 19 countries when we sat down with her for Episode 78 of Expat Hoops. Born and raised in Vernon BC, Cassandra played collegiately at the University of Portland. Now, with over 8 years of professional overseas experience, she's currently playing with the Mount Gambier Pioneers before looking toward a return to Europe. Her story, career, and plans for the future are well worth listening to and we hope you enjoy her episode as much as we did!
In Episode 77, we're joined by Will Perry, a talented point guard who has taken his skills from D-II Lenoir-Rhyne to around the globe. From his humble beginnings in Spain to his current stint in Mozambique's Basketball Africa League, Will has seen it all. In this episode, he'll share his unique insights into the world of overseas basketball, including the challenges and rewards of playing in different countries, adapting to new cultures, and dealing with the ups and downs of a career in sports. Will's journey is both inspiring and informative, making this episode a must-listen for any basketball fan, whether you're an aspiring player or just someone who loves the game. With his infectious enthusiasm and candid stories, Will will take you on a journey through some of the most exciting basketball leagues in the world, from Portugal to Bulgaria and beyond.
Our guest on the pod today is Eric Pierce. The Oceanside California native has just begun his overseas career after recently graduating from Bellevue University. He's currently playing for Ghaz Al-Shamal in Iraq's Super League and he sits down to talk about the beginnings of his overseas career with us.
We're happy to welcome Rashad James to the Expat Hoops podcast. Get an inside look at his career spanning multiple countries and representing Team USA in this exclusive interview!
Our guest on the pod today is Darious Moten. The Georgia native has been playing international basketball since the 2015 season following his career with the Mercer Bears. He has played in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland, and now in the Czech Republic where he joins us from today.
Our guest on the pod today is Keith Braxton. The New Jersey native is in his second season of international basketball following four years at Saint Francis University. He started his career in Israel and is playing this season in Belgium where he joins us from today.
Our guest on the pod today is Ryan Pearson. After a stellar 4 years at George Mason, he has been playing international basketball since the 2012-13 season when he started out in Ukraine. He has since played in Israel, Belgium, Hungary, several seasons in France, Mexico, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and he most recently joined friend of the pod and another Mason alum Gabe Norwood on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippines.
We're happy to welcome Skyler Bowlin to Expat Hoops for our latest episode. The Arkansas native has been playing international basketball since the 2011-12 season following four years at NCAA Division II Missouri Southern. Since starting his career in Germany's second tier league, he has since played in Austria, Denmark, Germany (again) in the Basketball Bundesliga for several years, Greece, and Poland. Skyler joined us from Horsens, Denmark however he's currently playing for the powerhouse of Denmark's Basketligaen, the Bakken Bears.
Episode 70 has us sitting down with Tayler Persons. The Indiana native and Ball State alum’s pro career actually began in the Dutch Basketball League in 2019. That 2019-20 season was cut short in March of 2020, but not before he finished the season as the assists leader in the league and was named to the All-FIBA Euro Cup team. He has since played in Germany, Poland, Hungary, and now in France with legendary franchise Élan Chalon where he joins us from today.
Kenny Hayes is a pro basketball vet with over a decade under his belt. The Miami University alum’s pro career actually began stateside with the Maine Red Claws before heading overseas. By now he’s spent a decade overseas alone. Beginning his overseas career in Venezuela and including stops in Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, France, and several seasons in Turkey where he joins us from today.
A floor general with a decade plus career only begins to describe Derek Needham. We caught up with Derek as he’s about to begin his second season with Frutti Extra Bursaspor coming off a revival season for him as he was named to the All-EuroCup First Team in the 2021-22 campaign. However, the Fairfield alum’s career began overseas in Lithuania & his career internationally spans countries like Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Montenegro and Turkey. He now holds a passport from Montenegro as he has represented the country on the international basketball stage. You won’t want to miss a moment of this interview and the extras we have about Derek’s career and experiences overseas.
This episode of Expat Hoops features Anthony Clemmons. The Iowa alum’s career began overseas in Austria. His career internationally spans countries like Kazakstan, Monaco, Serbia and he’s set to begin his second season in Turkey.
Josh Boutte hails from New Iberia, Louisiana. After graduating from Angelo State University, he got his first overseas gig in Kosovo. However, that wouldn't last longer than 6 games as the world-wide pandemic broke out and he returned to the U.S. After a short delay in his career, he headed to El Salvador to play, and followed up with a season in Germany.
Tyler Cavanaugh has been a prolific scorer with fantastic outside shooting touch for a long time. After a successful college career at George Washington, he caught the attention of the Atlanta Hawks. He was soon thrust into NBA action after a series of injuries and did not disappoint. After a couple seasons between the NBA and the G League, he set out overseas to Germany, Spain, and now Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris Kaunas. He's set to begin his third season in the EuroLeague, and his second season with Zalgiris. We caught up with him while the team trains in Spain prior to the 22/23 season.
Karvel Anderson, an Elkhart, Indiana native, has been a prolific scorer overseas for years now. Basketball has taken him from his Indiana home to junior college to Robert Morris before playing in Italy, France, Spain, Israel, Germany, and Turkey.
In episode 63 of Expat Hoops, we sit down with Cleveland State alum J'Nathan Bullock. He's put together an overseas career that spans various stops in Europe and Asia. That, plus he was in demand by a few teams to be the next basketball to tight end prospect in the NFL.
Glen Burnie, Maryland native Jordan Hawkins joins us after she just completed her third professional season overseas. A graduate of Assumption College, Jordan has played primarily in Romania, but has experience in Germany, Serbia, and Greece. We sit down to talk about her career and where she might want to go next in her career overseas.
D'Angelo Harrison is one of the more prolific scorers in overseas basketball today. The Texas native and Saint John's University alum quickly established himself overseas in Turkey. From there, he's played in Israel, Russia, Ukraine, France, and Italy.
Malcolm Grant joins us for Episode 60 on Expat Hoops to talk about his college career (split between Villanova and Miami) and his overseas career which now spans 10 years. He started in the Cypriot League in Cyprus before heading to Australia in his rookie season abroad. In the years that followed, he's spent time in Canada, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Montenegro, and Iran.
Shannon Shorter, as of sitting down with us, was wrapping up his 10th season playing basketball overseas. The University of North Texas Grad began his career in Mexico, and has since made his way to Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. In short, he's been pretty much everywhere in his decade long career.
In Episode 58, we're joined on the Expat Hoops Pod by Mehryn Kraker, a former Horizon League player of the year at Wisconsin-Green Bay and WNBA draftee. After being drafted by the Mystics, she began her pro career playing in the vaunted Spanish women's league for multiple seasons. She abruptly retired during Covid, but still had the itch to continue playing at a high level. Fortunately, we caught up with Mehryn as she wrapped up her first season back as a professional in Sweden.
In Episode 57, we talk to Stephen Zack a LaSalle grad who has played all across Europe and in Israel.
Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Vee Sanford spent his first two college years at his “dream school” of Georgetown before transferring closer to home and becoming a Dayton Flyer. You might remember him from hitting the game winner over Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament in 2014. After a college career capped by the Elite 8 appearance, he made his way to Iceland to begin his pro career. He spent one season in Iceland before heading to Germany to play for Wurzburg in the Basketball Bundesliga. From there, he would head to France and spend the next 4 seasons playing for 4 different teams in France’s top league. Hear about how France became a second home for Vee and how he caught a little controversy for switching sides in a longstanding rivalry. We interviewed Vee as he’s playing in Italy’s top league this season. Hear about his overseas basketball career, on and off the floor, right here on Expat Hoops. So subscribe to Expat Hoops on YouTube and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
In Episode 55 we sit down with Texas State alum Victor Bermudez. His overseas journey is the epitome of perseverance. He joined us from Qatar in our interview where his career is going very well now. But here is a small sample of how he got to where he is now. Barely played as a junior in high school. 6th man as a senior in high school. While he did well in AAU, no college interest. Went prep, caught on with Texas State. At Texas State, he averaged 1 point per game as a junior, 2 as a senior. He broke his foot right before graduation, out 6 months. He worked as a shoe salesman and at a night club for 2 years. His first professional job he made happen on his own by Facebook messaging the club. Hear about his incredible journey and about his experiences overseas.
In Episode 54 of Expat Hoops Podcast we talk to former Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) alum and current Illawarra Hawks star Antonius Cleveland. He graduated from SEMO in 2017 and spent the last 3 years between the G-League and stints in the NBA before moving to the Hawks of Australia’s NBL this year. We talk about his journey from an undersized recruit all the way to being the "final piece of the puzzle" in Illawarra's quest for an NBL title.
On the latest Expat Hoops Podcast, we sit down with Terry Smith who has been playing for Hermine Nantes Basket in France's LNB Pro B since 2019. Terry's career is truly a story of great success at the highest levels of Europe after a rough start. Coming out of Division II Mercyhurst, he got his professional start in the lower levels of German basketball for very low pay. The team folded and he took an IT job in the Washington, DC area before his next basketball job. Even when he got his next basketball job, in the Czech Republic, his struggles still were not over. Hear about his crazy experiences to start his career, and hear about how he gradually worked his way up to success in European basketball.
Overseas professional basketball player Michel-Ofik Nzege, a Swiss national, came to the United States in high school and found success in college first at Winston Salem State and then East Carolina. From there, he's weathered some interesting situations to start his career. He spent his first season with three different clubs and dealt with some shady agents along the way.
In episode 51, we sat down with Belmont alum and current San Pablo Burgos star Alex Renfroe. Alex turned pro in 2009 and has played all across Europe. He started in Latvia with VEF Riga, and got his pro career off to a terrific start. Within a few short years, he would be at the top of European basketball, playing in EuroLeague for three different clubs from 2014 through 2017. In the 2017 campaign, he was teammates with friend of the pod Shane Lawal at Spanish powerhouse Barcelona. He would be back in EuroLeague in 2019 for Zenit St. Petersburg with friend of the pod Will Thomas. Alex has been with San Pablo Burgos in Spain's Liga ACB since 2020, and he loves it. From playing in a great country like Spain, an elite league that suits his favorite way to play, and the fans of Burgos, he's clearly found a home in Spain.
Jaleen Smith became a professional overseas in 2017. He signed on with German club Heidelberg in the Pro A League, worked his way up to Basketball Bundesliga with Ludwigsburg, and just signed on with BBL powerhouse ALBA Berlin. We discuss his experiences in Germany, and how he's adapting to the rigors of EuroLeague.
Devin Oliver has played in multiple spots across Europe over the course of his pro career. However, the University of Dayton alum recently signed on with a team in Japan and that’s where we caught up with him. He’s in his first season for the Sendai 89ers and enjoying his time there so far.
Brandon Hill has played basketball overseas for years across many different countries. But in this episode, we hear not only about his playing career but about his new venture into team ownership overseas too.
Jay Threatt, a Richmond, Virginia native, has had an overseas career that has taken him all across Europe. His career includes stops in Iceland, Germany, Finland, Romania, Hungary, France, Lithuania, and Poland where he joins us from now.
In this episode we talk to Fredericksburg, Virginia native Rashard Kelly. He’s been a part of a lot of teams notable in the DMV before picking Wichita State as his college home in 2014. Since graduating, he’s been playing in high level leagues in Russia, Italy, Turkey, and now in France.
In episode 45 of Expat Hoops, we sit down with Isaac White. He currently plays in his native Australia for the Illawarra Hawks. He attended Stanford for three years, completing his coursework and graduated early. He initially set out to transfer to California Baptist to get more playing time, but the pandemic, coupled with interest from NBL teams, lead him to turn professional. Isaac takes us through his unique journey to becoming a pro and gives us insight into one of the NBL's premiere teams coached by the legendary Brian Goorjian. Be sure to follow along with Isaac and the Illawarra Hawks as they are among the favorites to contend for the NBL Championship this year.
After a standout career at Troy University, Wes Person Jr. has experienced quite a bit along the way of a career that includes stops in Italy, Hungary, Chile and the G-League before restarting in the BBL for Newcastle. He sat down with us from Newcastle to take us through his career so far.
On this episode of Expat Hoops, we were lucky to sit down with Brittany Smart. She went from an amazing collegiate career at Cedarville University (being named the NAIA Division II player of the year in 2007) to an illustrious career overseas. She spent multiple seasons in Belgium and Sweden before coming to Australia in 2015. Since coming to Australia, she has remained a fixture in the WNBL.
If you need a crash course on professional basketball teams in Germany, Chase Adams is probably going to be the guy you should consult with. He has spent much of his decade long career with various squads across Germany (and a few other places in Europe). Hear about his career overseas and what might be next for him in Episode 42.
Devon, a California native who split her college career between Northwestern and Saint Mary's College, sat down with us to discuss her career to date which has taken her from a start in Ireland to some of the top leagues in Europe pretty quickly.
In our latest interview we sat down with VCU alum Mike’l Simms, who is currently playing in Brazil. This interview took place in a McDonald's due to wifi issues, so a huge thank you to Mike'l for making this interview work! This marks an Expat Hoops first (well, the McDonald's, not the wifi issues). Before his professional career began, the Highland Springs, Virginia native spent a year at Bull City Prep and one season at Cowley Community College before joining the Rams for the remaining 3 seasons. Mike'l graduated from VCU in May 2020. Right in the midst of the pandemic. Hear about how he tried to navigate not only the global pandemic but trying to start his professional basketball career. While there was a stop-start nature to how it began, he's now in Brazil playing for União Corinthians and among the league leaders in minutes.
In episode 39 of Expat Hoops, we talk with the University of Miami’ s DJ Vasiljevic, who currently plays in his native Australia for the Sydney Kings. He was a four year player for the Canes in the mighty ACC prior to signing with the Kings, but it almost didn't turn out that way. Following a strong showing for Australia in the 2019 Summer Universiade games, where he helped lead the Aussies to a Bronze medal finish, he was receiving plenty of interest from agents and teams seeing if he wanted to turn professional. He had finished his coursework and had graduated academically, but had a year remaining of athletic eligibility. Coach Larranaga convinced DJ to stay for one more year, before he ultimately turned pro in 2020. Prior to signing on with the Sydney Kings, he was able to pursue a master's degree while showcasing his skills in the ACC for another season. Since signing a three year deal with Sydney, DJ has been highly successful. He quickly became one of the NBL’s best players for one of the best teams in Australia. Currently DJ is rehabbing from an Achilles injury, but in our interview and other recent video clips, it is clear that DJ is about as close to 100% as you could hope for. It won't be long before he is back in the NBL playing at a high level. From there, he'll certainly have options whether it is in the NBL, the high levels of Europe, or even in the NBA.
We sat down with Angela Rodriguez shortly before her first season in Greece was set to begin. Her 1,564 career points rank seventh in University of Wisconsin Milwaukee history. After she graduated in 2014, she started her overseas career in Poland, and has played throughout Europe in her career going on 8 years.
Former Indiana and GW star Maurice Creek has had an overseas career that criss-crosses Europe. One of the wilder starts to a European career makes for an interesting story, but also shows Maurice's perseverance.
Milwaukee Panthers Women's Basketball alum Steph Kostowicz can seemingly do it all. A dual sport athlete in college, a registered nurse, and a professional basketball player. Hear about her career overseas through stops in Hungary, Greece, and now Romania, as well as her highly successful tenure with the Wisconsin Glo (back to back champs).
We sat down with Central Michigan alum Giordan Watson to recount his career, first as a Chippewa and then overseas. Giordan started in Germany for the first two seasons of his pro career, and made stops in Iceland, Finland, Romania, Turkey, and France before spending the last 4 seasons back in Romania.
Former VCU basketball star Jamal Shuler discusses his journey from the college ranks to a highly successful overseas career spanning countries like Germany, France (and Monaco), Ukraine, Israel, and Greece. Jamal has a lot of great stories and is highly engaging, so in that spirit tell us in the comments your favorite parts of Jamal's story.
DeAndre sits down with us to tell us of his experience playing overseas to date in his young career. The Texas native has played in Finland his rookie year, and sat down with us prior to the start of his second professional season, now in Slovakia. DeAndre's college experience, going from Texas to George Mason in Virginia, and then to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, prepared him (somewhat) for the professional lifestyle of being away from family for extended periods of time. We're looking forward to what this season holds for DeAndre!
The overseas basketball career of Cam Long spanned several countries and it had it's ups and downs. After a highly, highly successful college career at George Mason, Cam Long began his professional basketball career in Lithuania. From there, he would join clubs in France and Germany that played in the highly competitive EuroCup. The final seasons, Cam would spend in Romania and finally two seasons in Israel.
Atlantic City native and Canisius grad Frank Turner has an 11 year overseas career in Europe. After a stellar career at Canisisu, he started out as a professional in Netherlands for 2 seasons with EiffelTowers Den Bosch. Frank's career has taken him to clubs in Poland, France, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, and Macedonia. The point guard has made his mark at all these stops by being a consistent distributor and defender as evidenced by his tendency to lead or challenge for the league lead in assists and steals. In addition to his individual accomplishments, Frank has been a part of a few championship teams during his career in Europe.
Jeremiah Hill has played in the ABA, NBA G-League, and overseas already in his career. The Savannah State/Valdosta State product worked his way up from the ABA to the G League with the affiliate of the Orlando Magic. From there, Jeremiah spent the last two seasons playing in the VTB League for Astana. After sitting down with us, Jeremiah signed a deal to play this upcoming season for VTB club Parma (not to be confused with Parma in Italy).
In Episode 29, we catch up with former George Mason Patriot and Old Dominion Monarch star Jon Arledge to talk about his overseas basketball career. The Maryland native who stayed local for college, has since logged a lot of miles overseas in his basketball career. He started off in Switzerland for Boncourt in the Swiss Basketball League (SBL). From there, Jon spent the next two seasons in Italy's Serie A2, first for Latina Basket and then for Piacenza. Following a successful stint in Italy, Jon went to Latvia to play in the PAF Latvian Estonian Basketball League for perennial power Ventspils. Soon enough, Jon joined Cholet in France where he and his teammates exceeded critics expectations and won the coveted EuroCup. Prior to the Covid-19 global pandemic, Jon spent time playing in Greece's top league for another power, Peristeri. Right as we were recording this, Jon was in contact with his agent regarding where he would play next overseas. We're happy to report as of this video release, Jon will be playing the 2021-22 season in Porto, Portugal.
Former Kentucky Mr. Basketball and Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year and Tennessee Volunteer Chris Lofton sat down with us just before the TBT where he joined up with the University of Tennessee alumni squad, Ballinteers, to talk about his basketball career overseas. After leaving Knoxville as a dominant college basketball player with success in the NCAA tournament, he left to go play professionally overseas for Mersin in Turkey. Although he was homesick right away, this would be the start of his decade long career that has included stops in the (then) D-League, across Europe, and Asia. Perhaps more importantly, he has persevered through adversity and been a source of comfort and hope to those facing a cancer diagnosis of their own.
A "basketball nomad" since high school, Ameer Jackson is used to racking up miles to play the game he loves. So going into new situations overseas year to year does not phase him. Ameer started in Romania, but has tended to gravitate towards the Middle East the last few seasons. After lighting it up in Qatar in his second professional season, he spent this last season in Iraq bouncing back from a serious injury better than ever.
Erron Maxey joins Tony and Andy to talk about his long, illustrious, and ongoing career overseas, which started before either of the hosts were in college. He shares with us some of the wildest stories we’ve heard yet, including about his time playing what’s known as Wildball in China. You don’t want to miss it.
Maurice Acker joins us to talk TBT and his defending champion Golden Eagles, and his time overseas which, unfortunately, includes another dig at traveling in Poland. Sorry, Poland! Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more from him as well.
Gabe Norwood comes on the pod to talk to us about his long career in the Philippines after his years at Mason came to a close in 2008. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as listening to our podcasts on your favorite platform.
We talked with former Holy Cross player Torey Thomas about his ongoing 14 year career overseas, which has taken him to Sweden, Holland, Poland, Russia, France, Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, Italy, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Serbia, Turkey. and about his new PBA team he owns, the New York Generals. Listen in.
Tyreek Duren joins us to talk about his journey from Philly to overseas. He spent 4 years at La Salle until 2014, when he had his first of three stints at his favorite location, AEK Larnaca in Cyprus. He played in Poland, France, and Greece and twice more in Cyprus before his most recent stint in Hungary. Tune in.
Andy and Tony interview Yonhap News sportswriter Jeeho Yoo about the Korean Basketball League, WKBL, and the Korean public’s perception of basketball in South Korea over the years in comparison to other countries. Listen in.
Andy and Tony talk to Porter Troupe in their nineteenth episode about his time playing professional basketball in Europe post his University of Portland playing time. In his ongoing pro career that’s lasted since 2009, Porter has played basketball in Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Finland. Tune in to hear his best and worst experiences.
Folarin Campbell becomes the third member of the 2006 George Mason final four team to join Expat Hoops and talk about his overseas professional career. Since 2008, he has played all across Europe as well as in Israel and Venezuela. Tune in to hear what he thought his best and worst experiences were.
Listen to former James Madison player Kirby Burkholder talk about her best and worst experiences overseas as a professional. Follow the pod on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for more from her and other guests.
Larry Thomas stops by with Fallyn Stephens to discuss the ins and outs of Icelandic professional basketball and how to survive a long layoff. As we were putting this together, Iceland announced another nationwide pause on sports, so hopefully they’ll be back to playing soon. Listen in.
Providence assistant coach Jess Jenkins stops by with Andy and Tony and their former guest, Fallyn Stephens, whom she went to high school with, to talk about her unique career overseas. Tune in.
Former Arizona State player and current French club league and Nigerian women’s basketball team player Promise Amukamara talks to us about her process getting into professional basketball, what its like prepping for the Olympics, and what it’s like being in a family full of athletes during COVID.
Todd Gotcher joins Andy and Tony on Expat Hoops to discuss his stint in Europe, which has primarily been in Greece, life on the continent and how it differs from here, and his plans for after his career is over. Tune in here and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for additional content, including Expat Extras.
Detroit-area native Shane Lawal tells us about his journey all over the world, including the astonishing story of his play in Benghazi, Libya in February 2011. Despite the rough start to his pro career, Shane became a key piece of the Nigerian national team and played several years in EuroLeague for Sassari and Barcelona. Tune in and follow Expat Hoops everywhere for Shane’s story from the lower leagues of Libya to the highest leagues of Europe.
Andy and Tony interviewed former University of Rhode Island and current international standout Delroy James about a wide range of topics. We nerd out about high school basketball, talk the business of the sport, and rant about NBA high school players, as well as his own career all over the world.
The head coach of Adelphi University’s women’s basketball team joins us, along with her former player Fallyn Stephens, for a wide-ranging conversation about Missy’s stint playing in Sweden and her coaching career. Please note: Adelphi unfortunately cancelled their 2020-2021 basketball season while this episode was in production.
Andy and Tony B. are back again to talk to one of George Mason basketball’s all time greats, Will Thomas, about his successful career which has included European championships and individual accolades. He also chronicles his time so far in Russia and how they’ve handled COVID-19. Listen in.
Shaq McKissic comes onto the pod with Andy and Tony B. in a wide-ranging interview discussing his stance on criminal justice, how that was forged through his own experience in the system, conspiracy theories, and of course, his time playing in lots of different countries overseas. Also, you can find the Expat Extras episode we mentioned going into at the end of the podcast on our Youtube channel, which you can find on the Expat Hoops channel, along with links to our other social media.
Guest host Fallyn Stephens fills in for Tony alongside Andy Hoverman to talk to former George Mason and American University player and fellow podcaster Vlad Moldoveanu about his show, why he left Mason, and what its been like playing overseas and what’s unique about his experience.
Andy and Tony B. talk to former George Mason, UConn, and Georgetown standout Natalie Butler, who’s currently playing pro ball in Greece for Pas Giannina. She tells us how she ended up coming back to her home area to end her career and set NCAA records after winning a national title with UConn, and how George Mason helped her get her Master’s degree for a future after basketball.
D.C. native Devin Sweetney (’10, St. Francis) stops by to discuss his basketball career from Riverdale Baptist to college to pro. We’ll discuss his unique experience having started in the [then] D-League, his stint with the Denver Nuggets, and back to the G-League with the Capital City Go-Go. Oh, and he’s also played basketball on 4 different continents.
Andy and Tony catch up with Fallyn Stephens, who has begun her professional career with Hamar in Iceland. She tells us what her quarantine period was like, updates us on Iceland foods, and lets us know what her plans are for the upcoming season, both personally and professionally. Enjoy!
Our interview with Ike Tate is our longest to date. We touch on everything from his two NCAA tournament appearances to the ups and downs of his pro career overseas to cooking. And, as a bonus, we have video of this interview on Youtube. Hope you enjoy
BONUS CONTENT: Mike Morrison joined us before our interview with Ike Tate and the four of us riffed on their time at Mason, movies and their instagram account. I hope you have as much fun watching it as we did recording it. PS we’ll happily produce the Mike and Ike show going forward.
The Expat duo talk with Mike Morrison, who played for George Mason’s men’s basketball team from 2008-2012. He tells us what he’s up to waiting for his season to start in Turkey, and about all the stops he’s been on in his 8 year pro career. Listen in!
Andy and Tony sit down with Fallyn Stephens, a recent graduate of Division-II Adelphi University. We’ll talk with her about the sudden end to Adelphi’s 27-3 season and how she took that as an experience capping off her collegiate career. After the sudden end to her collegiate career, she began to seriously consider a pro career, leading to her signing with an agent, and ready to head off to Iceland. She’ll tell us about the team she’s joining, and her hopes for the beginning of her career. We’ll be checking in with Fallyn throughout the season, stay tuned for more.
Andy and Tony B. sit down with Tony S, who Mason fans know as the one, the only, Tony Skinn. They talk with him about his professional career overseas, his experience being the first Mason basketball player to become an Olympian, and how his playing career has helped him to become an up and coming assistant coach at Seton Hall. Why miss this?