Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Here is the weekly review of the top performing Runnin' Utes alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Finnish player Mikael Jantunen, a 6'9'' power forward at 26 years old, who graduated from Utah in 2021 and currently plays professionally in Turkey, showcased his talent as a champion in leading Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to a convincing 96-73 victory over the eighth-ranked Erokspor (17-13) in a highly-anticipated derby match in the Turkish ING Basketbol Super Ligi on Friday night. In an impressive display, Jantunen contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists in just 23 minutes of play. This stellar performance helped his team secure the win and maintain their position as the league's top contender, with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul holding the first place with a record of 25-5. It is worth noting that this is Jantunen's first season with the team, and he has been making a significant impact with an average of 7.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the 24 games he has played so far. Jantunen's skills and contributions on the court exemplify his status as a finalist player.
#2. In the recent game against the leading Monaco, Gach, a 27-year-old 6'7'' guard/forward and alummi of the Runnin' Utes from 2022, who currently plays professionally in France, displayed a commendable performance for JL Bourg en Bresse. Despite his efforts where he scored 10 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and provided 2 assists in 22 minutes on the court, Bourg suffered a 103-114 defeat on the road. This marked the team's fourth consecutive loss in a row, despite Gach's first-rate contributions. It is noteworthy that Gach is in his first season with the team and has maintained solid statistics throughout the year, averaging 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in 33 appearances. Additionally, Gach, a naturalized South Sudanese player, continues to showcase his talent and dedication on the court, aiming to lead JL Bourg en Bresse to success in future games.
#3. Rollie Worster, a 6'4'' guard who graduated from Nebraska in 2025, played in Utah between 2021 and 2024 before joining a professional team in Denmark. In a recent game, his team Naestved, with a record of 25-7, faced off against the Bakken Bears, the league-leading team with a record of 26-6, in the Danish BasketLigaen. Despite Worster's impressive performance of 7 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in 31 minutes, Naestved lost 81-87 to the Bakken Bears at home in the Places 1-6 group matchup. This season marks Worster's first with Naestved, where he has been averaging 11.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists (ranked fourth in the league), and 1.3 steals per game in 37 games. Although Worster showcased his skills in the game against the Bakken Bears, his team fell short of securing the victory.
#4. Cole Bajema, a 6'7'' guard and a 25-year-old alum of the Runnin' Utes from 2024, currently plays professionally in Denmark. In a recent Danish BasketLigaen game, he was teammates with Rollie Worster and both players were on the court together. Despite their efforts, Bajema and Naestved (25-7) were unable to defeat the Bakken Bears (26-6) in a closely contested match. In this game, Bajema's performance was not at its peak, as he only managed to score 2 points during the 8 minutes he played. Despite contributing 2 rebounds as well, his individual efforts were not enough to secure a victory for his team. Naestved, positioned second in the league standings, suffered a close 81-87 defeat at home to the Bakken Bears, the current league leaders. Throughout the season, Bajema has been maintaining relatively good statistics, averaging 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game across 23 appearances. While the recent game may not have been one of his best performances, Bajema continues to be a key player for Naestved as they strive for success in the league.
#5. Mali's Ibrahim Traore, a towering 6'10'' center/forward at 20 years old, recently graduated from Utah in 2026 and is currently showcasing his talent playing professionally in El Salvador. In a thrilling match on Sunday night, Traore led Salvadorenos to a hard-fought 77-75 victory over the closely-ranked Ahuachapan team in the Salvadorean Liga Mayor Baloncesto's second division. Impressively, Traore recorded a double-double performance with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while also contributing 5 blocks and 5 steals during his 40 minutes on the court. His exceptional all-around skills were instrumental in securing the narrow 2-point win for Salvadorenos, further solidifying his reputation as a champion player. With this victory, Salvadorenos BC, where Traore plays, currently holds the fifth position in the league with a record of 10-6. As the Regular Season nears its end with only two games remaining, every upcoming match becomes crucial for the team's standings. Traore's remarkable display against Ahuachapan also earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, highlighting his exceptional performance and further establishing him as a finalist player. Throughout this season, Traore has maintained solid statistics, averaging 11.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game across 16 appearances. It is noteworthy that Traore possesses dual citizenship from the United States and Mali, allowing him to play in Mali as a domestic player, showcasing his versatility and potential to excel on various basketball stages.
#6. Experienced champion Jason Washburn, a 7'0'' center who is 35 years old and an alumnus of the Runnin' Utes from 2013, currently plays professionally in Taiwan. In a recent game, Washburn, despite his stellar performance, could not lead the New Taipei Kings (19-17) to a victory. The Kings suffered a 90-99 defeat to the second-ranked Dreamers in Changhua. During the game, Washburn showcased his skills by scoring 16 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in 36 minutes of play. Even though Washburn was the top performer for his team, his efforts were not enough to secure the win against the Dreamers. Throughout the season, Washburn has maintained impressive statistics, averaging 17.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game in 33 appearances. Known for his contributions on the court, Washburn, a naturalized American, continues to excel individually despite the team's recent challenges.
Other former University of Utah players, who play in pro basketball:
Kim Tillie (6'11''-F/C-1988, played in 2006-10) played for Cholet Basket in French Betclic ELITE ProA few monts ago
Jordan Loveridge (6'6''-F-1993, played in 2012-16) plays for Instituto in Argentinian La Liga
Lawson Lovering (7'1''-C-2003, played in 2023-25) plays for Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA
Branden Carlson (7'0''-C-1999, played in 2019-24) plays for Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA
Jakob Poeltl (7'0''-C/F-1995, played in 2014-16) plays for Toronto Raptors in the NBA
Gabe Madsen (6'6''-G-2001, played in 2021-25) plays for Miami Heat in the NBA
Kyle Kuzma (6'9''-F-1995, played in 2014-17) plays for Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA
Delon Wright (6'5''-G-1992, played in 2013-15) plays for Indiana Pacers in the NBA
Mason Madsen (6'4''-G-2001, played in 2024-25) plays for Urunday in Uruguayan LUB
Justin Bibbins (5'9''-PG-1996, played in 2017-18) plays for JDA Dijon Bourgogne in French Betclic ELITE ProA
Ben Carlson (6'9''-F, played in 2022-24) plays for VEF Riga in Latvian LBL
Dakarai Tucker (6'5''-SF-1994, played in 2012-16) plays for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in German BBL
Brandon Taylor (5'10''-PG-1994, played in 2012-16) plays for Panionios in Greek GBL
Renan Lenz (6'10''-F/C-1990, played in 2012-14) played for Fortaleza B.C. Cearense in Brazilian NBB last year
Parker Van Dyke (6'3''-SG-1994, played in 2013-19) plays for Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League
Marco Anthony (6'6''-G-1999, played in 2021-23) plays for Bisons in Finnish Korisliiga
Sedrick Barefield (6'2''-G-1996, played in 2016-19) plays for Blackwater Bossing in Filipino PBA
Jakub Jokl (6'11''-F-1996, played in 2015-18) plays for Mistelbach Mustangs in Austrian 2.Bundesliga
Tyler Kepkay (6'0''-G-1987, played in 2005-09) played for Friends in Hong Kong D1 last year
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Utah basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
