What happened to Alterique Gilbert? Updates on former Shockers playing pro basketball
The last time Wichita State fans saw Alterique Gilbert at Koch Arena, he was covered in confetti and celebrating the Shockers’ improbable run to the American Athletic Conference championship.
Since leading WSU in his lone season as the starting point guard on a team that won the conference title and reached the NCAA tournament, the former McDonald’s All-American seemingly disappeared. No autograph signings in Wichita, no news of a possible transfer or if he was playing pro ball.
Those looking for an update now have one for the former Shocker, as Gilbert has signed his first professional contract with Parnu Sadam, a club located in Estonia, and joined the team in mid-January.
The KML, the top league in Estonia, was already in full swing by the time Gilbert joined, but he’s already made a major impact for a team with a 25-9 record and currently in second place in the league standings. Gilbert has taken over the starting point guard role and averaged 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals in his first six games with the team.
Gilbert is coming off his best game to date, finishing with 15 points, four rebounds, six assists and five steals in Parnu Sadam’s 94-79 win over Ventspils last Wednesday.
It’s also notable that Gilbert is playing in the home country of former Shocker Rauno Nurger, who has also found a home in the league and is playing for BC Kalev-Cramo Tallinn, the first-place team and only squad with a better record than Gilbert’s team.
The two recently squared off, as Nurger scored nine points and added four rebounds to help lead Kalev-Cramo to a narrow 79-78 win over Gilbert’s Parnu Sadam’s team. Gilbert finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in the game played on Feb. 4.
Although only five regular-season games remain for Gilbert’s team, he will be able to help them for the playoffs. Nurger’s team and Gilbert’s team are the two dominant squads that are likely to meet once again to decide the KBL championship in May.
Below are updates on other former Shockers who are currently playing professional basketball:
2020 Shockers
Center Jaime Echenique made national headlines earlier this season when he became the first Colombian-born player to play in an NBA game with the Washington Wizards. While his stay in the NBA was short-lived, Echenique has made the most of his opportunity playing for the Wizards’ G-League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. Echenique has been a dominant low-post player at the level, averaging 18.2 points on 57.8% shooting, 10.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. The 24-year-old just finished with a combined 38 points and 31 rebounds in a back-to-back road swing this weekend. After a successful rookie campaign in Spain’s top-tier league, Echenique has done well for himself given the chance to make an impression on an NBA team at the G-League level.
Although he didn’t finish his career at Wichita State, center Asbjorn Midtgaard spent three years with the Shockers and was a fan favorite before having a breakout season with Grand Canyon for his final season and playing in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. In his first season as a pro, the 7-foot Danish import has carved out a nice role in Holland’s BNXT League for Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden. Midtgaard is averaging a team-best 16.0 points on 63.8% shooting on 2-pointers, even hitting seven 3-pointers, to go along with 8.5 rebounds in 16 league games. Midtgaard has also been solid in Europe Cup play, averaging 15.0 points and 7.8 rebounds and leading the team to a 5-1 record and first-place finish in group play.
2019 Shockers
The rise of scoring forward Markis McDuffie has continued in his third year as a pro, as he received a promotion to the top-tier Italian league this season after a breakout year where he scored 20.4 points per game. McDuffie is playing for a middle-tier team in Italy’s Serie A, averaging 12.2 points while making 51.6% of his 2-pointers and 84.4% of his free throws to go along with 4.2 rebounds. The 6-foot-8, 24-year-old New Jersey native recently snapped out of his funk, scoring a season-high 22 points on Jan. 31. McDuffie has also been the team’s best player in Supercoppa play, averaging a team-best 14.5 points on 54.5% shooting with 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
The scoring prowess of Wichita native Samajae Haynes-Jones has carried over into his professional career, where he is currently averaging a team-best 16.9 points for PVSK-Veolia in the top Hungary league. Haynes-Jones is shooting 48.3% on 2-pointers and drilling 36.3% of his looks beyond the arc, while also chipping in a team-high 3.9 assists to go along with 1.2 steals for a team that is currently near the bottom of the league standings.
2018 Shockers
Just when guard Conner Frankamp was starting to find his groove playing for one of the world’s best teams, an ankle injury has kept him out of games since early January. After a breakout season in Spain’s top-tier league last season, Frankamp made the major move over to Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia’s world-class VTB United League and the prestigious Euroleague. After playing as a leading scorer the first three years of his career, Frankamp transitioned to a spark plug off the bench for the highest-level of club team, averaging 7.8 points and drilling 43.8% of his three-pointers in 17 Euroleague games. He was also averaging 5.3 points in VTB United League play before the injury sidelined him.
After spending two years at Wichita State and blossoming into a full-fledged star at Oklahoma, Austin Reaves has carved out a role in the NBA as an undrafted player on the Los Angeles Lakers. Playing alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, the former Shocker has quickly become a fan favorite with hustle plays and three-pointers that are reminiscent of his time in Wichita. Reaves has caught on as a valuable bench player for the Lakers and is averaging 6.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.1 minutes per game in his first season in the NBA.
Another Shocker proving himself at the highest levels in the world is forward Rashard Kelly, who has excelled in Russia, Italy and Turkey and is now carving out his mark in France’s top-tier league. Kelly has been the best player for Dijon Bourgogne in Champions League, where he has the team poised to advance to the Final Eight teams by averaging a team-best 13.4 points and team-best 7.6 rebounds to go along with 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks. Kelly is also averaging 9.6 points, a team-high 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks for the team in league play.
Few Shockers have had better professional careers than center Darral Willis, who has excelled in top leagues in Russia, France and Italy already. Willis is back in the world-class VTB United League in Russia, where he is averaging 13.8 points, second-most on the team, 6.2 rebounds and shooting 55.9% on 2-pointers for Enisey Krasnoyarsk. The team is struggling so far in league play with a 4-9 record, good for eighth in a 12-team league.
It’s been a good fit for center Rauno Nurger, who has returned home to play for the best team in his native country of Estonia. Nurger is averaging 10.0 points, second-most on the team, and 5.9 rebounds for BC Kalev-Cramo Tallinn in league play, as the team has been straight-up dominant with a 32-2 record this season. Nurger also averaged 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds for the team in its Basketball Champions League run, while he is averaging 7.4 points and 5.7 rebounds for Kalev-Cramo in VTB United League play.
Wing Zach Brown earned a serious promotion up to Germany’s top-tier league, where he transitioned to more of a spark plug off the bench. After averaging 16.4 points and 17.4 points in his first two seasons in lower-tier leagues, Brown is now playing a role off the bench for a Hamburg Towers team that is fighting to reach the playoffs with a 11-9 record and in ninth place in the 18-team league. Brown is averaging 5.1 points in Germany league play, while 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds for the team in Eurocup play.
2015 Shockers
Injuries had prevented guard Tekele Cotton from playing for nearly a year, but he finally returned to action just this past week in Germany’s top-tier league. Cotton returned to the same team, Riesen Ludwigsburg, where he began his professional career from 2015-17. Cotton is still working his way back to full strength, but has played 30 minutes in both of his games so far and totaled nine points, five rebounds and three assists in his first games back.
After playing in Germany’s top-tier league for four straight seasons, center Darius Carter has found a new gig with the best team in Spain’s third-tier league. Carter is starting and averaging 8.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks playing 18.7 minutes per game for Ourense, which is 13-4 this season and currently No. 1 in the West standings of the 14-team league.
2014 Shockers
It should be no surprise to discover that forward Cleanthony Early is still a supreme scorer. He’s currently the third leading scorer in the top Taiwan league, averaging 26.4 points per game in eight games so far this season for New Taipei CTBC DEA to go along with 10.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Early is shooting 55.9% from the field on 2-pointers and shooting nearly six free throws per game at a 78.3% clip. Early has helped his team to a 9-5 record early in the season, good for second place in the league standings.
Guard Nick Wiggins is flourishing at age 31 playing in the lower-tier Taiwan league, averaging a team-best 17.3 points and 5.2 rebounds for Yulon Luxgen. He’s playing in a lower-tier league, but in the same country as his former teammate and classmate Cleanthony Early.
Center Chadrack Lufile has found a resurgence in Romania, where he is starting, playing 26.8 minutes per game and averaging 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds for a Miercurea Ciuc team currently 4-14 on the season and near the bottom of the league standings.
It’s unclear if Kadeem Coleby is still playing professionally, although he’s played the last four seasons in Japan’s top-tier league for the Akita Northern Happinets. He averaged 12.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in the 2020-21 season, but has not played for the team this season, although he is still listed as part of the team.
2013 Shockers
It’s been a homecoming of sorts this year for point guard Malcolm Armstead, who has returned to Greece where he has spent a handful of years in his professional career. He’s playing some of his best basketball at age 32 in the second-tier Greek league, where Armstead ranks second in the league with his 6.8 assists per game to go along with 13.2 points, second-most on the team, while playing 34.9 minutes per game. Armstead has led Kavalas to a 9-6 record to start the season, currently sitting sixth out of a 15-team league.
2012 Shockers
After spending most of his professional career in Italy’s top-tier league, point guard Joe Ragland has found a new home in Israel’s top league. After averaging 14.7 points for Hapoel Eilat as a leading scorer last season, Ragland has shifted more to a true distributor role for his new team. He’s currently leading Israel’s top league in assists at 7.1 per game and is still averaging 10.9 points for Hapoel Holon in league play, while Ragland has led the team to the Top 16 in the Champions League with averages of 11.0 points and 7.9 assists.
Injuries have prevented Toure’ Murry from playing for the AfterShocks in TBT, but they haven’t slowed him down in his age 32 season playing professionally in Ukraine. Since starting to play again after the new year, Murry is the leading scorer for his team, Ternopil-TNEU, at a 14.4 scoring average on 48% shooting on 2-pointers to go along with 3.4 assists.
After spending the summer back in Wichita helping with the AfterShocks in TBT, Garrett Stutz headed back over to Japan for his fifth straight season. He was able to play in 11 games in Japan’s second-tier league for the Saga Ballooners and proved he’s still plenty capable at age 32, averaging 16.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in 11 games before heading back to his home in Kansas City during Christmas break.
2010 Shockers
Another Shocker still playing in one of the world’s best leagues is point guard Clevin Hannah, who has played in Spain’s top league for the last five seasons and spent the last three at Andorra, where he now plays with another former WSU player in Gal Mekel. Hannah, at age 34, is still playing at a high level and is second on his team in scoring in league play, averaging 12.8 points and 2.9 assists, while drilling 2.5 three-pointers per game on 52.8% accuracy. He has carved out a reputation as one of the best shooters in Spain and even scored a career-high 33 points earlier this season for an Andorra team struggling in league play and middle of the pack in Eurocup play.
2009 Shockers
The oldest former Shocker still playing professionally is 36-year-old forward Ramon Clemente, who has found a home to end his career in Puerto Rico. He played the last two seasons for the Quebradillas Pirates and averaged 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.3 minutes last season. The Puerto Rico league just began play and Clemente has switched to Cangrejeros de Santurce, a team he is now starting for and has averaged 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in the first two games.
2008 Shockers
After leaving WSU following his sophomore season in 2007-08, point guard Gal Mekel is still playing at a high level in Spain’s top league nearing his 34th birthday. As luck would have it, he’s actually playing on the same team as another former Shocker, Clevin Hannah, at Andorra. Mekel has only played in six games this season and is averaging 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 15.7 minutes for a team that is near the bottom of the league standings and in the middle of the table in Eurocup play.
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