Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Every week we bring you a list of the top former Golden Knights players who continue their career in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Darius Johnson (18 points), Dayon Griffin (28 points), and Shaheed Davis (22 points).
#1. Darius Johnson, a 6'1'' guard who is 24 years old and graduated from UCF in 2025, currently plays professionally in Montenegro. In a recent game, despite his stellar performance, he could not prevent his team, Derby, from losing 84-94 to Buducnost, the league's outsider. Johnson, the team's champion, was the top scorer of the game with 18 points, showcasing his skills by also contributing 4 assists and 3 steals while maintaining a perfect free throw shooting record of 5-for-5 in just 29 minutes of play. This remarkable performance is particularly noteworthy as Johnson is in his first season of professional basketball and it's his first year with the team. Throughout the season, Johnson has been consistently performing well, averaging 9.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in the nine games he has played so far. Despite his standout efforts, Derby was unable to secure a victory in the game against Buducnost, but Johnson's impressive performance as a finalist is undoubtedly a positive sign for his future in the league.
#2. Dayon Griffin, a 6'5'' guard who is 30 years old and an alumnus of the Golden Knights from 2019, currently plays professionally in Mexico. In the recent game, Griffin, despite his very good performance, was unable to help his team, Angeles de Ciudad de Mexico, who have a record of 20-20, secure a victory. The team suffered a loss of 87-99 on the road to the leading Astros. Griffin stood out as the top scorer of the game with 28 points, along with contributing 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals in 39 minutes of play. Even though Griffin showcased an impressive performance against the Astros by scoring 28 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists, his team ultimately couldn't secure the win. Throughout the season, Griffin has maintained relatively good statistics, averaging 14.7 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 2.6 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game in 43 games played.
#3. Shaheed Davis, a 6'9'' power forward who graduated from UCF in 2016 and currently plays professionally in Thailand, showcased his exceptional skills by leading Hitech Bangkok City to a 90-83 victory over the Dragons in a closely contested game in the Thailand Basketball Thai League. In this Saturday night matchup, Davis not only helped his team secure the win but also earned the title of MVP for his outstanding performance. During the game, Davis exhibited his prowess on the court by recording a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Additionally, he contributed 3 assists and displayed his accuracy by making all seven of his free throws in the 33 minutes he played. His remarkable display against the Dragons solidified his position as a champion and earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com. Currently, Hitech Bangkok City holds the second position in the league with a flawless 4-0 record in the Regular Season, thanks in part to Davis' contributions. Individually, Davis has been having an exceptional year, maintaining high statistics with an average of 18.0 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game, and 5.5 assists per game in the two games played so far. His impressive performance and consistent contributions highlight his importance to the team as they strive for success in the league.
#4. Senegalese basketball player Ibrahima Diallo, a 7'0'' center aged 26, and a former Golden Knights alumnus from 2024, is currently playing professionally in Australia. In a recent game, Diallo played a crucial role in leading the Casey Cavaliers Cranbourne to victory over the fourth-ranked Tigers with a score of 83-75 in the Australian NBL One, the second division of the league. Diallo showcased his skills by achieving a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, along with an impressive 6 blocks in just 24 minutes of gameplay. This remarkable performance is even more impressive considering it's only his second season in professional basketball. The Casey Cavaliers Cranbourne, currently placed seventh in the South group, secured their fourth consecutive win thanks in part to Diallo's contributions. Diallo's standout performance continued as he displayed exceptional skill and determination, scoring 17 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and providing 1 assist against Melbourne T, ultimately leading his team to victory. His outstanding display on the court earned him the prestigious Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com, highlighting his excellence and establishing him as a true champion. Diallo is having an impressive individual season, boasting high statistics with an average of 16.5 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and 2.3 blocks per game (leading the league in blocks) across 10 games.
Other former University of Central Florida players, who play in pro basketball:
Omar Payne (6'10''-F-2001, played in 2023-24) plays for Peristeri in Greek GBL
Taylor Hendricks (6'9''-F-2003, played in 2023-23) plays for Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA
Shemarri Allen (6'4''-SG-1999, played in 2023-24) plays for Caballeros de Culiacan in Mexican CIBACOPA
Aubrey Dawkins (6'6''-G/F-1995, played in 2016-16) plays for Udine in Italian Serie A
Chad Brown (6'9''-C-1996, played in 2015-19) plays for Maccabi Urban Ramat Gan in Israeli Winner League
Matt Milon (6'5''-G-1996, played in 2019-20) played for Tauron GTK Gliwice in Polish OBL few monts ago
Tacko Fall (7'7''-C-1995, played in 2015-19) plays for Ningbo Rockets in Chinese CBA
CJ Kelly (6'5''-G-1998, played in 2022-23) plays for Kormend in Hungarian A Division
C.J. Walker (6'8''-F-2001, played in 2020-24) plays for E.Yavne in Israeli National League
Cheikh Diong (6'11''-F-1999, played in 2021-23) plays for JCA in Ivorian National 1
Jordan Ivy-Curry (6'3''-G-2002, played in 2024-25) plays for Satria Muda in Indonesian IBL
Benny Williams (6'10''-F-2002, played in 2024-25) plays for Hills Hornets in Australian NBL One
Isaiah Sykes (6'7''-G-1991, played in 2010-14) played for Sulaibikhat in Kuwaiti D1 last year
Brandon Mahan (6'5''-G-1998, played in 2019-22) played for Garveys Tralee Warriors in Irish Super League last year
Lavell Payne (6'8''-F-1985, played in 2003-07) played for La Cancha in Dominican Rep. LDC last year
Tony Johnson Jr. (6'3''-SG-1999, played in 2019-22) played for Sathorn Galaxy in Thailand TGBL last year
Nick Banyard (6'9''-F-1994, played in 2016-17) plays for Angeles de Ciudad de Mexico in Mexican CIBACOPA
Keith Clanton (6'9''-C-1990, played in 2009-13) plays for Kissimmee Lambs in the TBL
Darius Perry (6'2''-G-1999, played in 2020-22) plays for Rieti in Italian Serie A2
Tanksley Efianayi (6'6''-G/F-1994, played in 2015-17) played for Spartans in Venezuelan SPB last year
Jermaine Taylor (6'5''-G-1986, played in 2005-09) plays for Kissimmee Lambs in the TBL
Robert King III (6'3''-G-1990, played in 2008-13) plays for New England Kraken in the TBL
Michael Durr (7'0''-C-1998, played in 2023-23) plays for Balikesir BBS in Turkish TBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of Central Florida basketball alumni.
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