Where is Jai Lewis Now?

When George Mason earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, analysts cried that a mid-major team was chosen over a squad from an important conference. Little did they know, George Mason would go on to change the mindset of the nation. Few expected them to make it past the first round. Instead, the George Mason Patriots made it to the Final Four before a loss to Florida.

Jim Larranaga, the affable coach whose playbook stressed the value of playing loose and having fun, became a national sensation after knocking off Connecticut, a team filled with NBA-level talent and favored to win the championship. That win led Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun to say, "They don't measure heart by inches. They don't measure courage; they don't measure basketball instinct and intelligence."

Maybe nobody signified the heart, courage, instinct, and intelligence more than George Mason's senior leader, Jai Lewis. Lewis was generously listed at 6-feet 7-inchesw, 275-pounds; inches were added and pounds cut. Despite his physical shortcomings, Lewis was able to outplay Connecticut's Josh Boone and Hilton Armstrong, two bigs who were drafted in the NBA's first round.

With the NCAA Tournament underway and George Mason's upset fresh in our mind, we ask: where is Jai Lewis now? How did he get there?

Following the NCAA Tournament, Lewis played in the Portsmouth Invitational, a pre-draft camp for NCAA seniors. His play was solid, but questions regarding his game continued. For starters, scouts questioned his size. DraftExpress wrote:

Jai Lewis showed us nothing that we hadn’t already seen in the NCAA tournament. He was productive in this setting, but there are still major doubts about how his production would translate to the next level. He scored most of his points off simple post moves or open opportunities that were created for him by his teammates. He scores most of his baskets using his strength advantage, which will be diminished at the next level.

Lewis played some decent post D when given the opportunity, but he doesn’t have the ability to defend on the perimeter with his massive size and poor lateral quickness. [...] Lewis did do a good job on the boards, though, boxing out and grabbing eight on the night. Should he be able to shed 20-30 pounds over the next few months there might be something to talk about, but as of right now he appears to be a center caught in a shooting guard’s body.

The likelihood of Lewis playing in the NBA was slim. Lewis was faced with a decision between sports. He could continue playing basketball in a smaller league or attempt to utilize his size on the football field like Antonio Gates and Marcus Pollard, two former basketball players to make the successful transition to professional football. Jai Lewis decided to pursue a football career and a sport he hadn't played since high school.

Lewis worked to prove he could play in the NFL as either an offensive tackle or a tight end. He worked out for five teams: the Oakland Raiders, the Philadelphia Eagles, the St. Louis Rams, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Giants. Six other teams explored the possibility of signing Lewis. On May 1, 2006, Jai Lewis signed a one-year, $275,000 contract with the New York Giants to play offensive tackle and long-snapper. He was going to have to earn a roster spot with a strong training camp.

Despite Lewis's physical toughness and athleticism, his NFL career did not last long. Two months after signing with the Giants, Lewis decided to end his pursuit of a football career. He was going to refocused on basketball.

Weeks after leaving the Giants, Lewis signed with KK Bosna for $8,000 a month. Lewis was expected to play a significant role for the defending champions. However, as fate would have it, Lewis was released from his contract in just six weeks. The team felt he was too small to play power forward in the Adriatic League. Lewis's goal, according to his agent, had been to make it a year in Bosna.

Shortly after leaving Bosna, Lewis signed to play in Israel for Ironi Ramat Gan. The contract was for "more than $5,000 a month." More importantly, Lewis was going to receive playing time. The potential for violence and poor officiating took some getting used to:

Despite safety concerns, Lewis said he felt at home in Israel. [...] He likes the Israelis, too – well, except for the basketball referees.

They're horrible," he said. "It's like they never played basketball."

He said he has adjusted to the routine checkpoint stops and metal detector searches at the entry of most grocery stores and malls where security guards stay on the lookout for suicide bombers. He also has grown accustomed to watching the young soldiers carrying their rifles. Upon turning 18, Israelis must serve in the Army, and Lewis said some of his teammates bring their M16s to practice.

"They say if they lose their weapon, they go from five years [of military service] to 10," Lewis said.

Lewis was able to adjust to the environment well and posted a fine start to his career. In twenty-seven games, he averaged 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals.

Following his rookie season in Isreal, Jai Lewis signed with Strasbourg, a French team. Like his stint with Bosna, Lewis would not last long in France. Just four games into the season, with Lewis averaging only 3 points on 27% shooting, Strasbourg released Lewis.

After playing for Strasbourg, Jai Lewis signed with Hapoel Galil Elyon, another Israeli team, to finish the 2008 season. Currently, Lewis is averaging 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in league play.

With a chance to play in the NBA unlikely, Jai Lewis is still striving to improve in his professional career. Regardless of how he fairs, college basketball fans will always remember Jai Lewis as the star of the George Mason Patriots, a team that shocked the basketball world. Though we tune in to each first round game hoping to see another great upset, we know there will never be another team like George Mason.

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Where is Gerry McNamara Now?

Each college basketball championship week has a different story. Two years ago, it was Gerry McNamara and Syracuse's improbable run through the Big East Tournament. McNamara was plastered on the sporting publications for days after his multiple game-saving shots. Who couldn't love the guy who looked like us, who made us say, "Damn, if only I practiced on my shot like he did." Of course, with all the attention McNamara received came plenty of complaints about how overrated had McNamara become. While that is true, to an extent, we all want to know the same thing: what has McNamara done professionally, where is he now?

Gerry McNamara went undrafted in the 2006 NBA Draft. Many scouts worried that McNamara's game would not transfer to the NBA. DraftExpress, while noting McNamara was among the most accomplished NCAA players and possessed the greatest leadership abilities of all the prospects, wrote:

McNamara noticeably lacks quickness and explosiveness, and already struggles creating his own shot against top notch defenders. This shows up on the other end of the floor as well, where his lack of lateral quickness could make him a liability in the NBA. McNamara is not a pure point guard either. His shot selection can be very poor as evidenced by his 35% shooting from the field as a senior. For someone with such a great reputation as a perimeter shooter, the 33% he shot from behind the arc this past season does not exactly back that up.

Following the draft, McNamara signed with the Orlando Magic to play on their summer league team, hoping to challenge guard Travis Diener for a roster spot. Unfortunately for McNamara, things did not work out. Diener was among the top performers in the entire summer league while McNamara was hampered with a groin injury, hampering his play.

In September of 2006, McNamara signed with Olympiacos BC to play in their Euroleague games. Through five games, McNamara played just one minute. McNamara, obviously upset with the situation, was able to negotiate a contract buyout. The good news: he earned $90,000 for that one minute.

Following his stint in Europe, McNamara signed with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL. Bakersfield gave McNamara the opportunity to play. "I've been playing, which is what I came here to do. I was overseas and I wasn't getting any run, and here I get to play with talented guys and get a chance to prove myself," said McNamara. His first professional season was a success. McNamara was named to the NBDL Western Conference All-Star team and finished the season averaging 10.8 points and 5.2 assists.

McNamara made another attempt to land in the NBA in the summer of 2007, joining Philadelphia 76ers' summer league teams. Again, McNamara was unable to play his way to an NBA contract, scoring just 5 points and recording 21 minutes over 5 games in the Vegas Summer League. McNamara then left the team during the Rocky Mountain Revue, with ankle injuries a likely cause.

On August 21, 2007, McNamara signed a $400,000 contract with Panionios BC of the Greek League. Four games into the season, McNamara was released. "The coach wanted him, but the owner wanted someone else," McNamara's agent, Bill Neff, said. "The owner fired the coach and got his way." That someone else? Michigan State star and McNamara's former Bakersfield teammate Mateen Cleaves.

McNamara signed to play for BK Ventspils, a Latvian team who won seven straight Latvian League titles until last season, in February of 2008. To date, McNamara has played in three games, with one start. He is averaging 4.3 points.

While McNamara's career at Syracuse was one filled with big plays and championships, he has yet to make a name for himself professionally. Hopefully, McNamara is able to take advantage of his opportunities in Ventspils. Surely, it will last longer than his previous stops.

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Where is Mike Wilkinson Now?

Each new college basketball season introduces the nation to new talents destined for NBA superstardom. Nightly, or at least it appears, Kansas State's Michael Beasley is throwing up monster numbers, making it easy to forget the seniors who are seemingly entering their second decade on campus. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult to appreciate a player like Mike Wilkinson, who was redshirted his first year on campus.

A native of Blue Mound, Wisconsin, Wilkinson attended Wisconsin Heights High School. With averages of 28.6 points and 12.1 rebounds, he led his squad to a 19-4 record and a league title. In the process, Wilkinson was named Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball and Wisconsin Player of the Year by the Wisconsin State Journal. His play earned him a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin.

Unlike his more talented counterparts, Wilkinson did not see the floor during his first season. Instead, he was redshirted and allowed to develop his game.

The following season, Wilkinson, as a redshirt freshman, led the Badgers in rebounding (5.3 per game) and scored 9.3 points per game as a backup. His four double-doubles were the most for a Wisconsin freshman since 1993-1994. Wilkinson played a key role in an upset against Marquette, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Wilkinson's sophomore season saw him crack the starting lineup. He finished fifth in the Big Ten in rebounding with 6.8 per game. Additionally, Wilkinson upped his scoring average to 10.3 points. The Badgers made it to the Sweet Sixteen before being defeated by Kentucky.

In his junior year, Wilkinson averaged 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds, helping Wisconsin finish second in the Big Ten. His play earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team. In addition, Wilkinson was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team as Wisconsin won the Big Ten Tournament for the first time. The success did not carry over; the Badgers lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The individual achievement of Wilkinson's junior year propelled him into his senior campaign. Wilkinson again increased his scoring to 14.3 points per game. For the fourth consecutive season, he led the Badgers in rebounding, averaging 7.4 boards. Wilkinson was good enough for inclusion on the All-Big Ten First Team. In the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin advanced to the Elite 8, where they lost to North Carolina. (The Tar Heels would go on to win the championship.)

Wilkinson finished among the top ten in Wisconsin's history in 11 career categories, including sixth on the all-time scoring list (1,532 points), third in career rebounds (856) and first in offensive rebounds (311). He played in a school-record 130 games, never missing a game. Wilkinson was just the second player in Wisconsin history to finish with at least 1,500 career points and 800 career rebounds.

Heading into the 2005 NBA Draft, Wilkinson was expected to either be drafted late in the second round or go undrafted. After pre-draft camps and workouts with Golden State, Milwaukee, Dallas, and Memphis, he was considered a nice all-around player with face-up abilities. However, some scouts worried Wilkinson lacked one skill that would truly excel at the NBA level. As a result, Wilkinson went undrafted.

During the summer of 2005, Wilkinson signed with the Utah Jazz to play in the Rocky Mountain Revue, an NBA summer league. He played modest minutes and was unable to catch on with an NBA team.

At that point, he was faced with a decision. Wilkinson could have entered the NBDL, which offers moderate NBA attention with little compensation. On the other hand, Wilkinson could have left for Europe and the comparatively lucrative money. Wilkinson, who also added that he needed to support his wife, said, "I'd rather go overseas and play over there and just take a year and get better."

For the 2005-2006 season, Wilkinson joined the Greek team Aris Thessalaniki. They, behind Wilkinson's averages of 11.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in ULEB Cup play, finished first in their pool. Aris then advanced to the finals before losing to Moscow Dynamo. In Greek League games, Wilkinson continued his strong play, earning a Greek League All-Star nomination.

The following year, Wilkinson returned to Aris, having been upgraded to the Euroleague. Aris went on to finish just 7-13, though Wilkinson would average 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds against the higher competition. For the second straight season, he was named a Greek League All-Star.

In the offseason, Wilkinson was awarded Macedonian citizenship, making him a Bosman player. Being a Bosman, Wilkinson is not counted against his team's limit on American-born players, thus increasing his free agent value (such quotas are commonplace in European leagues). In the summer of 2007, Wilkinson played for the Macedonian national team.

Considered among the top free agents in Europe this past summer, Wilkinson signed a two-year contract with Khimki, a Russian team featuring former NBA players Daniel Ewing, Pat Burke, and Maciej Lampe. Wilkinson is currently averaging 8.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 23 minutes for the team. Khimki trails only Russian superpower CSKA in Superleague play with a 17-2 record.

What exactly are his chances at making it back to the United States and the NBA? Well, Wilkinson has the ability to make an NBA roster. However, it is unlikely that an NBA contract would match the money he is earning in Europe. A seven figure deal is likely for Wilkinson, assuming he continues to develop his game.

Looking back on Mike Wilkinson's past, there is little doubt he will continue to improve. Wilkinson has done well for one of basketball's undrafted free agents.

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