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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Wisconsin basketball forward signs professional contract
Former Wisconsin basketball forward Markus Ilver signed a deal with the University of Tartu men's basketball team on Monday. Located in Tartu, Estonia, the pro squad competes under the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club umbrella and suits up against opponents in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League and the Korvpalli Meistriliiga. The organization is responsible for over 25 Estonian League Championships and nearly 20 Estonian cup titles. Advertisement Following a four-year stint with the Badgers in Madison, Ilver will now travel to compete in his home country. A native of Tallinn, Estonia, Ilver arrived at UW after a pair of high school seasons, one at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, and one at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia. Ilver played 72 total games from 2019-25, logging a career-best 27 appearances as a junior during the 2023-24 slate. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 1.3 points and 0.9 rebounds in 5.2 minutes off the bench in a depth role. On Dec. 22, 2024, Ilver dropped a career-best eight points in a win over Detroit Mercy. Weeks later, he played a career-high 10 minutes against Minnesota and knocked down a pair of 3-point looks in a 21-point triumph. Ilver becomes the second former Badger to sign a professional contract to play overseas this offseason, joining forward Carter Gilmore. Advertisement Several high-profile Badgers, including Nigel Hayes, have found success overseas. In Hayes' case, his EuroLeague Final Four MVP recently netted him a deal with the Phoenix Suns. Frank Kaminsky, another Badger legend, suited up in Serbia before making a return to the NBA. While Ilver may never attain an NBA contract, his upcoming experience overseas is another step in his basketball journey. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball Markus Ilver professional contract in Estonia
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin basketball forward signs professional contract
Proud of you Markus!#Badgers @MarkusIlver has signed a deal with @Unitartubasket! Former Wisconsin basketball forward Markus Ilver signed a deal with the University of Tartu men's basketball team on Monday. Located in Tartu, Estonia, the pro squad competes under the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club umbrella and suits up against opponents in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League and the Korvpalli Meistriliiga. The organization is responsible for over 25 Estonian League Championships and nearly 20 Estonian cup titles. Following a four-year stint with the Badgers in Madison, Ilver will now travel to compete in his home country. A native of Tallinn, Estonia, Ilver arrived at UW after a pair of high school seasons, one at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, and one at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia. Ilver played 72 total games from 2019-25, logging a career-best 27 appearances as a junior during the 2023-24 slate. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 1.3 points and 0.9 rebounds in 5.2 minutes off the bench in a depth role. On Dec. 22, 2024, Ilver dropped a career-best eight points in a win over Detroit Mercy. Weeks later, he played a career-high 10 minutes against Minnesota and knocked down a pair of 3-point looks in a 21-point triumph. Ilver becomes the second former Badger to sign a professional contract to play overseas this offseason, joining forward Carter Gilmore. Several high-profile Badgers, including Nigel Hayes, have found success overseas. In Hayes' case, his EuroLeague Final Four MVP recently netted him a deal with the Phoenix Suns. Frank Kaminsky, another Badger legend, suited up in Serbia before making a return to the NBA. While Ilver may never attain an NBA contract, his upcoming experience overseas is another step in his basketball journey. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin basketball star agrees to one-year deal with Phoenix Suns
Former Wisconsin Badgers basketball star Nigel Hayes-Davis has agreed to a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal is fully guaranteed. It marks Hayes-Davis' first taste of NBA action since he played five games with the Sacramento Kings during the 2017-18 slate. The news arrives roughly one month after the Badger alumnus wrapped up a spectacular season with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Turkey. Hayes-Davis capped off the 2024-25 EuroLeague campaign with an 81-70 victory over Monaco, securing him EuroLeague Final Four MVP honors and the club's first championship since 2017. Hayes-Davis' recent title followed another championship run last summer, when he pocketed a Turkish League Championship and MVP honor in Turkey's Basketbol Süper Ligi Finals. The Ohio native averaged over 17 points per game to snag finals MVP honors throughout the series, which ignited his return to professional basketball in the United States. Between his time in Europe, the former Badger suited up alongside the USA Men's National Team during its exhibition schedule before the Olympic crew won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Outside of practice, he played exhibitions in Las Vegas, London and Abu Dhabi alongside a bevy of NBA Hall of Famers, including now-teammate Devin Booker. Hayes-Davis reportedly drew interest from the Boston Celtics' head coach Joe Mazulla, who was spotted in Istanbul for the Bachesehir - Fenerbahçe game in early June. While the Celtics didn't bite, another franchise did. The former Wisconsin standout suited up in nine games for the Kings, Lakers and Raptors during the 2017-18 slate following his career in Madison, but he didn't experience as much success as he did in college. His European basketball journey appears to have rejuvenated his career, and now he will look to compete alongside players like Booker, Jalen Green, Bradley Beal, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams. During his time in Madison, Hayes-Davis was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year (2014), a two-time third-team All-Big Ten (2015, 2017) honoree and an All-Big Ten first team selection in 2016. He, along with Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, wound up in the 2015 NCAA title game against the Duke Blue Devils during one of the most memorable runs in franchise history. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
