After former Gophers star Trevor Mbakwe broke onto the college basketball scene in 2010, all signs were pointing towards a legitimate chance at making a career in the NBA. But after tearing his ACL only seven games into his senior campaign, which caused him to miss the rest of the season, those NBA goals quickly faded. And although he was granted a medical redshirt and a sixth year of eligibility, Mbakwe never truly returned to his 2010 form âÄì at least as a member of the Gophers. However, the St. Paul, Minn., native didnâÄôt let his injuries derail his post-college basketball dreams. After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft, Mbakwe immediately shifted his focus to Europe and signed with Italian team Vitrus Roma. After one year in Italy, the 6-foot, 8-inch power forward signed with German team Brose Baskets, leading them to a German League Championship last month. During last yearâÄôs championship season, Mbakwe was one of Brose Baskets more effective players, averaging 10.6 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. The former Minnesota big man also lead the way with 20 points and 13 rebounds in the title-clinching win over reigning German champions Bayern Munich. The success that Mbakwe experienced in Germany led to him signing with European power Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.
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