Best performed former Eastern Illinois University players in pro basketball in last week games

Best performed former Eastern Illinois University players in pro basketball in last week games


Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC

Here is the weekly review of the top performing Panthers alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.


   #1. Serbian Aleksa Novakovic, a 29-year-old forward standing at 6'7'' and an EIU graduate of 2016, currently plays professionally in Hungary. In the recent game, Novakovic, a key player for the sixth-placed Szombathely (19-7), unfortunately couldn't help his team secure a victory against the higher-ranked (#5) Szolnok in the Play-Off group. Despite his commendable efforts, Szombathely suffered a close 75-81 defeat at home. Novakovic, in his first season with the team, displayed a strong performance in the match against Szolnok by contributing 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in just 20 minutes of play. However, even with his notable performance, Szombathely was unable to clinch the win. Throughout the season, Novakovic has been averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in the 37 games he has participated in so far. Despite the recent loss, Novakovic's contributions on the court have been valuable for his team as they continue to strive for success in the league.

   #2. Ranell Crossland, a 30-year-old, 6'6'' small forward and Panthers alumnus from 2018, currently playing professionally in the TBL, played a significant role in the St. Louis Griffins' decisive victory over the Glass City Wranglers (11-8) last Friday in The Basketball League. The Griffins dominated the game, triumphing over the Wranglers with a score of 138-96, with Crossland leading the charge. In this matchup, Crossland showcased his skills by contributing 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist in just 26 minutes of play. His impressive performance included sinking all six of his free throws. This victory marked the Griffins' third consecutive win, improving their season record to 11-3, although not overly remarkable. Throughout the season, Crossland has maintained solid averages of 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in the 14 games he has participated in so far. His consistent contributions on the court have been instrumental in the Griffins' successes. Having previously competed in the prestigious Eurobasket Summer League, known as a top international summer league, Crossland's experience and talent have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in establishing him as a champion in his field.


Other former Eastern Illinois University players, who play in pro basketball:

Muusa Dama (6'10''-C/F-1996, played in 2016-18) plays for Shimane Susanoo Magic in Japanese B1 League
Lazar Grbovic (6'8''-F-2000, played in 2023-25) plays for Mornar in Montenegrin Erste Liga
Jermaine Hamlin (6'10''-F-2000, played in 2021-24) plays for Cherkasy in Ukrainian Superleague
Mack Smith-McEwen (6'3''-G-1998, played in 2017-21) plays for MZT Skopje in North Macedonian Super League
Artese Stapleton (6'3''-G, played in 2024-25) plays for Madzari in North Macedonian Super League
Levi Noel (6'6''-SF-1991, played in 2010-11) played for City of Birmingham Rockets in British BCB few monts ago
Sekou Kalle (6'10''-F, played in 2024-25) plays for Sagrado Corazon in Spanish Tercera FEB
Curry McKinney (6'4''-G, played in 2009-11) played for West Coast Breeze in the TBL last year

Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Eastern Illinois University basketball alumni.



Aleksa Novakovic is last week best Panthers alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @kkboraccacak)