Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Every week we bring you a list of the top former Eagles players who continue their career in pro basketball.
#1. Xavier Moon, a 6'2'' guard and 31-year-old professional basketball player, graduated from Morehead State University in 2017, where he earned the prestigious All-OVC First Team award in his senior year. Currently playing professionally in Italy, Moon has made a significant impact in his first season with Maxima Roma. Last Wednesday, he led Maxima Roma to a thrilling 2-point victory over the closely-ranked Lions, with a final score of 86-84, in a highly competitive BKT Eurocup matchup. This game was considered the game of the round, featuring two of the top four teams in the league standings. Maxima Roma, now holding a 3-3 record, sits third in the league, just ahead of the Lions, who are at 3-3 as well. Moon was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game after an outstanding performance. In 33 minutes on the court, he scored an impressive 25 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. His all-around contribution was instrumental in securing the hard-fought victory for his team. Throughout this season, Moon has maintained solid statistics, averaging 13.4 points per game (ppg), 3.2 rebounds per game (rpg), and an impressive 5.8 assists per game (apg) across the five games he has played so far. His leadership and skill have clearly been key factors in Maxima Roma’s competitive stance in the league this season.
#2. Experienced Kenneth Faried, a 6'8'' center and 36-year-old Eagles alumnus from the class of 2011, who earned the prestigious All-OVC Player of the Year award that same year, is currently playing professional basketball in Spain. In his most recent game, Faried showcased his skills for Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, a team struggling with a 1-8 record this season. Despite his outstanding individual performance, he was unable to help his team avoid a significant defeat. Baskonia fell 79-94 on the road against the much higher-ranked (#12) ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket. Faried stood out as the top scorer for Baskonia, contributing 17 points along with 8 rebounds in just 23 minutes of play. This game marked Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's sixth consecutive loss, highlighting the challenges the team is currently facing. Nevertheless, given that this is still the early stage of the season, there remains ample opportunity for improvement and turnaround. Throughout the game against ASVEL, Faried delivered an impressive all-around performance by scoring 17 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and adding 1 assist. Despite his strong individual effort and leadership on the court, his team was ultimately unable to secure a victory. Over the course of this season, Faried is averaging solid numbers with 8.7 points per game (ppg), 5.9 rebounds per game (rpg), and 1.1 blocks per game (bpg) across nine games, demonstrating his continued value as an experienced and impactful player.
#3. Branden Maughmer, a 6'3'' guard and 27-year-old standout who graduated from Morehead State University in 2023, where he played a pivotal role in leading the team to the OVC Regular Season Champion title, is currently making waves in professional basketball in Germany. Now playing for Bayer Giants Leverkusen, Maughmer recently led his team to a decisive 93-78 victory over the ninth-ranked Dragons Rhoendorf (3-4) in the German BARMER 2. Basketball Bundesliga ProB, the third division, last Saturday. In this impressive performance, Maughmer was named the MVP of the game, showcasing his skills by scoring an outstanding 27 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists over 33 minutes of play. His contributions were instrumental in securing the win for Bayer Giants Leverkusen, who currently hold a strong 6-1 record and are placed second in the South group. Notably, this victory marked the team's sixth consecutive win in a row, highlighting their dominant form. This season marks Maughmer's first with Bayer Giants Leverkusen, and he has quickly established himself as a key player. Over seven games, he has posted solid averages of 14.3 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals, demonstrating his well-rounded impact on the court. With the Regular Season already concluded, Maughmer's performance continues to draw attention as he helps drive his team toward potential success in the playoffs.
#4. Andrew Thelwell, a 6'3'' guard and 24-year-old Hawkeyes alumnus from the 2025 class, has an impressive basketball background. Although he played collegiate basketball at Morehead State between 2020 and 2024, he was instrumental in helping the team clinch the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Regular Season Co-Champion title during his tenure. Currently, Thelwell is making his mark in professional basketball overseas, playing in Kosovo. Most recently, Thelwell led KB Trepca Mitrovice to a significant victory over the closely-ranked Sigal Prishtina, who held a 3-4 record, with a final score of 89-79 in the Kosovan ProCredit Superliga last Sunday. His outstanding performance earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game. In just 29 minutes on the court, Thelwell scored 15 points and provided 4 assists, showcasing a remarkable level of skill and leadership, especially considering that this is only his second season in professional basketball. KB Trepca Mitrovice currently holds a 5-2 record, placing them second in the league standings. The victory over Sigal Prishtina marked the team’s fourth consecutive win, highlighting their strong form this season. In addition to his 15 points, Thelwell contributed 2 rebounds and 4 assists, playing a pivotal role in securing the win for his team. Throughout this season, Thelwell has maintained solid statistics, averaging 15.0 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, 3.0 assists per game, and 1.7 steals per game across three games. Notably, Thelwell is a naturalized American, adding an international dimension to his basketball career as he continues to develop and excel in the professional arena.
#5. Kalil Thomas, a 6'5" guard/forward and 25-year-old professional basketball player, graduated from Morehead State University in 2024. During his collegiate career, he played a pivotal role in leading Morehead State to become the OVC Regular Season Co-Champion that same year, showcasing his talent and leadership on the court. Currently, Thomas is playing professionally in Slovakia, where he represents the team Lucenec. In Lucenec's recent game, Thomas was unable to help his team secure a win. Despite delivering a very strong individual performance, Lucenec fell short in an away match against the lower-ranked #9 Handlova, losing 89-95. This defeat marked Lucenec's first loss after enjoying a streak of three consecutive victories, bringing their record to 3-3. During the game, Thomas stood out as the top scorer with an impressive 16 points. In addition to his scoring, he contributed 4 rebounds and 3 assists over 33 minutes of play. Considering this is only Thomas' third season as a professional basketball player, his performance was notably commendable. His efforts demonstrated his growing impact and potential at the professional level. Overall, Thomas has been maintaining solid statistics this season, averaging 14.7 points per game (ppg), 5.0 rebounds per game (rpg), and 1.5 assists per game (apg) across six games. His consistent output reflects his valuable contribution to Lucenec as they continue their campaign in the Slovak league.
#6. Jordan Walker, a 6'1'' point guard and 29-year-old Eagles alumnus from the class of 2020, currently plays professionally in Spain. Last Sunday, he played a key role in helping Movistar Estudiantes Madrid secure a decisive victory against the closely-ranked Gran Canaria, crushing them 102-80 in the Spanish Primera FEB, which is the second division of Spanish basketball. In that game, Walker contributed 5 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in just 13 minutes of play. His efficient performance on both ends of the court was instrumental in leading his team to this important win. Walker's ability to score and rebound effectively helped Movistar Estudiantes maintain their dominance throughout the match and achieve a commanding victory over their opponents. Throughout this season, Walker has maintained relatively strong statistics, averaging 10.5 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game over six contests. His consistent contributions continue to be a valuable asset for Movistar Estudiantes Madrid as they compete in the league.
#7. LJ Bryan, a 6'9" forward and 27-year-old graduate of Morehead State University in 2023, where he played a key role in leading the team to become OVC Regular Season Champion that same year, currently plays professional basketball in Spain. Recently, Bryan competed for Badajoz in a matchup against Leonesa. Despite his efforts, he was unable to help Badajoz secure a win. In the game, Bryan delivered a solid performance by scoring 8 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and providing 1 assist over 23 minutes of play. Unfortunately, his valuable contributions were not enough, and his team fell short with a final score of 72-83. Throughout this season, Bryan has maintained averages of 6.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, and 1.2 assists per game across five games played.
Other former Morehead State University players, who play in pro basketball:
Riley Minix (6'8''-F-2000, played in 2023-24) signed for Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA
George Marshall (6'4''-G-2004, played in 2023-26) signed for Tamis PN in Serbian KLS
Alex Gross (6'10''-C/F-2000, played in 2023-24) played for HEFTE HELFEN Bulls Kapfenberg in Austrian BSL
Angelo Warner (6'2''-PG-1992, played in 2011-15) signed for Scafati in Italian Serie A
Tray Hollowell (6'3''-G-1998, played in 2021-22) played for Alkar in Croatian Premijer Liga
Demonte Harper (6'4''-G-1989, played in 2007-11) played for Forli in Italian Serie A2
Djimon Henson (6'4''-G-1998, played in 2016-20) plays for Handlova in Slovakian Tipos SBL
Karam Mashour (6'6''-SF-1991, played in 2012-15) signed for H.Migdal in Israeli National League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Morehead State University basketball alumni.
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Ex-Players
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