Six Oklahoma State alumni won championships, including Lindy Waters with the G-League’s OKC Blue. Isaac Likekele led his team to the top of the Norwegian League, Markel Brown captured the Italian Cup and former teammates Jawun Evans and Leyton Hammonds joined forces to bring home the French Cup. In addition, Yankuba Sima continues to thrive in his native Spain, helping his club to a first-place finish in FIBA’s Basketball Champions League while earning a call up to the Spanish Senior National Team.
Four alums earned all-league honors in their respective national divisions: Jeffrey Carroll (Germany), Anthony Hickey (Italy), LeBryan Nash (Indonesia) and Likekele (Norway).
A handful of players – including Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons – have locked in contracts for the 2024-25 season, with several more on the way. Mike Marsh recently became the first member of the 2024 OSU senior class to sign, inking a deal with Pully in the Swiss Basketball League.
Read on for updates on some of your favorite former Cowboys.
OKLAHOMA STATE ALUMNI IN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
Player (Years at OSU) – Most Recent Club (Country-League)
* = Signed for 2024-25 Season
UNITED STATES:
Cade Cunningham (2020-21) – Detroit Pistons (NBA) *
Cunningham cemented himself as a franchise cornerstone with a five-year rookie max extension, reportedly worth $224 million. The third-year pro averaged 22.7 points and 7.5 assists per game in 2023-24.
Lindy Waters III (2016-20) – Golden State Warriors (NBA) *
After playing his entire basketball career in the state of Oklahoma — including the last three with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization — Waters begins a new adventure on the west coast. He was part of draft day trade to the Golden State Warriors in June, 2024. It was a busy year for Waters, even before that. He split time between the Thunder and its G-League affiliate, the OKC Blue, helping the latter to a championship. In NBA action, he shot better than 43% from deep to help the big club claim the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Waters shined off the court, as well. In January, he was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame, and in March, he was named a finalist for the 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion Award.
Marcus Smart (2012-14) – Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) *
Smart became the first former Cowboy to reach the $100 million mark in career earnings. The 10th-year pro and 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year averaged career-highs for points (14.5) and steals (2.1) in his first tour with the Memphis Grizzlies but was limited to just 20 games due to injury.
ASIA
Chris Olivier (2015-16) Kanazawa (Japan-B3 League)
Olivier is in his eighth professional season and seventh in Japan. He was an honorable mention all-league selection for Shanan United in 2022-23 and averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds for Kanazawa in 2023-24.
Marcus Dove (2004-08) — Tokyo United (Japan-B3 League)
Dove is the longest tenured of OSU’s active pros, recently completing his 16th season. Half of them have come in Japan. The 2023-24 season was his third with Tokyo United.
Le’Bryan Nash (2011-15) – Simba Bogar (Indonesia-IBL)
Nash is one of five league MVP finalists after a regular season in which he averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds. He scored a season-high 43 points on 17-of-24 shooting in a June 29 win that helped his team lock up a playoff spot.
CENTRAL AMERICA
Anthony Allen (2014-16) — Los Mochis (Mexico-CIBACOPA)
Allen spent the 2023-24 season in Mexico with Correcaminos (LNPB) and later Los Mochis (CIBACOPA). He was an All-Indonesian League selection in the Summer of 2023.
Cameron McGriff (2016-20) – Indios de Mayaguez (Puerto Rico-BSN)
In February, McGriff took part in the G League Slam Dunk Contest during the NBA All-Star break. He was traded from the Memphis Hustle to the Indiana Mad Ants in March and is getting additional reps this summer in Puerto Rico. He’s currently averaging 14.9 points and 8.6 rebounds for Indios de Mayaguez.
AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND
Caleb Asberry
(2022-23) – Southland Sharks (New Zealand-NBL)
Asberry’s first professional season started with Leicester of the British Basketball League and continued over the summer in New Zealand. He averaged 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals for the Southland Sharks, capped by a monster 37-point, 10-assist performance in last week’s regular season finale.
EUROPE
Mike Marsh (2023-24) – Pully (Switzerland-SBL) *
Marsh is the first of OSU’s 2024 seniors to sign a professional contract for the 2024-25 season.
Yankuba Sima (2017-18) – Unicaja (Spain-Liga Endesa)
Sima has spent the majority of his six-year pro career back in his native Spain. He suited up twice for the senior national team last February in the FIBA Eurobasket Qualifiers, collecting six points and five rebounds. He recently resigned with Unicaaja Malaga for a third straight season. His team won the 2024 Basketball Champions League title and finished with the second-best record in Spain’s top tier league.
James Anderson (2007-10) — Manisa (Turkey-BSL)
Anderson averaged double-figures on 44% three-point shooting to help Manisa earn a spot on the Turkish BSL playoffs.
Jeffrey Carroll (2014-18) — Stal Ostrów Wielkopolsk (Poland-OBL) *
Carroll was leading scorer and an honorable mention all-league performer for Heidelberg of the German BBL. Prior to that he was a first team all-league performer for the 2023 Finnish League champion Helsinki Seagulls on the heels of a three-year run in the Italian League. He’s headed to Poland in 2024-25.
Jawun Evans (2015-17) Dijon (France-Elite ProA)
Evans logged time in EuroCup and in the Polish League with WKS Slask. In March he reunited with former OSU teammate Leyton Hammonds in the French League.
Leyton Hammonds (2013-17) Dijon (France-Elite ProA)
Hammonds began the year in Turkey before catching on with Dijon. He averaged 10.8 points in league play and helped the club win its first French Cup in 18 years.
Anthony Hickey (2015) – Udine (Italy-Serie A2) *
Hickey averaged 16.8 points and 5.7 assists and earned first team all-league honors for a Cantu team that made the Series A2 Gold final. He’ll return to Italy in 2024-25, this time as a member of league rival Udine. The 10th-year pro has played in eight different countries since leaving OSU. He won a championship in the Kazakhstan League in 2022 and has also made stops in Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Israel, Poland and Romania.
Markel Brown (2010-14) – Trieste (Italy-Serie A) *
After starting the season in Spain, Brown moved to Italy in December. Playing alongside former college rival Jacob Pullen (K-State), he averaged 12.2 points and helped Napoli win its first ever Italian Cup. Brown was voted SerieA player of the week in early March after a 31-point performance in which he knocked down all 16 of his free throw attempts. He’ll return to SerieA in 2024-25 after signing with recently promoted Allianz Pallacanestro Trieste.
Michael Cobbins (2010-15) — Brescia (Italy-Serie A)
Cobbins recently completed his third season with Brescia in Italy’s top professional tier. In 2024 the club reached the SerieA semifinals for the first time ever and was runner-up for the Italian SuperCup.
Kendall Smith (2017-18) – Panionios (Greece-Elite League) *
In June Smith signed with defending Greek Elite League champion Panionios. Last season he helped N.Novgorod reach the Russian Cup final after beginning the season with stops in Turkey and Greece.
Isaac Likekele (2018-22) – Kouvot (Finland) *
Likekele was the Norwegian League Player of the Year after averaging 19.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, a league-best 8.1 assists and 3.3 steals for league champion Fyllingen. He’ll play the 2024-25 season in Finland.