Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Mean Green players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Look at great performance of Chris Jones (19 points), Tony Mitchell (13 points), and Jordan Williams (15 points).
#1. Experienced Armenian point guard Chris Jones, standing at 6'2'' and 33 years old, boasts an impressive basketball career. Having graduated from Angelo St. in 2015, he honed his skills while playing in North Texas from 2011 to 2014 before turning pro in Israel. In a recent Euroleague match on Tuesday night, Jones led his Israeli team, Hapoel Shlomo Tel-Aviv, to a remarkable victory over Real Madrid, the closely-ranked opponent, with a final score of 76-69. Jones was named the MVP of the game for his outstanding performance, scoring 19 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and going a perfect 7 for 7 at the free-throw line, all in just 32 minutes of play. Hapoel Shlomo Tel-Aviv, currently ranked sixth in the league with a record of 23-15, has benefited greatly from Jones' skills and leadership on the court. His consistent performance throughout the season, averaging 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in the 42 games played so far, highlights his value as a key player for the team. Despite being a naturalized American, Jones has proven himself as a champion player, delivering standout performances when it matters most, such as in the recent victory over Real Madrid. His ability to rise to the occasion and make crucial plays underscores his status as a top-tier finalist in the world of professional basketball.
#2. Tony Mitchell, a 6'8'' forward and Mean Green alumni from 2013, has been making waves in the Philippine Basketball Association, where he currently plays professionally for Macau Black Bears. In a recent game against the seventh-ranked Masters, Mitchell led his team to victory with an impressive performance. He scored 13 points, secured 24 rebounds, and made 4 blocks in 48 minutes of play, showcasing his skills on the court. Despite Macau Black Bears being positioned 11th in the league with a 3-9 record, Mitchell's contribution has been instrumental. This season marks his first with the team, and he has certainly made a significant impact. His remarkable double-double against the Masters not only helped secure the win but also earned him recognition, including the prestigious 20+ Rebound badge from eurobasket.com. Mitchell has truly shown himself to be a champion player with his exceptional performance. Individually, Mitchell has had an outstanding year with impressive statistics. He boasts averages of 18.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game over the course of 12 games. His talent and contributions have been pivotal for Macau Black Bears throughout the season. Additionally, Mitchell is a naturalized American, adding to the diverse and talented roster of players in the league.
#3. Jordan Williams, a 33-year-old guard/forward standing at 6'5" and a graduate of N.Texas in 2015, currently playing professionally in Brazil, demonstrated his prowess as a champion in a recent game. He played a pivotal role in Minas Belo Horizonte's triumph over the closely-ranked Corinthians with a score of 97-91 in the Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil. In this matchup, Williams showcased his skills by scoring 15 points, securing 7 rebounds, and providing 4 assists during his 34 minutes on the court. This stellar performance contributed significantly to his team's success, highlighting his capabilities as a finalist. Playing in his first season with Minas Belo Horizonte, Williams has been a key player for the team, helping them secure a solid third-place position in the league with a record of 29-9. Throughout the season, he has maintained impressive statistics, averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game in 41 appearances. Williams' consistent performance and valuable contributions have undoubtedly solidified his reputation as a reliable and skilled champion in the Brazilian basketball league.
#4. Atin Wright, a 6'1'' guard who is 23 years old and an alumnus of Mean Green from 2025, is currently playing professionally in Cyprus. Recently, he showcased his talent by leading Keravnos to a 75-68 victory over the league leader AEK Larnaca, who had a record of 22-1. This exciting game took place in the Cypriot ECOMMBX Basket League on a Saturday night. In this game, Wright played a pivotal role, scoring 14 points in just 23 minutes. This impressive performance is particularly noteworthy considering that this is only his first season in professional basketball. The match was highly anticipated as it featured two of the top 4 ranked teams in the league, with Keravnos Strovolou (21-2) currently holding the second position. Wright's contributions went beyond scoring points, as he also added 2 rebounds and 2 assists to his stat line against AEK Larnaca. His exceptional display on the court proved to be essential in securing the victory for his team, highlighting his abilities as a true champion. Throughout the season, Wright has maintained high-level performance, averaging 17.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game over 22 games.
#5. In the recent game against the leading team Trepca, champion Shannon Shorter, a 6'4'' shooting guard aged 36 who graduated from N. Texas in 2012 and currently plays professionally in Kosovo, showcased an outstanding performance for his team Bashkimi. Despite his remarkable effort, scoring 27 points and securing 3 rebounds in 33 minutes of play, Bashkimi was unable to secure a victory and fell short with a final score of 79-94 on the road. Shorter's individual performance throughout the season has been noteworthy, with impressive statistics to his name. He is currently the fourth-best scorer in the league, averaging 18.8 points per game along with 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 21 games. His consistent high-level play has been instrumental in Bashkimi's journey to the finals, showcasing his prowess as a top-tier player in the league.
#6. Zachary Simmons, a 6'9'' forward and 27-year-old Mean Green alumnus from the class of 2021, made significant contributions to his team as they emerged as the champion of the C-USA Tournament in that year. Currently playing professionally in Hungary, Simmons recently faced a tough match where his team, Honved with a 14-12 record, suffered a heavy defeat of 101-79 against Alba, who are ranked second in the Play-Off group. Despite his commendable performance, Simmons, the finalist, was unable to lead his team to victory in the game. He showcased his skills by scoring 14 points and securing 5 rebounds during his 27 minutes on the court. In a valiant effort against Alba, he displayed consistency by contributing 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist to the game. However, despite his individual efforts, Honved fell short of securing the win. Throughout the season, Simmons has maintained solid statistics, averaging 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game across 29 appearances. His performance on the court continues to be noteworthy as he strives to make an impact for his team in Hungary.
#7. Nigerian player Tope Arikawe, a 6'8'' forward aged 31 who graduated from North Texas in 2019 and currently plays professionally in Portugal, displayed a commendable performance in his recent game for Illiabum. Despite his notable efforts, Illiabum, currently in fifth place, suffered a defeat at home against the higher-ranked CAB Madeira, who hold the third position in the Places 1-8 group, with a final score of 74-88. Arikawe showcased his talent by achieving a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds during his 34 minutes of play against CAB Madeira. His exceptional display on the court earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, solidifying his reputation as a champion player. Throughout this season, Arikawe has been maintaining an average of 9.7 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game across 16 appearances. It is worth noting that Arikawe also participated in the Eurobasket Summer League, an experience that played a significant role in helping him secure his position in professional basketball.
#8. Ugandan Deng Geu, a 6'8'' power forward who is 29 years old and an alumnus of Mean Green from 2020 where he helped them become the C-USA Regular Season Champion that year, currently plays professionally in Spain. In a recent game, Geu unfortunately could not help his team, Alicante (15-17), secure a victory as they suffered a 76-83 loss to the lower-ranked (#10) team, Zamora, on the opponent's court. Despite the loss, Geu showcased an impressive performance by being the second-highest scorer for Alicante with 15 points in just 24 minutes of play. Additionally, he contributed by grabbing 3 rebounds during the game. Geu has been a consistent performer this season, averaging 5.8 points per game and 3.6 rebounds per game in the 31 games he has played. It is worth noting that Geu is a naturalized American, adding to his diverse background and experience as a professional basketball player.
#9. Javion Hamlet, a 6'4'' guard who is 28 years old and graduated from North Texas in 2021, currently plays professionally in Israel. Recently, he couldn't lead Maccabi Raanana to a victory against Galil Elion in the Israeli Winner League. Despite his efforts, his team ended up losing 86-91. During the game, Hamlet managed to score 8 points, make 3 assists, and successfully convert all five of his free throws in the 25 minutes he played. In another match against Hapoel Galil Elyon, Hamlet showcased his skills by scoring 8 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and providing 3 assists. Despite his solid performance, his team fell short of securing the win. Throughout the season, Hamlet has maintained decent statistics, averaging 10.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in the three games played so far. His contributions on the court demonstrate his capabilities as a champion player, even if his team's results have not always reflected his individual performance.
#10. Jonathan Massie, a 6'6'' guard and 22-year-old Mean Green alum from 2025, currently playing professionally in Albania, showcased his skills in Tirana's recent game against Beselidhja. Despite his strong performance, Tirana, with a record of 19-3, suffered a tough 104-86 loss in Lezhe. Massie, the team's standout player, emerged as the second-best scorer with 18 points and also contributed 6 rebounds during his 29 minutes on the court. His efforts were commendable, as he displayed an impressive all-around game by adding 2 assists to his stat line against the formidable Beselidhja team. Throughout the season, Massie has been a key player for Tirana, boasting impressive individual statistics. He has been averaging 21.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game over the course of 25 games. Despite the team's recent loss, Massie's consistent performance and valuable contributions have solidified his position as a champion player in the league.
Other former University of North Texas players, who play in pro basketball:
Jayden Martinez (6'7''-F-2000, played in 2022-23) plays for Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rican BSN
Robert Allen (6'9''-F-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Torino in Italian Serie A2
Jorden Duffy (6'1''-G-1996, played in 2017-19) plays for Energa Icon Sea Czarni Slupsk in Polish OBL
Aaron Scott (6'7''-F-2003, played in 2021-24) plays for Maine Celtics in the NBA G League
Ryan Woolridge (6'3''-G-1996, played in 2016-19) plays for Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League
Hameir Wright (6'9''-F-1999, played in 2021-22) plays for USK Praha in Czech Republic NBL
Rubin Jones (6'5''-G, played in 2020-24) plays for Slavia in Czech Republic NBL
Tyree Eady (6'5''-G-1999, played in 2022-23) played for Szedeak in Hungarian A Division few monts ago
Latrell Jossell (6'1''-G, played in 2024-25) plays for Ballincollig in Irish Super League
Nikola Stojiljkovic (6'10''-F-1991, played in 2011-13) played for Vanves in French NM2 last year
Moulaye Sissoko (6'9''-C-1999, played in 2022-25) plays for Tours in French NM1
Colin Voss (6'7''-PF-1991, played in 2013-15) played for SG Bball in Singapore NBL last year
Mike Miller (6'4''-G-1997, played in 2017-19) plays for RheinStars Koeln in German ProA
Armani Flannigan (6'8''-F-1992, played in 2013-15) played for Rio Claro in Brazilian NBB last year
Eric Katenda (6'9''-F/C-1992, played in 2015-16) played for Montpellier in French NM2 last year
Rickey Brice Jr. (7'1''-C-1997, played in 2015-18) plays for Enid Outlaws in the TBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of North Texas basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
