By Brendan Olski
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to meet up with an
alum of the club basketball team that I played for in high school while
travelling in Dublin. The player, Johnny McCarthy, played Division III
basketball at a small liberal-arts university in Amherst, MA called Amherst
College. He won Player of the Year for his conference his senior year,
graduated this past May, and is currently playing professionally for a club
called ITC Basketball based out of Carlow, Ireland. It is fairly common for
Divison II, or very successful Division III, basketball players from the U.S.
to spend a few years overseas playing professionally. The process begins with
the player sending game film and highlights to lots of coaches and is then
invited to play for a team if selected in their version of a draft. This is how
it went for Johnny, who was able to flush out for me some of the positive and
negative aspects of choosing this path instead of joining the workforce right
out of college.
The biggest upside about Johnny’s program is that it allows him
to attend graduate school free of charge. The team receives a small stipend
each week for living expenses, but their main form of compensation is a free
education. This is a very intriguing opportunity, as many similar programs in
the U.S. are becoming extremely pricey. Another big reason for playing overseas
is that the college basketball season in the U.S. spans from October to March,
so players are not able to go abroad during either semester during their four
years of school. Playing pro in Europe provides these players a chance to have the
abroad experience that they missed during their undergraduate years, all while
continuing to play the game that they love competitively.
One con that Johnny noted was the quality of the work that
he is receiving in his graduate program. It is obviously incorrect to
generalize this over every graduate program in Europe, but in this specific
case Johnny doesn’t think that he is learning as much as he did at Amherst. Though
he is able to get a master’s degree free of tuition, would the lack of
difficulty of such a program leave the players on this team less prepared to
enter the workforce in a few years than someone who attends a graduate program
in the U.S.? Or a more challenging program in Europe? Another con of this
situation is that the players for ITC barely have enough money in their stipend
for food, so they will not be able to save money for their futures in the years
that they spend playing ball in Europe. Additionally, the competition in their
specific league isn’t great, and many of the gyms that they play in are
comparable to those of a high school.
When a player has the opportunity to go overseas after
graduating from college, the decision will be weighed differently depending on
the person. My friend who graduated from Endicott College two years ago, for
example, had a similar offer but passed it up. The opportunity to continue one’s
higher education free of charge is very significant, however some may view it
as time that could have been spent establishing yourself at a corporation and
building a savings account. For those people like Johnny, who truly love the
game and are eager to cash in on a second chance at the opportunity to
experience life in Europe, the deal is certainly worth it.
Do you think the potential financial setbacks associated with playing overseas for 2-3 years should make more players question a decision like this? Are you able to understand the players that do decide to play professionally?
Jake Solovy-
ResponderEliminarI think it is worth it. The European Leagues are far more competitive than DIII basketball. Also, getting paid earlier is always a plus and they don't need to deal with the crazy NCAA rules. Also, since the competition is higher, there is more of a chance that you will get better and have a better shot to make the NBA.
I am actually referring to players that have already played four years of NCAA basketball. These are players that will most likely not make the NBA as well. So given this, do you still think it's worth surpassing a year or two in the workforce to play in essentially a minor league in Europe?
EliminarI think the 'is it worth it" question varies on the person but for me I think players who don't have a chance a making decent money in Europe should not do it. That is unless their love and passion for the game out weighs their want for a better financial life. I think getting a degree at a better institution would make more sense and a better job would come from it. For me I love the game of basketball and have played it my whole life, I got offered to play at a D3 school but I turned it down in order to get a better education at a bigger school. I know this isn't the same as playing professionally in Europe but I think their is some similarities on the basis of what to do based on the love of the game or a potentially better financial future.
ResponderEliminarJeffrey Poe
I agree with what you are saying here. I think for most players, it comes down to their passion for the game, and similarly their willingness to forgo an opportunity that would provide them with more immediate cash flow for a chance to continue playing the game at a high level.
EliminarI also agree that participating in a program like Johnny's is worth it for some people, but not everyone. I think it is a great opportunity that many athletes have if they are interested in going overseas for a few years and continuing to play their sport instead of retiring. Although Johnny feels that he is not receiving the greatest education in his program, I agree that it is unfair make that assumption for all other overseas basketball programs. Some programs may have better education systems than others. In the end I think that the opportunity is beneficial for some people and not beneficial for others. I may be biased because I am obviously currently studying abroad, but I do believe that the opportunity to live abroad and immerse oneself in another culture is a great learning experience and one that everyone should participate in. - Isabella Richards
ResponderEliminarI agree that the opportunity for these players to go abroad, especially since they couldn't during college, is a huge factor in making a decision like this. If the player has both a strong enough passion for the game of basketball and desire to see the world, I think that it's pretty easy to choose to participate in a program like this one. Not every player has both of these however, so I agree that it depends.
EliminarFor someone who really loves to play basketball and does not want to give it up, I think it would be worth it. A free education anywhere could be seen as better than having to pay thousands for the same degree in the United States. Yet to be so financially unstable at such a young age is a very hard hard obstacle to overcome down the road. Since none of these players are going to make it to the NBA and earn a big payday, I think only the players who truly never want to give up the sport should go play in Europe.
ResponderEliminarI don't know if I would say these players are financially unstable, unless they are coming back to the U.S. and facing heavy student loans. Their stipend is enough for food and housing, so I would categorize their living situation more as being limited than unstable. But I agree that it is completely a matter of desire to continue playing at a high level.
EliminarAsking someone who has been playing a sport they love for their entire life to just give it up when offered a spot on a professional team is hard. I absolutely agree that it varies on the person. The college major or path of education of each players would have a huge influence given that there are definitely graduate programs that are better in the US or better in Europe, so it would be based on an individual scale in that way, too. It might be more than just a financial setback, as well. Some people might want to play, but might not want to have that lifestyle at such an early age. I believe that the players that do go play in Europe from small colleges are not as worried about the financial setback but more so for other benefits or for the love of the game.
ResponderEliminarI agree that depending on the program and the player's love of the game, the decision could go either way. What do you mean when you say "that lifestyle"? Are you referring to joining the workforce?
EliminarI believe that it is completely worth it. If what you want to do with your life is play basketball then don't give up on it simply because you played DIII basketball in college. The fast pace of the game played in Europe will only strengthen a players game physically and mentally. Competing in this league will only open doors to future success, and possibly an opportunity that many Euro League players strive for; a shot at the NBA.
ResponderEliminar-Will Crane
EliminarI agree that it is important for these players to not give up on their dream. In the case of players like Johnny that I am referring to here however, the NBA is not really something that is achievable. These players are more concerned with either joining the workforce immediately, or getting the opportunity to travel and play for a few more years before eventually getting a job back home. What do you think about this issue?
EliminarObviously, this depends on the personal preferences of the individual, but for someone not quite ready to give up their lifelong passion-or not even sure what they want to do in life, this could provide a few more years to continue doing what they love while figuring things out. Yes, you might be set back financially a bit, but I think the cultural experiences and free education would make that worth it. This allows players a chance to experience what they couldn't during undergraduate, as well as go off the beaten path before they begin their careers.
ResponderEliminarI agree that it is a very tough opportunity to pass up, especially given the honor associated with playing professional sports. I think there are justifications for both sides and that definitely depends on the person, but the pros of playing overseas are very intriguing.
EliminarI found this blog very interesting given that I was considering playing D3 in college but ended up deciding against looking into it more, but I know someone that did go D3 for basketball and now she is playing in Ireland post graduation, so I relate to this blog a lot. I think the lack of financial stability is definitely something to take into account when deciding to go pro because you need to have enough money to live and it would be nice to have some saved for when you return to the U.S. I would definitely have to think about the monetary situation if I were deciding on whether to go professional in Europe. I do understand why players decide to go professional in Europe. They are able to live out their dream of being a professional athlete and get a free education while doing it. Also, they have put so much time into the sport over the past four years of undergrad that it may be hard to just give it up for some people.
ResponderEliminar-Chloe Malkinson
I agree that it is hard to give something up that you've put so much time into during your life. I think that the opportunity provides a lot of benefits that are tough to pass up, and if a player is passionate enough the financial setbacks are worth it for the experiences.
EliminarIt is definitely a difficult decision to decide whether to accept an opportunity to play professionally overseas, based on the pros and cons. I completely understand why players would want to play professionally. For many, playing professionally is a lifelong dream and if one gets the opportunity, it is hard to blame them because he or she has put a lot of time and effort into their product. It is not an ideal situation for johnny based on the cons that come with it, but I can't blame him.
ResponderEliminarI agree that there are some aspects of his situation that are not ideal, but the benefits associated with it are definitely significant enough for someone like Johnny to justify joining the program. Though the program may not be great academically, he will still be getting a degree and will have the opportunity to travel Europe that he missed during his undergraduate years at Amherst.
EliminarI think star players at the DIII level who love the game should absolutely continue playing after college if they are given the chance. I think your point about the abroad experience is an important one. Going abroad is an amazing part of the college experience, and sports shouldn't keep players from that. The free education is another boon for playing professionally overseas.
ResponderEliminarI think this decision really depends on the type of person. One who truly loves the game should definitely take the chance to play professionally in Europe, especially if its in Ireland! A free education makes the decision to do so even more worth it for this type of person. Though little money and a lessened education may be push backs, it would still be a once in a lifetime opportunity. However, someone who prefers to continue their education in order to get a good career would probably feel set back by this opportunity. The choice of the matter depends on the type of person and their goals in life.
ResponderEliminar- Piper Knudson