Former Boyle County and Eastern Kentucky basketball player Spencer Perrin says playing professionally overseas has been a “great experience” for him and one he hopes leads to even better things.
“I have six weeks and nine games left and will be back home in Danville April 10,” Perrin said. “But it has been a great experience.”
He started the season playing in Slovakia, but after averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 31.6 minutes per game he earned a promotion to a higher league in Hungary in late December where he has averaged about 16 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists per game.
“For next year, I¿already have offers to play in France,¿Italy and Spain,” Perrin, who has his family with him, said. “I am doing really good. I¿have taken off right where I need to be. The offers for next year are big, around $200,000 per year. I have never felt like this before. It’s great.
“As the leagues get better, it has actually been easier because I have other players around me who are better and that opens up a lot for me. You don’t have to worry about double teams as much. The league in Hungary is a way better league and I’ve done way better.”
He says Hungary is a “beautiful country” and “this is probably the best place to eat food I’ve ever been.” However, the food is not why he’s added 15 pounds and now weighs about 210.
“I mostly stay in the gym if we are not playing. I get up a lot of shots and then hit the weight room,” Perrin said.
He has mainly played the small forward in Hungary, but at 6-7 he’s shown he can guard all five positions.
“I guarded a 7-foot center in one game against a top team. It’s kind of crazy how it has gone and right now I am third for the MVP in our league,” Perrin said.
“Once I first got over here everybody was kind of shocked that a player like me was at this level. They all tell me I have NBA potential and wonder why I am not in the NBA. I told them I was from a small town with no NBA connections. But I have been on national TV over here and in the press. Everybody has just been impressed with what I have done.”
His agent is weighing the offers Perrin has and also considering his NBA options if he does not want to play overseas again. Perrin says he will go to summer training camps with two NBA teams — Miami and New ¿York — and could also go to a Milwaukee camp.
“The NBA wants me to play in their D-League (Developmental League) next year. But overseas is tax-free money,” he said. “My agent has put four or five guys in the NBA, but he also wants me to protect my money. However, if I want to get into the¿NBA, I¿may have to stay in the States and play.
“Everything is a gamble. If I want to play in the NBA, I basically have to do what I have done overseas my first year as a professional and that’s shock everybody with how I can play. If I¿do that in the D-League, I could be in the NBA.¿I’ve always told myself I would be in the NBA in two or three years after college and I am right on track working on that.”
“I have six weeks and nine games left and will be back home in Danville April 10,” Perrin said. “But it has been a great experience.”
He started the season playing in Slovakia, but after averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 31.6 minutes per game he earned a promotion to a higher league in Hungary in late December where he has averaged about 16 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists per game.
“For next year, I¿already have offers to play in France,¿Italy and Spain,” Perrin, who has his family with him, said. “I am doing really good. I¿have taken off right where I need to be. The offers for next year are big, around $200,000 per year. I have never felt like this before. It’s great.
“As the leagues get better, it has actually been easier because I have other players around me who are better and that opens up a lot for me. You don’t have to worry about double teams as much. The league in Hungary is a way better league and I’ve done way better.”
He says Hungary is a “beautiful country” and “this is probably the best place to eat food I’ve ever been.” However, the food is not why he’s added 15 pounds and now weighs about 210.
“I mostly stay in the gym if we are not playing. I get up a lot of shots and then hit the weight room,” Perrin said.
He has mainly played the small forward in Hungary, but at 6-7 he’s shown he can guard all five positions.
“I guarded a 7-foot center in one game against a top team. It’s kind of crazy how it has gone and right now I am third for the MVP in our league,” Perrin said.
“Once I first got over here everybody was kind of shocked that a player like me was at this level. They all tell me I have NBA potential and wonder why I am not in the NBA. I told them I was from a small town with no NBA connections. But I have been on national TV over here and in the press. Everybody has just been impressed with what I have done.”
His agent is weighing the offers Perrin has and also considering his NBA options if he does not want to play overseas again. Perrin says he will go to summer training camps with two NBA teams — Miami and New ¿York — and could also go to a Milwaukee camp.
“The NBA wants me to play in their D-League (Developmental League) next year. But overseas is tax-free money,” he said. “My agent has put four or five guys in the NBA, but he also wants me to protect my money. However, if I want to get into the¿NBA, I¿may have to stay in the States and play.
“Everything is a gamble. If I want to play in the NBA, I basically have to do what I have done overseas my first year as a professional and that’s shock everybody with how I can play. If I¿do that in the D-League, I could be in the NBA.¿I’ve always told myself I would be in the NBA in two or three years after college and I am right on track working on that.”
