Former Northern Kentucky University point guard Xavier Rhodes will be making his professional debut in Slovenia.
Rhodes inked a deal with BC Prievidza of the Nike Slovak Basketball League, the top men’s league in Slovakia.
In his lone season with the Norse, Rhodes averaged 7.7 points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per contest after making the transition from Division II Northwest Missouri State and Florida Southern University. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native helped the Norse to a Horizon League Conference Championship this past season and also won a Division II national championship with Northwest Missouri State during the 2018-19 season.
Another former NKU player will be getting his shot professionally as well. Chris Brandon has joined the Houston Rockets for mini-camp as they prepare for Summer League. Brandon spent his first three seasons in college at Detroit Mercy before becoming one of the premier rebounders in the country for the Norse over the last two seasons.
He pulled down 7.4 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season and then 9.9 in the 2022-23 season, starting in 34 games. His final campaign was met with a program record for rebounds in a single season with 347.
NORSE TAKE ON REDBIRDS
While the full schedule has yet to be released, a mid-major non-conference matchup with Illinois State will take place on December 6 in Normal, Illinois.
It’s just the second meeting all-time between the two, the Norse taking a 79-64 victory in Highland Heights in 2019.
The Redbirds finished 11-21 last season, their last NCAA tournament appearance coming in 1998. They finished ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference last season under first-year coach Ryan Pedon.