Playing Career:

I have experience with the game of basketball all over the United States, as well as Canada, Guatemala, French Polynesia, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Philippines, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, & Australia, where I played my first two seasons out of college & was voted runner-up MVP of the league while averaging 23.7 PPG, 10.1 APG, and 3.1 SPG in my 1st year for the Rebels, and 24.2 PPG, 9.4 APG, and 2.9 SPG with the Blues in my 2nd season. Prior to Australia, while still in college, I was invited to play in tournaments in Italy and Switzerland, which resulted in a championship.

Following my time in Italy, Switzerland, and Australia, I then moved to Southern California to participate in a short stint at the Drew League before competing in a tournament in French Polynesia.

I played for two weeks in Tahiti as the captain of a team representing the U.S.A. against the Tahiti National Team, where our team finished 5-0 and I personally added 16 points, 11 assists, and 3 steals per contest.

Shortly after that, I played in the Cambodia Basketball League while living there for two months, and averaged around 25 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals per game while guiding my team to its first ever championship.

Following my time in Tahiti and Cambodia, I ventured to Bangkok, Thailand, where I was widely regarded as the best point guard and best ball handler in the country while playing for the TopFlight Exhibition Pro Team and training with the Thai National Team, Dunkin’ Raptors, Mad Goat Basketball Club, and OSK Airlines professional teams of the Thailand Basketball League.

I then moved to Ireland where I led Division One in assists at nearly 9 per game, and was sixth in scoring at 20.4 points per game. I was also voted an all-star and an all-league performer.

I was given similar accolades at my next stop, where I played for the Hanoi Buffaloes of Vietnam in the Thailand Basketball Super League (a league with multiple former NBA players). I averaged 20.4 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 3.57 RPG, and was voted all-league and given the league’s ‘Best Guard Award’. Our team was 3-6 and in eighth place before I arrived, but went 6-3 in the regular season after I got there, and ultimately finished 3rd place when the playoffs concluded.

I then played back in Thailand for Madgoat Basketball Club in the Thailand Basketball League until late July, where I averaged 16.31 PPG, 6.15 APG, and 3.62 RPG in split minutes (the league only allowed one world import on the court at a time).

After playing in the TBL, I had short stints in Australia and east Malaysia where I averaged 18 PPG, 7 APG, and 3 SPG in a tournament with D’Stranger Basketball Club.

I then returned to Thailand again to play in the 2018 TBSL with Mekong United, a first-year expansion team representing both Thailand and Vietnam, where I finished second in the league in assists (9.25 per game).

After the 2018 TBSL season ended, I was invited to play in an international tournament in Cambodia, called the Chitato Potato Chips Basketball Tournament, in which there was no restriction on the number of imports per team. I arrived just in time to play in the final two playoff games, and I averaged 21 points and 11 assists en route to a championship victory over an All-Filipino team.

I then moved to Indonesia where I was one of 20 (out of 200) players drafted (by Pacific Caesar in Surabaya) to play in the 2018-19 Indonesia Basketball League where I averaged 15 points on 45% FG, 9 assists (first in the league), and 4.9 rebounds per game.

After Indonesia, I moved to Hong Kong where I played for the Dragons in the AICBL 1st Division in Hong Kong, where I led the league in scoring at 30.0 points per game.

I later moved back to Thailand, where I was one of 20 (out of 110) import players to be drafted into the 2019 Thailand Basketball League. I played in the TBL for the Dunkin Raptors, and also competed in regional tournaments as well as the Warriors Pro-Am League for HI LVL Basketball.

I then floated around southeast Asia playing in various tournaments. I was flown into Cambodia to play one game for Krom Soben, where I tallied 28 points, 13 assists, and 3 steals in a close victory. I then signed as a world import for Shoot It Dragon Basketball Club (of the Thailand Basketball League) to compete in the Mamee Cup International Basketball Championship, which is an international tournament in Malaysia composed of teams from six different countries in Asia. Through three games, my statistical averages were 22.7 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.3 RPG, and 2.6 SPG.

After playing in Malaysia, the game took me to Vietnam, where I am now. I played in a number of FIBA 3×3 circuits, such as the BFH Open and the Temple League in Ho Chi Minh City, where my team won the championship, and I finished 1st in assists and steals, and 2nd in scoring. Shortly after the 3×3 circuits concluded, I agreed to play in Ho Chi Minh City’s new league, the Saigon Premier Basketball League, which began in July of 2020. Our team advanced to the finals and I won League MVP while averaging 30.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 3.2 SPG.

Prior to these professional days, I played college ball in the United States. I was a four-year starter and won the Pete Maravich Award my senior season, which is a national award that recognizes basketball skill, academic success, community service, and Christ-like character, and often goes to the nation’s top point guard.

I was recruited by my university team, SAU, while playing at Rockford High School in Rockford, Michigan. As a youngster growing up in Rockford, I also played soccer, American football, baseball, track, and cross country before directing my sole focus toward basketball.

Though it was especially tough for me to give up American football, my undying passion for basketball consistently reminded me it was the right decision.

Below is a link to my updated player profile as well as a recommendation from one of my first pro coaches…

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Player Profile: Matthew Van Pelt Player Profile

Recommendation: Matthew Van Pelt Recommendation Letter