Where's the Money This Week...Summer Planning Edition

If you have been playing overseas this season, the finish line is either here or close to it. Most leagues are wrapping up their regular seasons and heading into playoffs, which means for a lot of guys the conversations are already shifting from "how do we close out strong" to "what's next." And for a lot of players, what's next is supposed to be rest. Go home, decompress, see the family, work out, get right for next season.

But some of you reading this are not built for the couch. Some of you know that three or four months without a paycheck and without competitive reps is not the move. And some of you are in a financial position where you need to keep earning. There is no shame in that. The smartest overseas pros I have ever been around treated this career like a 12 month operation, not a 9 month one. They understood that while most guys are sitting at home waiting for an agent to call in August, there are leagues running right now and through the summer that pay, that provide film, and that keep you sharp.

So where is the money right now and into the summer? Let me break it down.

Puerto Rico (BSN) is already in full swing. The BSN kicked off in late March and runs all the way through the summer. This is one of the most underrated offseason plays for American guards and wings. The atmosphere is insane, the competition is legitimate, and the fans in Puerto Rico are some of the most passionate you will find anywhere in the world. Arecibo and San Germán are both sitting at the top of Group A right now and there are 12 teams in the league, which means there are roster spots and there is money to be made. The other thing about the BSN that people sleep on is the visibility. Scouts, agents, and front office people from leagues all over the world watch the BSN because they know the level of competition is real. If you go down there and perform, it opens doors for the following European or Asian season.

New Zealand (NZNBL) just tipped off on April 9 and runs through early August. The league has 11 teams and the schedule is compact, which means you can get in and out in about four months while staying in game shape and collecting a check. New Zealand is not going to make you rich, but it is a professional environment with solid infrastructure, games broadcast on Sky Sport and ESPN, and a chance to put together a strong body of film in a setting where you are going to be one of the primary options on your team. The Wellington Saints are the defending champs and the league has been praised for its competitive balance over the last few years, which means every game matters and every performance is a chance to show what you can do.

Australia (NBL1) is another one that a lot of guys overlook. The NBL1 is not the main NBL, which runs from September to February, but it is Australia's second tier professional league and it operates across five conferences: South, East, North, Central, and West. The seasons vary slightly by conference but most of them kicked off in late March and run through July or August. NBL1 Central started on March 21, NBL1 West on March 26, NBL1 South and East on March 28, and NBL1 North on April 17. If you are a guy looking to get your feet wet in the Australian basketball system, NBL1 is the entry point. Perform well here and you put yourself on the radar for main NBL rosters the following season. The lifestyle in Australia is also hard to beat, which is something that matters more than people want to admit when you are trying to perform at a high level overseas.

Canada (CEBL) tips off on May 9 and runs through mid August. The CEBL is growing fast, with 10 teams across the country and a 24 game regular season. They just announced a new playoff format this year with a best of three finals for the first time, which tells you the league is investing in legitimacy and long term growth. Every game is live streamed on CBC, which is national television in Canada, and the league had 17 players with NBA experience on rosters last season. The pay is not going to rival top European leagues, but the exposure, the competitive environment, and the chance to build relationships inside a league that is clearly on the rise make this a smart play for guys who want to stay active through the summer.

The Philippines (PBA) is deep into its Commissioner's Cup right now with imports playing a significant role. The PBA runs year round across three conferences, which means there are always opportunities cycling in and out for American players. The fan base in the Philippines is obsessive in the best possible way, the arenas are loud, and the league pays imports well. If you can handle the travel and the cultural adjustment, the Philippines is one of those markets that can change your financial picture quickly.

The TBT (The Basketball Tournament) is worth mentioning too. It typically runs in July and August across the United States, with a $1 million winner take all prize. It is not a league and it is not steady income, but for guys who are between contracts or just want to compete in a high profile setting during the summer, TBT offers visibility and a shot at a serious payday. The fact that Overseas Elite won four straight titles from 2015 to 2018 tells you everything about what kind of talent this tournament attracts.

Most of the major women's European leagues are either wrapping up or heading into their final playoff rounds right now. If you have been playing in Spain, France, Turkey, Italy, or anywhere else on the continent this season, you already know the end is coming fast. And for a lot of women in this game, the question that follows is always the same: what do I do between now and when the next European season starts back up in September or October?

For some of you, the answer is the WNBA. The league tips off May 8 and this is a historic year with 15 teams for the first time after Portland and Toronto joined as expansion franchises. That is more roster spots than have ever existed in the WNBA, which matters. But we all know the reality. The WNBA still only has room for a limited number of players, and for the hundreds of talented women who are playing professional basketball overseas and not on a WNBA roster, the summer months can feel like a dead zone if you do not have a plan.

So let me lay out where the money is and where the opportunities are for women right now and through the summer, because the players who treat this as a 12 month career are the ones who last.

Australia (NBL1 Women's) is running right now across all five conferences. NBL1 Central kicked off in late March, NBL1 West started March 26, NBL1 South and East tipped off March 28, and NBL1 North got going April 17. These seasons run through July and August depending on the conference. The NBL1 Women's competition is a legitimate pathway into the main WNBL, which runs from about October through March and features WNBA level talent and international players year after year. WNBL players are already filtering into NBL1 rosters to stay sharp during the WNBL offseason. If you want to get into the Australian basketball system, performing well in NBL1 is how you open that door. The lifestyle, the infrastructure, and the professional environment in Australia are among the best you will find anywhere for women playing overseas.

New Zealand (Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa) is the country's professional women's league. It shifted its season to October through December, which means it is not running right now, but it is worth knowing about because it fills a window that lines up well for women finishing a European season or a WNBA season. The league has five teams and has been growing steadily since launching in 2022. Player payments have been increasing, the league has attracted WNBA connected talent including Australian Opals players, and all games are broadcast on Sky Sport. If you are looking for a short, competitive window of professional basketball in the fourth quarter of the year, Tauihi is an option that most American women do not even know exists yet.

The WNBA itself deserves a mention for what it represents even beyond the roster spots. The new CBA brought increased salaries and improved conditions, and the league's expansion to 15 teams means Portland and Toronto are both building from scratch. That creates opportunity at every level, from training camp invites to two way contracts to full roster spots. The draft just happened on April 13 and free agency is unfolding right now, which means rosters are still being built. If you are not on a WNBA radar yet, that does not mean the door is closed. A strong summer overseas with fresh film and fresh stats can change your positioning for the following year.

The Eurobasket Summer League and Women's Showcases run throughout the spring and summer in the United States and are specifically built for women trying to break into or stay in the professional overseas market. The Women's Final Four Showcase already took place in Tampa in early April, and additional showcases and camps will run through the summer. These events connect players directly with overseas coaches, agents, and general managers who are actively filling rosters for upcoming European and international seasons. If you are a college senior or a pro between contracts, these showcases are one of the most direct pipelines to getting signed overseas.

Euro Grades Women's International Combine is another one worth knowing about. They run a Women's Euro Combine specifically designed to evaluate guards, wings, and posts within a European system and connect them with active openings in women's leagues abroad. This is not a generic showcase. It is a scouting event with real front office people in attendance looking to fill real roster spots.

The bigger picture for women in this game is that the pathway has never been wider, but it is still not well mapped out. The women's overseas basketball market is growing in Australia, New Zealand, across Europe, and in Asia, but the information gap is enormous. Most women coming out of college basketball in the United States know about the WNBA and maybe one or two European leagues, and beyond that it drops off. That is exactly why OverseasX exists.

The point is this. The offseason does not have to be an offseason. The ones who figure out how to chain seasons together, Europe into Puerto Rico into New Zealand into the next European season, those are the ones who build careers that last. They stay in shape. They stay on film. They stay employed. And when September rolls around and agents are shopping athletes to European clubs, the player who just finished a strong BSN or CEBL run has fresh tape and fresh stats while the guy who sat on his couch for four months has a highlight reel from last February.

If you are trying to figure out your next move or you want help connecting with opportunities in any of these leagues, that is what we are here for.

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