July 26, 2016
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team has a number of alumni still competing at a high level, both in the National Basketball Association and all across the world in various professional leagues. Here is a recap of how each alumnus fared over the past year and any available information on their future plans.
NBA Alumni:
Jerian Grant
Chicago Bulls
7 GP, 12.7 PPG, 3.9 APG for Bulls NBA Summer League
76 GP, 5.6 PPG, 2.3 APG for NY Knicks during 2015-16 season
It was a great month of July for Jerian Grant, helping the Chicago Bulls win the NBA Summer League title in Las Vegas with a 7-0 record, earning the championship game MVP award and making some key plays down the stretch for his team.
The @NBASummerLeague title game MVP goes to @JerianGrant of the @chicagobulls – 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists! pic.twitter.com/IXJ4Kn7UVK
– NBA (@NBA) July 19, 2016
Pat Connaughton
Portland Trailblazers
5 GP, 14.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG for Trailblazers NBA Summer League
34 GP, 1.1 PPG, 0.8 RPG for Trailblazers during 2015-16 season
Connaughton was one of the leaders for the Trailblazers during the summer league, starting all five contests and averaging 32 minutes per game. His signature moment of the summer came in the extra minutes vs. Utah, when his sudden death three pointer clinched the double-overtime win for Portland.
The @trailblazers win sudden death double-OT on @PlanetPat5‘s trey! https://t.co/QeZ2VBoQvH
– NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2016
Demetrius Jackson
Boston Celtics
8 GP, 5.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG for Celtics NBA Summer League
Jackson saw action in eight games for the Celtics, starting three of them in both the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer leagues.
Report: Celtics agree to guaranteed contract with Demetrius Jackson, partially guaranteed deal with Ben Bentil https://t.co/xicNNSslP3
– Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) July 24, 2016
Zach Auguste
Los Angeles Lakers
4 GP, 5.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG for Lakers NBA Summer League
Auguste signed with the Lakers shortly after the NBA Draft and made a quick impact on the team’s summer league squad. His first professional field goal was a dunk on the break for the Lakers and his best all-around game was an eight-point, seven-rebound, two-steal game vs. Philadelphia.
Jack Cooley
Chicago Bulls for Bulls NBA Summer League
6 GP, 4.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG
Cooley landed a spot in the NBA Summer League on the champion Bulls team with former Irish teammate Jerian Grant. He made the most of his minutes (just 9.5 per game) and would have posted an average of 15.8 ppg and 16.4 rpg in a full NBA contest.
@denzelvalentine and the @chicagobulls look to finish off a perfect Summer League tonight at 8pm. #Bulls #NBA https://t.co/jDzGMl7rYB
– Bulls 101 (@Bulls_101) July 18, 2016
Euroleague Alumni:
Tim Abromaitis
Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain)
34 GP, 9.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG
Iberostar finished the 2015-16 Spanish ACB league with a 16-18 record, good for ninth place. Abromaitis’ top performance of the year was a 23-point, five rebound effort on March 24 against Estuidiantes, helping Iberostar to a 84-80 victory.
Russell Carter
Toros (Venezuela)
14 GP, 10.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG
The Toros finished fourth in the Western Conference of the LPB league with a 15-21 record. Carter’s top performance of the year was a 23-point, four-rebound game vs. Gigangtes on March 21.
Jack Cooley
Unicaja Malaga (Spain)
27 GP, 5.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG (Spanish League Play)
14 GP, 6.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG (Euroleague)
Idaho Stampeders (NBA D-League)
6 GP, 14.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG
Cooley signed with Unicaja on Dec. 7, 2015, helping Unicaja make the Top 16 in the Euroleague. His best effort came in the final game of the season for Unicaja, a 17-point, nine-rebound game vs. Fenerbache.
Cooley spent just six games in the NBA’s D-League with the Idaho Stampeders, dominating the paint – including a 24-point, 12-rebound effort vs. Raptors 905, pulling down 22 rebounds vs. Westchester and scoring 22 points vs. Reno.
Torin Francis
La Union Formosa (Argentina)
49 GP, 13.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG
Francis resigned with La Union Formosa on July 11 after helping them to the LigaA final game and ending the regular season as the second-best team. One of the most experienced Irish alumni in professional basketball, Francis has played in six different countries, three different continents and next season will be his 12th in professional basketball.
Luke Harangody
Darussafaka (Turkey)
26 GP, 11.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG (Turkey League Play)
9.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG (Euroleague)
Harangody posted three 20-plus scoring games during the Turkish league play for Darussafaka and also had three 20-plus scoring games in the Euroleague competition with the team. His best performance of the season was a 26-point, 13-rebound output vs. Banco Di Srd on Nov. 20. Darussafaka reached the semifinals of the Turkish League, eventually falling to Anadolu Efes.
Scott Martin
Newcastle Eagles (United Kingdom)
30 GP, 14.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG
One of the top players for Newcastle, Martin missed out on double figure scoring in just six of 30 games this season – that included a 19-game streak of double-digit scoring games. He was named the Team Player Award by the team’s fans at the end of the season.
Kyle McAlarney
Orleans (France)
34 GP, 11.8 PPG, 3.0 APG
McAlarney shot a sizzling 47.7% from three point range for Orleans this season, who finished with a 17-17 record for 11th place in the ProA standings. On May 11, McAlarney extended his contract with Orleans for two more years.
Tyrone Nash
Braunschweig (Germany)
34 GP, 10.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Braunschweig finished with 16 wins for 10th place in the league, just two points off earning a playoff spot. One of the more consistent players on the team, Nash scored in double figures 22 times during the season, with his best effort coming vs. MBC with 26 points and eight rebounds.
Carleton Scott
Antwerp (Belgium)
28 GP, 10.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG (Belgium League)
17 GP, 9.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG (FIBA Europe Cup)
Scott’s Antwerp Giants just missed out on the FIBA Europe Cup Final Four, dropping a three-game playoff series to Openjobmetis Varese. Scott shot a healthy 40.6% from three-point range in Belgium league play and his best outing of the year was a 20-point, nine rebound effort vs. Spirou on April 27th. On June 26th, Scott signed with Lighthouse Conad Trapani in the Italian league, returning to Italy after playing there from 2013-15.
Garrick Sherman
Jaszberneyi (Hungary)
Groningen (Holland)
7 GP, 7.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG (Holland League for Groningen)
5 GP, 5.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG (FIBA Europe Cup for Gorningen)
23 GP, 18.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG (Hungary League for Jaszberneyi)
Sherman starred for Jaszenerenyi in Hungary after starting the season in Holland and getting to see some action in the FIBA Europe Cup. He was among the most efficient players in the Hungarian A Division during the season.