The life of an American basketball player overseas can be a prosperous one, filled with stats, awards and tax-free money.
But that life can end very quickly.
Reggie Tucker, who graduated from Cleveland High School in 1993 and went on to play four years overseas after a college career at Utah State and LSU, knows all about the ups and downs of playing pro ball in foreign countries.
“As long as you’re winning, everybody is happy,” said Tucker, who now coaches a 15-under AAU team in Orlando, Fla. “My first year, I played in Switzerland and we got on a win streak. Then I pulled my hamstring in warm-ups and we ended up losing the Swiss Cup. My agent called me after that and told me they were wanting to get rid of me.
“He asked me what happened. I said, ‘What do you mean? I pulled my hamstring and we lost,’ so yeah, life is short, but it can be good depending on what country you end up in. It can be a great experience. I was able to experience a different country and make friends that I still have to this day.”
In some leagues, a contract for an American player might start off as a yearlong deal but is closer to day-to-day. Former Bradley Central standout Terrence Oglesby, who chose to go overseas after only two seasons at Clemson University, recently was cut from a Ukrainian league team, MBC Mykolaiv, after what it called its “worst season ever,” he said.
Oglesby contributed 10 points and nearly two assists per game.
In one Russian league, a player got in a fight with a Russian player and was ejected. He had to leave the next day after receiving death threats from the other player’s brother.
One story mentions a former University of Tennessee standout who, after his last game in a European league, returned home to find his lights had been shut off because the people there weren’t pleased with his performance.
“I could see that,” Tucker said when told of the tale. “It’s a different world over there — not always fun and games. It’s not like signing an NBA contract: You can sign for a year, but it could end at any point and you can’t get the money promised to you.”
Money ISSUES
The money, albeit tax-free, can be a problem at times as well — getting the money promised, that is.
“The league I was in, we were supposed to get a $150 bonus for every win we got,” Tucker said. “That went up to $400 for every win in the playoffs.
“We got beat in the first round of the playoffs. We won two games in the series. The Americans didn’t receive any money for the wins. Sometimes they just don’t want to pay. What are we going to do? Go find a lawyer and get laughed at? We just didn’t get our money; we got on a plane and came back to the States.”
The money can be good, though.
“You get paid every two weeks, and it’s around $5,000 a month — $2,500 every two weeks,” Tucker said. “The money is in U.S. dollars and is tax-free, which is good, but you have to make sure you get your money, because your agent is going to get his money regardless, off the top.”
Research is important for U.S. players going overseas. In a lot of cases, newer teams with less financial backing fall through, leaving import players with no team and no income.
“When you go to some leagues, you can check to see who else is on the team,” Tucker said. “If you have a couple of ex-NBA players on the team, you’ll be all right because you know you’re going to get paid. Because you know a guy that played in the NBA is going to make sure he gets money before coming overseas.
“You can’t go to just any team. Some aren’t going to pay, and they don’t have to. There’s nothing you or your agent can do.”
Loving the game
Tucker admitted he was a little surprised when Oglesby decided to forgo his final two seasons at Clemson and pursue a pro career overseas.
“I used to work out with Terrence, so when I first found out, I asked him why he made that choice,” Tucker said. “He said he never got a chance to run the point, never the chance to dribble. I told him that instead of going overseas, he should transfer, but I understood his decision. The kid loves to play the game and loves to work out.”
Vincent Yarbrough, a 1998 Cleveland graduate who starred at Tennessee, has been playing in Germany, while C.J. Black (Brainerd), Jonathan Adams (Baylor), B.J. Benning (Brainerd), Alphonso Pugh (Bradley Central) and Charles Little (Cleveland) are among other former NCAA Division I players from the area pursuing careers in Europe.
“If you have a good agent, they should listen to him and, if it’s the best thing, go ahead and do it,” Tucker said. “I’m not going to tell anybody to not do it. It could be good, it could be bad, but usually it’s good. It’s what you make of it. You’re usually given a place to stay and a car, and the only thing you’re spending money on is food and gas.
“It’s a great experience, and overall I have nothing bad to say about it.”