Wisconsin has another player going pro: Beloved big man lands overseas opportunity

The Wisconsin Badgers have another player who has signed a professional contract overseas. After Carter Gilmore signed with the Dutch professional team, the Den Helder Suns. Now we see Markus Ilver has signed with a pro team from his home country, the Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits in Estonia. He had a lot to say about his move to a professional team in Estonia.

Markus Ilver signs professional deal after wrapping up career at Wisconsin

Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits, also known as the University of Tartu Maks & Moorits team, is a professional team (despite the word University in the name) in Tartu, Estonia. The club has won 26 Estonian League championships in its history, most recently in 2022. It's a big opportunity for Ilver to continue his career and yet do it in a country where he spent his childhood. The Tartu Maks & Moorits team released a few quotes from Ilver:

""My time in America developed me as a person and as an athlete. The opportunity to play at a prestigious university, where daily training and games were at a high level, was an invaluable experience. I was part of a program where several teammates have reached the NBA level, it made me work hard every day and taught me what true professionalism means,""

Markus Ilver

Ilver spent both his high school years and college years in the States working on becoming a better basketball player. He now gets to return to his home country and play professionally.

He was a much beloved Badger and won the sportsmanship award by the Wisconsin Badgers, in which Greg Gard called him the epitome of Badger culture. A player who put the team first, worked hard every single day, helped in whatever way he could, and didn't complain or cry about missed opportunities. He simply got right back to work. His hard work and hustle endeared him to Wisconsin fans, and it's exciting to see him continue his career overseas.