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As players pass through the Gonzaga program, we get to watch them play for 4 years, watch them become men and we get to know a ton about them as basketball players and people. At the end of the 4 years, only a select few get to go on to play in the NBA, where it is easy to keep tabs on them. For the rest, many go on to play professionally in other countries where we don't get to see them on TV and have to rely on websites in foreign languages to keep up on their careers.
A Few Good Zags went ahead and collected all the information you'll need for reconnecting with your old favorites.Continue reading for an update on the Zags (not former Zags, because once a Zag always a Zag) currently playing abroad.
UPDATED Stats shown are for this season as of 12/6/09
Jeremy Pargo : Hapoel Galil-Elyon- Israeli League (Ligat Winner)
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|
Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 7 |
22.1 |
3.7 |
4.6 |
61.0% |
42.6% |
Pargo had a chance to get drafted in late 2nd round of last summer's NBA draft, but no team took a flyer on him. He signed on late with the Piston's Vegas Summer League team, averaging 10 pts and 3 assists in 3 games, but they did not have a roster spot available. That meant it was time to consider his European options. Pargo ended up signing with Israeli team Hapoel Galil-Elyon. So far so good for Jeremy in the Middle East. He is 2nd in the league in scoring through 4 games at 23.8 pts/game. A successful rookie year as a professional could land him an audition for a NBA team this summer.
Click here for full stats
Josh Heytvelt : Oyak Renault -Turkish League (TBL)
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|
Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 8 |
16.0 |
8.8 |
1.6 |
56.4% |
39.1% |
Heytvelt also had an outside chance of being drafted in the 2009 NBA Draft, but he failed to prove in pre-draft workouts that he was worthy of a selection. Josh did play for the Washington Wizards Summer League team, but logged a total of 33 minutes in 5 games in Vegas. He ended up signing with Oyak Renault of the Turkish Basketball League in August. He has gotten off to a hot start much like Pargo has; Josh is 4th in the TBL in scoring and 2nd in rebounding. These are good signs for Josh's future NBA aspirations, as the TBL is the 6th best European basketball league.
Click here for full stats
Micah Downs: KK Zadar- Croatian League (A1 Liga)
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|
Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 10 |
9.0 |
3.5 |
1.4 |
55.8% |
45.8% |
After graduating this past spring, Downs hooked up with the Phoenix Suns for Summer League. After getting some decent run in Vegas, Micah signed with KK Zadar of the Croatia's highest league. Micah has been shooting the ball well early in his first season, hitting 10-18 three-pointers, but his minutes have been streaky. It will be interesting to see if Downs can become a star at this level, or if he'll just make a living as role player.
Side note: the KK Zadar fans (the tornadoes) look like they could give the Kennel Club a run for their money.
Check out some video footage (Downs is #22 on the blue team)
Click here for full stats
Derek Raivio: TBB Trier- German League (BBL)
 |
Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 11 |
14.1 |
2.5 |
3.1 |
50% |
47.8% |
After graduating in 2007 and winning WCC Co-Player of the Year, Derek went undrafted which was expected. He hooked up with the Atlanta Hawks for summer league, before heading off to Germany to try his luck for the Koln 99ers. It should be noted that Raivio was born in Europe and spend his first 8 years there. He got off to a rough start in his first year in Europe though. He didn't get a ton of minutes early on for the 99ers, but he came on strong late in the season. He got a fresh start in year two, signing a 2-year deal with TBB Trier (of the same German League), and has been an integral player for Trier. He's still hitting over 90% of his free throws and over 50% from beyond the arc. Derek has a long international career ahead of him, but it is highly doubtful he'll get a shot at the NBA.
Click here for full stats
TBB Trier Facebook Fan Page
JP Batista: Le Mans Sarthe- French League (Pro A)
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Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 10 |
13.1 |
5.7 |
0.4 |
56.1% |
100% |
JP Batista, the big Brazilian (who now goes by João Paulo), left Gonzaga in 2006 after a successful 2 year career in Spokane. Even though he put up 19 pts, and 9 rebounds as a Senior, he was deemed too much of a tweener by scouts at 6'9". He headed to Lithuania to play for BC Lietuvos Rytas in Lithuania for a couple of years, but is now with LeMans Sarthe of the French Pro A League. Everywhere he goes, he puts up steady numbers and his teams win. JP has also been representing his native Brazil on the Brazilian National Team, which won this summer's FIBA Americas Championship.
Click here for full stats
Cory Violette: Toshiba Brave Thunders- Japanese League (JBL Pro)
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Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 19 |
11.1 |
8.4 |
1.0 |
50.6% |
0.0% |
Cory Violette has taken his show on the road since graduating in 2004. It doesn't look like he can stand being in one place for too long. Here's what his resume looks like.
2004-05 Sicc Cucine Jesi (Italy)
2005-06 Fenerbahce Istanbul (Turkey)
2007 Bipop Carire Reggio Emilia (Italy)
2008 Idaho Stampede (NBDL)
2009-10 Toshiba Brave Thunders (Japan)
Then throw in a few NBA summer leagues, and that adds up to a well traveled young man. Cory, can you throw some frequent flyer miles my way?
Click here for full stats
Richie Frahm: Mersin Buyuksehir- Turkish League (TBL)
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Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 6 |
9.5 |
4.0 |
1.2 |
47% |
33% |
Richie Frahm is also a basketball nomad. Richie looked like he might have to make a career playing ball internationally, when he played his first couple of pro seasons in The Phillipines and Turkey after a couple of unsuccessful NBA training camps. Frahm kept at it with a strong work ethic and a deadly shooting stroke, breaking into the NBA with the Sonics in 2003-04. Richie ended up playing 4 seasons in the NBA, for 5 different teams and 140 total games. There was a season in Italy in the middle there and last season's time in the D-League in Reno. This season it was back to Turkey playing for Mersin Buyuksehir in the same league that Heyvelt's in. I'm sure Richie is hoping for one last run back in the states, before hanging up the sneakers.
Click here for full stats
Zach Gourde: Angers BC 49 - French League (NM 1 level)
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Games |
Pts |
Rebs |
Assists |
2FG% |
3FG% |
| 13 |
11.8 |
5.0 |
1.5 |
60.4% |
0% |
Zach Gourde graduated back in 2003 and has been playing professionally in France ever since. Most of those seasons were with ESSM Le Portel of the French B League. He is currently playing for Angers BC in the French NM1 League, which looks to be another level below the B league. But getting paid to play basketball none-the-less.
Click here for full stats
John Rillie: New Zealand Breakers- New Zealand (NBL)
John Rillie is starting his 16th season of professional basketball this year. He just signed with the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League of New Zealand. He has also played for the Australian National team, including the Olympics in 2004. Check out JR's blog (which he updates often) to keep in touch with him.
Career Stats
Other former Gonzaga players...
Abdullahi Kuso: Was drafted by Korean League team Phoebus Mobis, but was cut early in the season. The Spokesman says he's headed to France next.
Pierre-Marie Altidor-Cespedes: PMAC transferred to Marshall University after his Junior year at GU. He was last spotted playing in Ukraine last season.
David Burgess: Burgess played a total of 6 game for the Zags in 06-07 after transferring from BYU. Things didn't work out for him at GU, so he transferred to Azusa Pacific to finish up his college career. He is currently making a living playing in Bulgaria for Rilski Sport. View his stats here.
Here is a site that will help you keep tabs on all former Zags that have played professionally in the past decade or so.
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