📄 CBGM Tourney Legends. How Pro Did You Go? (S36)
I noticed (Chris Commish of GM Games) while going through our hall of champions page, that we have a list of our tournament final four MVP and heroes.
As we all know, being a great college player doesn’t necessarily mean you will have everything come together to keep playing this sport as long as you’d like.
But wouldn’t it be nice to see what their story was up now the year S36? We’re moving from version 23 to 24 soon and this might be a good time to show how these players have done up to this point!
MVP 2021 Memphis, Andre Emanuel, Center
Bad news, he retired in 2033, but the good news is, he did have a lot more action in the NBA than many CBGM grads. Not really a starter until late in his career, he had small stints in the G League and mostly pro.
A role player who was able to stretch out an additional 11 seasons of basketball.
MVP 2022 Oregon, Kevin Price, Guard
Retiring in 2033, Kevin Price only started 2 games in his NBA career. He was a gifted scorer in CBGM but only showed off those capabilities in the G League at times.
He was able to hit double digits in points per game on four occasions. Was thought to be a deadly scorer in the CBGM but shows that not everything from CBGM will translate to the pro style game.
MVP 2023 & 2024 Texas Tech, Darrin Powell, Guard
Powell was a steal machine in the CBGM. Under the now banned full court press strategy of Tryp Lykely. As a pro, he is now at the tail end of his career. It’s taken him most of his career to get to a spot where he might get over 20 mins a game.
His best season would be a renaissance season with the Milwaukee Bucks. The team that originally drafted him, brought him back and he started 16 games in the 2033 season.
A veteran of the game who looks to be winding down his career after this season.
MVP 2025 Creighton, Anton Gordon, Point Guard
This guy is one of my all-time favorite players of this video game. Helped bring home my first and at this point only championship with Tyshawn Doll.
I compare his most to the career of Bobby Hurley (minus the car accident). He became the all-time leading assist leader in the CBGM. Something Hurley was also known for. He has now been surpassed by Jay Madic (Maryland). Gordon has had a mild pro career as did Hurley.
But, this guy’s career has been a battle! Once said by KeVbK that he’s like Steph Curry out there. It purely shows that not all CBGM talent becomes a pro hall of famer.
In fact, he has only started a full season the last two years with the Kings before now wrapping up his career off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks. He had a long stint in the G League but was able to make something for his pro career later as a mature player. Thank you Anton Gordon.
MVP 2026 Baylor, Kerwin Montgomery, Point Guard
Kerwin Montgomery has not even had the pro career of Anton Gordon. He has made a huge name for himself in the G League.
It’s possible by the time Kerwin’s career ends, he may be the most prolific passer in the history of the G League.
Sadly Kerwin has never played a pro game in his career. Never getting the 10 day contract to try and prove something. He seems destined and likely happy now to wrap up his career in the G League as one of it’s legends.
MVP 2027 Michigan St, Carrington Hanna, Center
The key piece of a dominant Michigan State team that nobody could touch. Losing only 1 game all season, they had almost their entire starting lineup get drafted in the 1st round of the NBA.
In terms of a pro career, Hanna has not been a consistent starter in the NBGM. You can see that only late now in his career at age 30, is he getting the chance start on occasion. He hasn’t averaged more than 10 ppg in any season with some stints in the G League. It doesn’t look as if Hanna has much more to offer but is still getting pro games and that’s all anyone can really ask for sometimes.
MVP 2028 Miss St, Armani Heaton, Guard
Heaton would never play a game in the G League or the NBA. He is perhaps though part of the most storied CBGM championship.
By knocking off Creighton then Notre Dame to take the championship, this team of unsung hereos would go on to create the most compelling championship we’ve ever had. A combination of him and Sheppard beat Creighton in OT and then was able to come to life to beat Notre Dame.
The fact he hasn’t had a pro career, shows the moment in time kind of team that Miss St was able to achieve.
MVP 2029 Notre Dame, Fareed Trahan, Guard
Fareed who was a transfer from Utah and then a champion in his last season with Notre Dame, has not delivered on the pro level.
G League has been the entire career so far for Trahan and has only come off the bench and never started.
A lot of potential for a guy who scored a lot in CBGM but having a tough time getting it doing in the NBGM and is seeing his minutes even drop in the G League. He may not be around much longer.
MVP 2030 Notre Dame, Mike Askew, Guard
The heart and soul of the back to back Notre Dame championships with Agalia. He had an excellent consistent tournament to be a player that Notre Dame could ultimately rely upon.
He’s been having a better pro career than many on this list! He’s started to get more run. Averaging double digital and only 23 years old! His career is still bright! Sometimes we got to remember, 4th year seniors versus one and done players and Askew has plenty of time to build his pro career from here on out.
MVP 2031 Syracuse, Wright Maloney, Forward
Wright Maloney would play one G League season and retire for good. He seemed decent in the G League, started every game but must have figured there is something else out there for him that he could make more money.
The dream would die but at least he got a chance to play a short time longer before wrapping things up.
MVP 2032 Michigan, Rob Stevenson, Forward
Stevenson looks set to have a monster NBGM pro career. He’s the star of the LA Clippers and only 21 years old.
Out of all the players thus far, he appears to be the best player we’ve seen. For a long time, a lot of teams won by balance in the roster. Stevenson is showing that in a short period of time, that Michigan championship was no fluke and his talent was a huge reason why they won it all.
We’ll likely be seeing him in several all-star games in the NBGM to come.
MVP 2033 Louisville, J.R. Ramey, Guard
Ramey is already the starting guard for the Golden State warriors. At 21 years of age, he started every game he was eligible to start. 70 games of health for Ramey and he’s starting to turn it up.
14.6 ppg in his 3rd full season. The trajectory right now is on for Ramey’s pro career. Expect to hear a lot more from him as time goes by.
MVP 2034 Louisville, Howard Barr, Guard
In his 2nd season, Howard Barr is almost now the full-time starter for the Miami Heat at 19 years of age.
He’s already a tremendously decorated pro with a championship over Jamie Stewart (UConn) and then the top NBA draft pick #1 over Jamie Stewart to the Raptors.
We’re just getting started here, will need to check back in 10 seasons or so.
MVP 2035 Florida, Brad Tyler, Guard
Brad Tyler has started the majority of games in his rookie season. He’s now formed the backcourt of the future with previous CBGM champion Howard Barr.
Barr and Tyler are going to try and bring the Heat back to respectability as they lost a lot of games last season.
Right now Brad is going to get his chance to keep getting starts and see his 18 year old self turn into something even more incredible than a big part of the Florida chip.