Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Blazers players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Lewis Sullivan (21 points), Daniel Rivera (10 points), and Makhtar Gueye (12 points).
#1. Lewis Sullivan, a 30-year-old forward standing at 6'7'' and a UAB graduate from 2019, showcased his skills in a recent Romanian Liga Nationala Baschet de Masculin game. Playing for CS Rapid Bucuresti, Sullivan led his team to a hard-fought 89-82 victory over Voluntari, a closely-ranked opponent with a record of 20-8. Sullivan's outstanding performance earned him the title of MVP of the game, as he contributed 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist in just 23 minutes of play. Currently, CS Rapid Bucuresti holds the fifth position in the league standings with a record of 17-11. Despite the team's placement, Sullivan's exceptional abilities on the court have been instrumental in their success. Throughout the season, he has maintained impressive statistics, averaging 13.0 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game across 27 games played so far. Sullivan's consistent performance highlights his status as a champion player in the league, making significant contributions to his team's victories.
#2. Daniel Rivera, a towering 6'7'' forward at the age of 23 and a distinguished Blazers alumnus from 2026, showcased his skills while playing professionally in Puerto Rico. In a recent match, Rivera, despite his commendable performance, was unable to steer Gigantes de Carolina (12-9) to victory. Despite his best efforts, the third-placed Carolina team narrowly lost 80-79 on the road to the Group B leaders, the Vaqueros. Rivera contributed significantly to the game, scoring 10 points and securing 7 rebounds during his 28 minutes on the court. In a previous game against Bayamon, Rivera demonstrated his prowess by scoring 10 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and providing 2 assists. Despite his impressive individual performance, his team was unable to secure the win. Throughout the current season, Rivera has maintained solid averages of 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game across 21 games, showcasing his consistency and value to the team.
#3. In the recent game, the Senegalese champion Makhtar Gueye, a towering 6'10'' power forward aged 29, who graduated from CBU in 2021 and previously played for UAB from 2017 to 2020 before turning pro in Tunisia, unfortunately could not lead Club Africain to victory. Despite his commendable performance, where he scored 12 points in just 17 minutes, his team, the finalist Club Africain, suffered a significant 98-80 defeat in Benghazi at the hands of the lower-ranked (#3) Ahly. This defeat marked Club Africain's first loss of the season after securing four consecutive wins. Gueye showcased his skills against Ahly Benghazi, contributing 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Despite his noteworthy efforts, Club Africain was unable to secure the win. So far this year, Gueye has been averaging 7.5 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game over the course of two games, showcasing his value as a key player for the team.
#4. KJ Buffen, a 6'7'' forward who is a 26-year-old Blazers alumnus from 2023, is currently playing professionally in Indonesia. In a recent game, despite his stellar performance, Buffen could not help RANS PIK (7-13) secure a victory. The team was narrowly defeated 84-82 at home by the leading Pelita Jaya, with Buffen emerging as the top scorer with 19 points. Additionally, he contributed 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in 40 minutes of play, showcasing his impressive skills. This remarkable performance is even more notable considering it is only Buffen's third season in professional basketball. Throughout the season, Buffen has maintained high statistics, averaging 21.5 points per game, 11.3 rebounds per game, 7.5 assists per game (ranking third best in the league), 1.4 blocks per game, and 2.0 steals per game across 22 games. His consistent and outstanding performance highlights his prowess as a champion player in the league.
Other former University of Alabama at Birmingham players, who play in pro basketball:
Zack Bryant (6'2''-G-1997, played in 2017-20) plays for Bnei Hertzeliya in Israeli Winner League
Quan Jackson (6'4''-G-1997, played in 2020-22) plays for Tasomix Rosiek Stal Ostrow Wielkopolski in Polish OBL
Ty Brewer (6'7''-G/F-2000, played in 2022-23) plays for UNICS in Russian VTB United League
Javian Davis (6'9''-F-1999, played in 2022-24) plays for FC Porto in Portuguese Liga Betclic
Jordan Walker (5'11''-PG-1999, played in 2021-23) plays for Maroussi in Greek GBL
Eric Gaines (6'2''-G-2001, played in 2022-24) plays for Urban Latti Kiryat Ata in Israeli Winner League
Antonio Ralat (6'2''-G-1996, played in 2019-20) plays for Santeros de Aguada in Puerto Rican BSN
Wen Boss Mukubu (6'6''-SF-1983, played in 2003-04) plays for Stella Artois Leuven Bears in Belgian Pro Basketball League
Dirk Williams (6'5''-G-1994, played in 2015-17) plays for B.Braun Sheffield Sharks in British SLB
William Lee (6'9''-F-1995, played in 2014-18) plays for B.Braun Sheffield Sharks in British SLB
Fahro Alihodzic (6'10''-C-1989, played in 2011-14) plays for B.Braun Sheffield Sharks in British SLB
Alejandro Vasquez (6'4''-G/F-2000, played in 2023-25) plays for Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rican BSN
Tony Toney (6'2''-G-2002, played in 2020-25) plays for Marineros in Dominican Rep. LNB
Thomas Smallwood (7'0''-C-1995, played in 2015-18) plays for Prat in Spanish Tercera FEB
Willesley Butler (6'8''-F-1996, played in 2018-20) plays for Quimper UJAP in French ProB
Preston Purifoy (6'5''-G/F-1992, played in 2010-14) played for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in Australian NBL One few monts ago
Walter Sharpe (6'9''-F/C-1986, played in 2004-06) played for San Jose in Paraguayan LNB last year
Cam Moore (6'10''-C/F-1990, played in 2008-12) played for Shreveport Bossier Knights in the ABA last year
Paul Delaney (6'2''-PG-1986, played in 2004-09) plays for E.Shomron in Israeli National League
Jordan Swing (6'6''-G-1990, played in 2009-10) played for Birmingham Squadron in the NBA G League last year
Michael Ertel II (6'1''-G-1999, played in 2020-22) plays for HK JinNiu in Chinese NBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Alabama at Birmingham basketball alumni.
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