Illinois State has a number of former players who are playing professionally, including in the NBA G-League, and in Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Israel, and France. Listed are the active players and a little bit about their seasons so far into the year.
DEVAUGHN AKOON-PURCELL
Akoon-Purcell, who graduated from Illinois State in 2016, is playing for Hapoel SP Tel-Aviv in Israel's Winner League.
In seven games with his squad, he is averaging 8.1 points while pulling down 2.9 rebounds with 2.0 assists per game. He also averages 1.3 steals per contest, while shooting 33 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the charity stripe. In his team's last game, an 88-68 win over Bnei Hertzeliya on Feb. 2 he played 23 minutes in a starting role, scoring five points with four assists and three steals.
JACKIE CARMICHAEL
Carmichael, who graduated from ISU in 2013, is playing for Unics Kazan in Russia which plays in the Eurocup Group H.
His team is currently in first place in the Stage One standings with a 5-1 record in their group. Playing in five games, Carmichael is averaging 6.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, making 59.1 percent of his shots from the field. In their most recent game, a 72-53 win on Feb. 6, Carmichael saw 16 minutes of action and pulled down four rebounds with two points and a steal.
ELIJAH CLARANCE
Clarance, who left ISU to turn professional after his freshman season with the Redbirds is currently playing for the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt basketball team in Germany.
In 11 games over the EuroCup season, Clarance is averaging 5.6 points per game while dishing out nearly an assist per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field. In their last game, an 84-58 loss to Lokomo Tiv, Clarance scored eight points with four rebounds and two steals.
OSIRIS ELDRIDGE
Eldridge is a 2010 graduate of Illinois State, and currently plays for Demir Insaat Buyukecekmece Basket in Turkey.
The team is in 12th place in the 15-team BSL standings with a 6-10 record.He is averaging 12.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game over 16 games during the season. In the most recent game, a 73-69 loss to Sakarya BSB, Eldridge had a team-high-tying 16 points with four steals, four rebounds, and three assists.
PARIS LEE
Lee, a 2017 graduate of Illinois State is currently playing for Telenet Giants Antwerp in Belgium.
His team is in fourth place in the eight-team Basketball Champions League Group C standings with a 6-8 overall record. He stands second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game while dishing out 5.6 assists per game and averaging 1.9 steals and 2.3 rebounds per game. Most recently Antwerp fell 77-76 to the top-ranked Greek AEK team. In that game Lee scored 15 points with two steals, three rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes of action.
MIKYLE McINTOSH
McIntosh, who graduated with a bachelor's degree from Illinois State in 2017, is playing for the Raptors 905, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors.Â
In nine games this season he is averaging 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The Raptors 905 is 21-13 this season and in third place in the Eastern Conference, one game out of first place in the standings. In the most recent game, McIntosh started at power forward and scored three points with six rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
DINMA ODIAKOSA
Odiakosa graduated from Illinois State in 2010 and plays for Sluc Nancy Basket Pro in France's ProB league.Â
His squad is 12-5 this season and in second place in the ProB standings. This season in 17 games he is averaging 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, averaging 18.4 minutes of action. He has made 61.9 percent of his shots this season. In the team's last game, an 86-70 win on Feb. 2 he scored six points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field with two rebounds.
Special thanks to Courtesy of Sports I.T. Solutions / Eurobasket.com.
