Brandon Wood to play on an aircraft carrier?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Brandon will be playing professional ball in Macedonia

That's the Michigan State Difference for you, right there.

[MattCarter]

] He did everything he could have done...

including holding someone hostage!  I am willing to bet that little incident killed any chance Brandon had in the NBA.  At the end of the day, Im glad he did go to MSU though...we are a better team and program for it!

[agibson]

Interesting!

One of course wonders if he could have had the same quality outcome straight out of VU.  But, hey, best of luck to him.

They  seem to have seven Macedonians, a Serbian, and two Americans on their roster.  Plus Brandon, presumably.  All-Macedonian coaching squad.  The other Americans are Cade Davis ("a leading scorer and rebounder" at Oklahoma), and Noah Dahlman (an "All-American" which actually seems to mean an AP All-American honorable mention; SoCon player of the year, from Wofford, was on the first two Wofford teams to go to the NCAA tournament - presumably in a leading capacity).

The team seems to be coming off their best season ever.  They'll play in the top Macedonian league and, because of their championship in Macedonia last season, will also play in the Adriatic League next season (with teams from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro... apparently Israel's also eligible, but not represented this year.   I guess a team as invited, but declined.).

[valpospartan]

Brandon will be playing professional ball in Macedonia

That's the Michigan State Difference for you, right there.

Now if BW would have averaged 20 points would he be playing in Macedonia next year?  And would that also be the Michigan State difference? 

[sectionee]

I think it's fantastic that he gets to earn some money playing a sport. I also think its fantastic that UIC's Paul Carter made a NBA summer league team and BW did not.

[vu72]

I think it's fantastic that he gets to earn some money playing a sport. I also think its fantastic that UIC's Paul Carter made a NBA summer league team and BW did not.

Why the bitterness??

[SadersofthelostArc]

Brandon thought he would end up in a better situation, professionally, by leaving Valpo.  That didn't happen.  I don't think sectionee is bitter...but I don't blame him for taking a little pleasure in how this worked out.  Ultimately, none of us should be a fan of stars leaving mid-majors for majors, especially when VU is the one taking the hit. 

[sectionee]

How could I be bitter when Valpo was a much better team without him? I think it is great he will make some money doing what he loves, if we could all be so lucky.  I find it amusing that he was told the best way to the NBA was to leave for MSU and he didn't even get onto a Summer League team while a guy who probably wouldn't have started at Valpo stays at UIC and is invited to a team.  I'm still blown away that his people felt it best to leave for better competition so he could show his defensive skills when the only way he even had a shot was to showcase his offensive abilities.  Hopefully he will have a long successful basketball career.

Go Valpo

[vu72]

How could I be bitter when Valpo was a much better team without him? I think it is great he will make some money doing what he loves, if we could all be so lucky.  I find it amusing that he was told the best way to the NBA was to leave for MSU and he didn't even get onto a Summer League team while a guy who probably wouldn't have started at Valpo stays at UIC and is invited to a team.  I'm still blown away that his people felt it best to leave for better competition so he could show his defensive skills when the only way he even had a shot was to showcase his offensive abilities.  Hopefully he will have a long successful basketball career.

Go Valpo

Fair enough but you are wrong about Carter.  He was a very good player and one who was a regular part of the rotation at Minnesota before transferring to UIC.  He was granted a hardship transfer to be nearer to his sister who had cancer as I recall. He also is 6'8" so that helps!

http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/092810aaa.html

[SadersofthelostArc]

Do you really think he is wrong about Carter starting at VU?  (That is what he said...he never said Carter wasn't any good.)  He would have had to start over Cory or Kevin, and you're a pretty big fanboy of both. 

[vu72]

Do you really think he is wrong about Carter starting at VU?  (That is what he said...he never said Carter wasn't any good.)  He would have had to start over Cory or Kevin, and you're a pretty big fanboy of both. 

Let's think back for a moment.  Carter played his only year at UIC in 2010-2011.  Our starters were Wood, Johnson, Ryan, Little and Buggs.  Kevin didn't play as much that year because of back problems.  Our leading rebounder was Ryan at 5.2 and was again, playing out of position at the 4.  Carter is 6'8", scored 14.7 ppg and 8.0 rebounds.  He would have started over Howard Little who was maybe 6'3", not a great shot and a good rebounder for his size.  Carter would have put us over the top.  The guy played over 15 minutes a game at Minnesota.  He was the real deal. No knock on Howard, I just think having Carter on the team would have allowed Homer to use Howard and Ryan in different and more effective ways.

[SadersofthelostArc]

After all Howard did for us....nevermind, I give up.

[IndyValpo]

http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=MKD&Team=612

[valpopal]

Brandon writes a blog about his first days playing ball overseas:

http://kokomoperspective.com/sports/it-s-almost-like-being-home/article_429ee2c8-ead7-11e1-8ea4-0019bb2963f4.html

[vubballfan10]

I think the title of this thread should be changed, because it has been quite a while since the topic of conversation was about Michigan State vs. UNC game on an aircraft carrier.  Maybe a title such as "Brandon Wood News" would be more appropriate.

[covufan]

I think the title of this thread should be changed, because it has been quite a while since the topic of conversation was about Michigan State vs. UNC game on an aircraft carrier.  Maybe a title such as "Brandon Wood News" would be more appropriate.

He is no longer going to play on an open air Navy Air Craft Carrier, but in smoke filled Macedonian gyms.

[agibson]

Nice to see the Macedonian fans and the Kokomo friends and family chiming in on the same comment section.

Hopefully the experience is a little humbling for him, but also a good one.  He's getting to experience a new culture, living large (living medum, maybe?), and, hey, he's playing basketball for a living.

[FWalum]

If you have some talent and play your cards right you can make some decent money in Europe even if you are not playing in the "elite" leagues.  One of our Indiana Tech players was the MVP of the Slovakian league this past year and will be playing in Germany this next season.  His stats from last year where unreal. 27.7 PPG ( 2FGP 53.7% , 3FGP 53.7% ), 7.1 APG , 3.3 RPG and 2.4 SPG.  He was one of the best pure shooters I have ever seen.   
Jones MVP in Slovakia

Anthony Jones always said "All I need is an opportunity".

Brandon has gotten the opportunity, I hope he makes the best of it.

[EddieCabot]

Noticed on twitter that Brandon was released.  http://www.eurobasket.com/Adriatic-League/basketball.asp?NewsID=288653

[agibson]

Ouch.  Would these have been his first competitive games with the team?

They won the tournament.  They seem to start their regular season in about a month.

OK - looks like they played three friendlies before the tournament.  Won two, lost one.  He doesn't seem to be mentioned in the write-ups of the two latest, just before they let him go.

The other game, the first, has a box score.  Looks like Brandon was pretty quiet
http://mztskopjeaerodrom.mk/index.php/novosti-reader/items/prekinat-natprevarot-mzt-skope-aerodrom-cherkasi-mavpi.html

The game was apparently canceled in the third quarter, after some kind of incident. (!)

[agibson]

His team put out a press release September 11, when they released him.

Basketball club MZT Skopje Airport informed that Brandon Wood is no longer a member of our club. After the javascript control games, the club's technical committee and management brought this solution, and his replacement will be additionally informed.
KK MZT Skopje Airport Brandon Wood wishes him much success in his future career.

Uh, so much for google/translate!

You can try the Macedonian yourself at
http://mztskopjeaerodrom.mk/index.php/novosti-reader/items/brendon-vud-zaminuva-od-mzt-skope-aerodrom.html

Does that show up in Cyrillic in the US too?  Or only from Russia, and such places?

[valpotx]

Pretty bad when you can't meet expectations of the Macedonian league...

[wh]

Two guys I never thought would wash out in Europe are Brandon Wood and Matt Howard.  Former Crusaders with less talent than either have had successful runs in Europe. 

[vu72]

Wow!  Brandon has been writing a column in his hometown newspaper and talking at length about his situation and teamates. Big Shock.

Here's the link to his blog--note the date--September 11, the day he was released.

http://kokomoperspective.com/sports/mixing-it-up-can-be-a-real-kick/article_b1379aaa-fc1a-11e1-adfb-001a4bcf887a.html#.UE9PW2Lhvwc.facebook

[hoopfan22]

Hilarious thread.