Where's the Money This Week

Most of the European season is in its final breath right now. The EuroLeague Final Four is set for May 22 in Athens. Domestic leagues across Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, and everywhere else are either in playoffs or about to start them. For the majority of Americans playing in Europe this season, the end is either here or it is days away.

Which means the question shifts. It always shifts this time of year. From "how do we close out strong" to "what am I doing this summer." And the honest answer for a lot of guys is that they have no idea. They are either waiting to hear back from their agent about next season, or they are sitting in an apartment somewhere in Eastern Europe refreshing their phone, or they are about to fly home and try to figure it out from the couch. None of those are great options if you need to keep earning.

So let me tell you where the money is right now and where it is about to open up.

Puerto Rico (BSN) is already underway. The season started in March, the league is deep into regular season play, and they run all the way through September. Twelve teams, FIBA rules, and a basketball culture on that island that is as passionate as anywhere I have ever been. The BSN brings in Americans every year and the competition level is legitimate. If you have connections down there or an agent who works the Caribbean, this is happening right now. Not "coming soon." Right now. Arecibo and San Germán are sitting at the top of Group A as I write this. Bayamón, the defending champs, are battling in Group B. The energy in those arenas is unlike anything you will experience in most European second divisions, and the pay, while not ACB money, can keep your summer productive.

New Zealand (Sal's NBL) kicked off on April 9 and runs through the Grand Final on August 9. Eleven teams this year. The NZ NBL is one of those leagues that does not get talked about enough in overseas circles. It is not going to make you wealthy, but the experience is competitive, the country is incredible, and you are staying sharp against professional level players while the rest of the field is sitting in a gym back home running pickup. For a younger player trying to build a résumé or a veteran who needs to stay active and keep film rolling, New Zealand is a smart move. Wellington is the defending champion and they opened the season raising a banner. The league is live and the rosters include guys who have played across Europe, the NCAA, and the Australian NBL system.

Australia (NBL1) is the one a lot of guys sleep on. This is not the top tier NBL that runs September through March. This is NBL1, the tier below, which operates across five conferences and runs from late March through August depending on the region. NBL1 South, NBL1 East, NBL1 North, NBL1 West, NBL1 Central. The infrastructure in Australian basketball is strong, the standard of play is rising every year, and the exposure you get playing in the Australian system can open doors to the main NBL or to other markets in Asia and the Pacific. The season is already rolling. If you are looking for summer minutes in a well organized environment with good facilities and a legitimate pathway, NBL1 deserves your attention.

Canada (CEBL) just tipped off three days ago. The league runs May through August with 10 teams across six provinces, and this year they overhauled the playoff format into a full in market postseason with a best of three Finals. The CEBL is growing fast. They signed a new five year broadcast deal with CBC, every game streams for free, and the rosters are stocked with guys who have NBA experience mixed in with Canadian nationals and Americans looking for competitive summer ball close to home. If you are an American guard or wing who can score and create, the CEBL is worth exploring. The schedule is 24 games per team, the pace is fast (they use the Elam Ending), and the league has become a legitimate landing spot for guys between European seasons.

The Bigger Point

I have said it before and I will keep saying it. The smartest overseas pros I have ever been around treated this career like a 12 month job. Not a nine month job with a three month vacation. If your European season just ended and you are sitting around waiting for next October, you are leaving money on the table and you are losing competitive sharpness that you cannot get back in a gym by yourself.

The leagues I just listed are not consolation prizes. They are professional opportunities in professional environments with professional pay. Some of them are smaller markets. Some of them do not have the name recognition of the ACB or the Greek League. But they pay, they develop you, and they keep your name circulating in front of scouts and agents who are filling rosters for next fall while you are playing this summer.

If you are sitting at home right now scrolling through Instagram watching other guys play, ask yourself why that is not you. The opportunities exist. The question is whether you are willing to go find them.

With OverseasX, you'll never have to walk this journey alone.