Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Runnin'Rebels players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Look at great performance of Elijah Mitrou-Long (23 points), Royce Hamm Jr. (16 points), and Khem Birch (3 points).
#1. Canadian Elijah Mitrou-Long, a 6'1'' point guard aged 29 who graduated from UNLV in 2020 and currently plays professionally in Greece, recently showcased his skills in a game where his team Aris faced off against the higher-ranked AEK. Despite an outstanding performance by Mitrou-Long, where he scored 23 points and contributed 3 assists in just 22 minutes, Aris was narrowly defeated 102-99 on the road. This defeat marked Aris' third consecutive loss. Throughout the game, Mitrou-Long displayed his scoring prowess and playmaking abilities, standing out as the top scorer for his team. Despite his impressive individual performance, Aris was unable to secure the victory against the formidable AEK team. In the broader context of the season, Mitrou-Long has maintained solid statistics, averaging 13.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game across the 26 games he has participated in so far. As a key player for Aris, Mitrou-Long continues to demonstrate his talent and contribute positively to his team's efforts on the court.
#2. Royce Hamm Jr., a 6'9'' center and 27-year-old Runnin' Rebels alumni from 2022, currently plays professionally in Turkey. In a recent game, Hamm Jr. could not prevent Trabzonspor (19-11) from suffering a tough loss to Bahcesehir, who is ranked #3 in the league. Even though Hamm Jr. delivered an outstanding performance by scoring 16 points in 33 minutes, Trabzonspor was defeated 91-65 in Istanbul. Despite the loss, Hamm Jr. stood out as the top scorer of the game with his 16 points, along with 3 rebounds and 1 assist against the formidable Bahcesehir team. Throughout this season, Hamm Jr. has maintained an average of 9.5 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game in the 26 games he has played so far.
#3. Experienced champion Khem Birch, a 6'10'' center who is 33 years old and graduated from UNLV in 2014, currently plays professionally in Turkey. Despite his efforts, Birch could not help Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (24-14) defeat Olympiacos (26-12) in the Euroleague, resulting in a disappointing 79-61 loss in Piraeus. This marked Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's fifth consecutive defeat. In the game, Birch contributed 3 points and 4 rebounds in just 9 minutes on the court. Although Birch's individual performance was commendable, with an average of 3.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in 43 matches this year, he could not lead his team to victory against the reigning finalist Olympiacos. Despite the loss, Birch remains a valuable asset to his team with his consistent contributions on the court.
#4. Panamanian Luis Rodriguez, a 6'6'' guard who is 27 years old and an alum of the Runnin' Rebels from 2024, currently plays professionally in Brazil. Recently, he played a crucial role in his team's dominant 91-74 victory over Brasilia, a closely-ranked opponent with a record of 28-10, in the Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil last Saturday. In that game, Rodriguez showcased his skills by scoring 10 points, making 3 steals, and playing for 28 minutes. The matchup was highly anticipated as it featured two top 4 ranked teams battling it out on the court. Despite the competition, Sesi/Franca Sao Paulo, with a record of 32-6, emerged victorious and maintained their first-place standing in the league. This win marked Rodriguez's team's impressive tenth consecutive victory. Rodriguez's performance against Brasilia was outstanding, as he not only contributed 10 points but also grabbed 3 rebounds and provided 1 assist, demonstrating his versatility and impact on the game. His consistent excellence on the court truly exemplifies why he is a champion. Throughout this year, Rodriguez has been maintaining solid averages of 9.8 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 1.3 assists per game, and 1.1 steals per game in 36 games, further solidifying his status as a finalist.
#5. In the recent game, Nigerian Ike Nwamu, a 6'4'' guard who is 32 years old and a UNLV graduate from 2016, showcased his skills while playing for Bashkimi. Unfortunately, despite his standout performance, Bashkimi, with a record of 20-8, suffered a heavy defeat of 98-78 at home against the dominant Trepca. Nwamu emerged as the top scorer of the game, contributing 18 points along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists during his 37 minutes on the court. This game marked his first season playing with the team, and he displayed an impressive performance against the formidable Trepca squad. Throughout the season, Nwamu has maintained solid statistics, averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game across 20 games. It is worth noting that Nwamu, who is a naturalized Nigerian, continues to be a key player for Bashkimi despite the team's recent loss.
#6. Keylan Boone, a 6'8'' forward and 25-year-old Runnin' Rebels alumni from 2024, is currently playing professionally in New Zealand. Recently, he showcased his talent by leading the Southland Sharks to a decisive 104-90 victory over the closely-ranked Saints in the New Zealand National Basketball League. In this game, Boone demonstrated his skills by scoring 13 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, handing out 3 assists, and blocking 2 shots in just 28 minutes of play. His exceptional performance against the Saints, where he contributed significantly to his team's win with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, further solidified his reputation as a true champion. Boone's consistent contributions on the court have been instrumental in his team's success, highlighting his value as a key player. Throughout the season, Boone has maintained impressive statistics, averaging 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in seven appearances. His strong all-around game and leadership qualities make him a standout player in the league, showcasing his potential to continue excelling as a finalist in future competitions.
#7. Rene Rougeau, a 6'6'' forward who graduated from UNLV in 2009 and received the NABC Division I All-District 17 Second Team award that year, currently plays professionally in New Zealand. In a recent game, he played a crucial role in his team's dominant 113-86 victory over the seventh-ranked Airs in the New Zealand National Basketball League. Rougeau put up 8 points, secured 6 rebounds, and blocked 2 shots in just 25 minutes of play. His performance against the Airs showcased his versatility on the court, as he not only contributed offensively with 8 points but also made a significant impact on the boards with 6 rebounds. His contributions were instrumental in helping his team secure the victory and ultimately be crowned the champion of the game. Throughout this season, Rougeau has been maintaining solid averages of 5.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game across three games, demonstrating his well-rounded skills and valuable presence on the court.
#8. Puerto Rican Carlos Lopez-Sosa, a 6'10'' center and 35-year-old Runnin' Rebels alumnus from 2014, received the Latinbasket.com Puerto Rican BSN All-Newcomers Team award that year. Currently playing professionally in Puerto Rico, Lopez-Sosa recently faced off against Capitanes with his team, Indios de Mayaguez, in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Despite his efforts, he was not able to turn the game in his team's favor, scoring 6 points in just 9 minutes as they fell to Capitanes with a score of 85-95. In another game against Arecibo, Lopez-Sosa displayed a commendable performance, contributing 6 points and 1 assist. However, his team still suffered a defeat. So far this year, Lopez-Sosa holds an average of 2.5 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game across six games.
#9. In a recent game, Nigerian champion Mike Nuga, a 6'2'' guard at 28 years old who graduated from UNLV in 2022 and currently plays professionally in Canada, was unable to assist the Edmonton Stingers (1-3) as they suffered a crushing 111-88 defeat against the Bandits in Langley. Despite his strong individual performance, Nuga, the finalist, scored 12 points and provided 4 assists in 21 minutes on the court. In a previous game against Vancouver, Nuga showcased his skills by contributing 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, but unfortunately, his team ended up on the losing side. Throughout this season, he has maintained an average of 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in the three games played so far. It is interesting to note that Nuga holds both American and Nigerian citizenship, allowing him to potentially play in Nigeria as a domestic player in the future.
Other former University of Nevada - Las Vegas players, who play in pro basketball:
David Muoka (6'10''-C-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Brooklyn Nets in the NBA
Elijah Harkless (6'4''-G-2000, played in 2024-24) plays for Utah Jazz in the NBA
Derrick Jones Jr. (6'7''-SF-1997, played in 2015-16) plays for Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA
Christian Wood (6'9''-F-1995, played in 2011-11) played for Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA few monts ago
Karl Jones (6'10''-F-2000, played in 2022-24) plays for Panteras in Venezuelan SPB
Christopher Obekpa (6'9''-PF-1993, played in 2015-22) played for Fujian Sturgeons in Chinese CBA last year
Amauri Hardy (6'2''-G-1998, played in 2017-20) plays for Zonkeys de Tijuana in Mexican CIBACOPA
Jalen Hill (6'6''-F-2001, played in 2023-25) plays for Margveti in Georgian Superleague
Jordan Johnson (5'11''-G-1995, played in 2016-16) plays for Tigers Tuebingen in German ProA
Justin Webster (6'3''-G-2000, played in 2021-24) plays for Venados de Mazatlan in Mexican CIBACOPA
Patrick McCaw (6'7''-SG-1995, played in 2014-16) plays for Raptors 905 Mississauga in the NBA G League
Walter Brown (6'5''-F-2003, played in 2025-26) plays for Canterbury Rams in New Zealand NBL
Cheikh Diong (6'11''-F-1999, played in 2017-21) plays for JCA in Ivorian National 1
Jovan Mooring (6'2''-G-1994, played in 2016-18) plays for JCA in Ivorian National 1
Stephen Zimmerman (6'11''-C-1996, played in 2015-16) plays for Hunan in Chinese NBL
Christian Jones (6'7''-F-1993, played in 2016-17) plays for Maccabi Ma'ale Adumim in Israeli National League
Kris Clyburn (6'5''-G/F-1996, played in 2016-19) plays for Al-Muharraq in Bahrain Premier League
Donovan Williams (6'6''-G-2001, played in 2021-22) plays for Ahly Benghazi in Libyan D1
Anthony Bennett (6'8''-F-1993, played in 2011-13) played for Al-Najma in Bahrain Premier League last year
Marvin Coleman III (6'2''-G-2000, played in 2018-22) plays for Seattle Super Hawks in the USBL
Brice Massamba (6'10''-F/C-1988, played in 2008-12) played for RIG Haga in Swedish D4 last year
Rashad Vaughn (6'6''-G/F-1996, played in 2014-15) plays for Kesatria in Indonesian IBL
Kalib Boone (6'9''-F-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for Valley Suns in the NBA G League
Brandon McCoy (7'0''-F-1998, played in 2017-18) plays for Hefei in Chinese NBL
Bryce Hamilton (6'4''-G-2000, played in 2018-22) plays for Tasmania JackJumpers in Australian NBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Nevada - Las Vegas basketball alumni.
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