Mike Muscala ’13 Debuts in NBA Mike Muscala ‘13 made history in 2013-14 by becoming the first Bucknell graduate ever to play in an NBA game. Muscala was the third Bison to be selected in the NBA Draft, when he was taken 44th overall by the Dallas Mavericks and then traded on draft night to the Atlanta Hawks. Muscala started out playing in Spain’s top division in 2013-14, while the Hawks retained his draft rights. When the Hawks suffered some injuries in their froncourt, they purchased Muscala’s contract from Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro, where he had been averaging 14.6 points and a league-high 7.8 rebounds per game. Muscala’s NBA debut came on March 2, 2014 in Phoenix, and he recorded four points and five rebounds that night in a loss to the Suns. He went to log 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20 games, with a high of 15 points in a win over Milwaukee. Muscala spent the entire 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons with the Hawks as a valuable reserve in the frontcourt. His biggest career highlight to date came in Game 3 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinal series against Washington, when he hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 0:14 left in regulation. While Muscala is the first Bison to see time in an NBA game, he is one of many Bucknell alumni to play basketball professionally overseas. One of the most prominent Bison alums to play in Europe was J.R. Holden '98, who retired at the end of the 2011 season after a terrific career as the point guard for European powerhouse CSKA Moscow. Holden also started for the Russian National Team, with which he competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing after a stunning victory over Spain in the 2007 European Championship. Holden's buzzer-beater gave the Russians the Euro title. Here are some other former Bison who have played in the pro ranks in recent years: • CAMERON AYERS ‘14: (NBA D-League, Lithuania) • ABE BADMUS '07: (Brazil, Germany, Nigerian National Team) • BRYAN BAILEY '02: (Germany, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Bosnia) • G.W. BOON '11: (Slovakia) • DONALD BROWN '07: (Iceland, Germany) • BRYAN COHEN '12: (Israel) • BRIAN FITZPATRICK ‘14: (Denmark, Greece) • JOHN GRIFFIN '08: (Germany, Slovakia) J.R. Holden takes on Allen Iverson • CHRIS HASS ‘16: (Germany) in an exhibition game with CSKA • BRYSON JOHNSON ‘13: (Germany, Canada) Moscow. • BOAKAI LALUGBA '04: (France, Sweden, Finland, USBL) • CHARLES LEE '06: (Germany, Belgium, Israel, San Ant. Spurs camp) • CHRIS McNAUGHTON '07: (Germany, Spain, German Nat. Team) • DARRYL SHAZIER '11: (Northern Ireland) • DAVORIN SKORNIK '04: (Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary) • CORY STARKEY ‘15: (Ireland) • JOE WILLMAN '13: (Netherlands, Czech Republic)
Chris McNaughton played for Germany in the 2010 FIBA World Championships.
Brian Fitzpatrick was named Finals MVP after leading Horsens IC to the Danish Cup title in 2015.
Bryan Bailey with EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany in 2009.