Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Here is the weekly review of the top performing Fighting Illini alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. In a highly anticipated matchup, Dominican Republic's Andres Feliz, a 6'2'' point guard aged 28 and an Illinois graduate from 2020 currently playing professionally in Spain, showcased his talent by leading his team, Real Madrid, to a convincing 105-90 victory over the closely-ranked Valencia in the Euroleague last Friday. Feliz's stellar performance included 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in just 21 minutes of play, proving pivotal in securing the win for his team in this crucial game between two top 4 ranked teams. Real Madrid, with a record of 24-14, currently holds the third position in the league standings. Feliz's contribution to the game against Valencia was truly exceptional, as he not only displayed his scoring ability but also his prowess in rebounding and playmaking, ultimately leading his team to victory as the champion.. Throughout the season, Feliz has maintained solid statistics, averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game across the 39 games he has played so far. His consistent performance and leadership on the court have undoubtedly been instrumental in Real Madrid's success this season.
#2. Marcus Domask, a 6'6'' guard/forward and a 25-year-old alum of the Fighting Illini from 2024, has been making waves in the Belgian Pro Basketball League. Despite playing for Filou Oostende, a team ranked second from the bottom (#10) in the league, he recently led them to a remarkable victory over the league leader Okapi Aalst with a score of 78-60. In that game, he proved himself to be a true champion by displaying exceptional skills and determination on the court, earning himself the title of MVP. During the game, Domask showcased his talent by scoring 18 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and providing 1 assist in just 20 minutes of play. This outstanding performance is even more impressive considering he is only in his second season of professional basketball. His contributions were crucial in securing the surprising win for Oostende. Throughout the season, Domask has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 16.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game over five games. His consistent high-level performance has undoubtedly been instrumental in Oostende's successes, highlighting his potential as a standout player in the league.
#3. Trent Frazier, a 6'2'' guard who graduated from Illinois in 2022, played a key role in helping his team win the Big Ten Regular Season Co-Champion title that year. Currently playing professionally in Russia, Frazier recently faced a tough matchup against UNICS where despite his solid performance, his team Zenit suffered a heavy 83-66 defeat on the road. Frazier managed to score 11 points, grab 1 rebound, and dish out 3 assists during the game, showcasing his skills on the court. Throughout the season, Frazier has maintained good statistics, averaging 13.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in the 46 games he has played so far. Despite his individual success, Frazier's primary focus remains on contributing to the overall performance of his team and helping them secure victories as they strive to become champions in their league.
#4. Experienced player Brandon Paul, a 35-year-old 6'4'' forward/guard and Fighting Illini alum from 2013, is currently playing professionally in France. Despite his efforts, the champion could not help ES Chalon-Sur-Saone (16-14) to beat finalist SIG Strasbourg (17-13) in the French Betclic ELITE league. In the game, he scored 6 points in 21 minutes of play. Unfortunately, ES Chalon-Sur-Saone suffered a tough 102-81 loss to the higher-ranked (#8) SIG Strasbourg in Strasbourg. This season marks Paul's first with the team, and he is already showing his skills on the court. In the recent game against Strasbourg, he managed to impress with 6 points and 1 rebound. Despite his individual performance, his team fell short of a victory. So far this season, Paul has been averaging 9.8 points per game and 1.8 rebounds per game in the four games he has played.
#5. Austrian Giorgi Bezhanishvili, a 6'9'' forward at 27 years old, graduated from Illinois in 2021 after helping them win the Big Ten Tournament that year. Currently playing professionally in Indonesia, Bezhanishvili showcased his talent by leading Satria Muda to a decisive 96-80 victory over the sixth-ranked Hangtuah team in a recent Indonesian Basketball League match. In this game, Bezhanishvili displayed an impressive double-double performance, scoring 24 points, securing 12 rebounds, and contributing 5 assists in 35 minutes of play. Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta, with a record of 15-5, holds the second position in the league standings. Bezhanishvili's standout performance against Hangtuah earned him the Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, solidifying his reputation as a champion player. Throughout the season, Bezhanishvili has maintained high statistics, averaging 16.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game over five appearances. It is noteworthy that Bezhanishvili also holds Georgian citizenship alongside his Austrian nationality.
#6. Puerto Rican Alfonso Plummer, a 6'1'' shooting guard and 28-year-old Fighting Illini alumni from the class of 2022, is currently playing professionally in Bosnia. Recently, he played a crucial role in KK Bosna Meridianbet Sarajevo's impressive 73-66 victory over the third-ranked OKK Sloboda Tuzla in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Division I competition. In this game, Plummer showcased his skills by contributing 9 points and 3 rebounds in 22 minutes of play. His performance was pivotal in securing the victory for his team, ultimately leading them to become the champion in that match. Throughout the season, Plummer has been maintaining solid averages of 6.0 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game across two games. His experience and talent have undoubtedly made him a valuable asset to his team, helping them achieve success on the court.
#7. Rayvonte Rice, a 6'4'' guard who graduated from Illinois in 2015 and received an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention award that year, currently plays professionally in Indonesia. In a recent game where his team Kesatria faced off against the higher-ranked (#3) Borneo, Rice unfortunately couldn't lead his team to victory. Despite this, he showcased his exceptional talent by scoring 44 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and providing 3 assists in an impressive 45-minute performance. Even though Kesatria ended up losing 103-111 to Borneo, Rice's remarkable individual performance did not go unnoticed. His outstanding display on the court earned him the Elite Badge from eurobasket.com, solidifying his status as a champion in his own right. Throughout the season, Rice has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 24.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.6 steals per game - making him one of the standout players in the league.
#8. Justin Harmon, a standout 6'4'' guard and 24-year-old Fighting Illini alumni from the class of 2024, made significant contributions to help his college team become the champion of the Big Ten Tournament that year. Currently playing professionally in Canada, Harmon recently suited up for the Ottawa Blackjacks. In their latest game against the Alliance in Montreal, despite Harmon's commendable performance, the Ottawa Blackjacks, ranked fifth, fell short with a final score of 87-96. During the game, Harmon showcased his skills by scoring 18 points, securing 5 rebounds, and delivering 2 assists in just 25 minutes of play. His exceptional performance on the court was evident, but unfortunately, it was not enough to lead his team to victory against the tough competition from Montreal. Throughout the season, Harmon has maintained solid statistics, averaging 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game over the course of five games. Despite the challenging loss in their most recent game, Harmon's consistency and talent continue to shine as he strives to make a significant impact for his team as they aim to compete for the champion title.
#9. Ivorian Quincy Guerrier, a 6'8'' forward who graduated from Illinois in 2024 after helping them become champions of the Big Ten Tournament that year, currently plays professionally in Canada. In a recent game, despite his standout performance, Guerrier was unable to lead the Montreal Alliance (2-2) to victory as they fell 72-87 to the River Lions in Niagara. Guerrier showcased his skills by scoring 16 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. In the match against the River Lions, Guerrier displayed an impressive all-around game, contributing 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Despite his notable efforts, his team was unable to emerge victorious. Throughout the season, Guerrier has maintained solid statistics, averaging 11.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game over four games. It is interesting to note that Guerrier holds dual American and Ivorian citizenship, allowing him to play in Ivory Coast as a domestic player.
Other former University of Illinois players, who play in pro basketball:
Ayo Dosunmu (6'5''-PG-2000, played in 2018-21) plays for Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA
Will Riley (6'8''-F-2006, played in 2024-25) plays for Washington Wizards in the NBA
Kasparas Jakucionis (6'6''-G-2006, played in 2024-25) plays for Miami Heat in the NBA
Terrence Shannon Jr. (6'6''-G-2000, played in 2022-24) plays for Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA
Zacharie Perrin (6'10''-C-2004, played in 2023-24) plays for Veolia Towers Hamburg in German BBL
Matthew Mayer (6'9''-G/F-1999, played in 2023-24) played for Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Nagoya in Japanese B1 League few monts ago
Kofi Cockburn (7'0''-C-1999, played in 2019-22) plays for Hiroshima Dragonflies in Japanese B1 League
Kipper Nichols (6'6''-F-1997, played in 2016-20) played for Cacak 94 in Serbian KLS last year
Coleman Hawkins (6'1''-F-2001, played in 2020-24) plays for Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League
Malcolm Hill (6'6''-SF-1995, played in 2013-17) plays for Delaware Blue Coats in the NBA G League
Luke Goode (6'7''-F-2002, played in 2021-24) plays for South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League
Adonis De La Rosa (7'0''-C-1994, played in 2018-19) played for Titanes in Dominican Rep. LNB last year
Samson Oladimeji (6'4''-G-1998, played in 2016-20) played for Chicago Fury in the ABA last year
Matic Vesel (6'9''-F-1998, played in 2014-18) played for Nova Gorica in Slovenian 2SKL last year
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Illinois basketball alumni.
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