Overseas Diaries | Athletes Post Podcast

Former Boise State basketball player gives his insights on what it’s like to play in Asia and Australia and the difficulties of being away from his children. Sometimes the term “overseas” clumps too many countries together when talking about a person’s experiences. Talking about pro athletes overseas usually boils down to “it must be tough to be away from home” but it’s much more than that. Tre talks about going from the difficulties of even finding food in China, let alone dealing with a foreign language, to being much more comfortable with everyday life in Australia. Those little stresses and comforts can really add up quickly and affect you in ways you don’t even notice. And if that isn’t stressful enough add in supporting small children financially! Tre touches on being away from his two daughters and the need to tame your lifestyle and keep the end in mind when you are providing for others.

Former Vermont Basketball player shares his experience playing in Spain from the language barrier to the excellent food. Language barriers often exist off the court for players overseas and sometimes that can make its way onto the court as well. It can be a blessing when you know the coach is spewing nonsense that you would otherwise tune out anyways and a curse when he’s trying to relay information to the team in the middle of a game quickly. With the language barrier and the mid-day siesta (nap) that shuts businesses down for roughly 3 hours, there are definitely some adjustments that Sandro had to make in Spain. He explains all of this and what to do when the general manager of your team gives you only 300 euros for 12 guys to go eat with a casino nearby.

Former Dartmouth basketball player discusses his unique experiences playing in Tunisia and Australia. Almost by default, overseas players have at least one great story to tell about fans and Clive is no exception. In America, there are typically strict standards by which fans have to act. I’ve seen a video of a fan in some European country standing on a basket and shaking it while flares were going off in the crowd. Instead of being arrested, like he would have been in America, he was just politely asked to get down and then everyone carried on like it didn’t even happen. You won’t get too many crazy stories while playing in Australia, but Clive definitely has some good experiences from his time in Tunisia that won’t disappoint.

Former Vanderbilt basketball captain shares his experiences playing in Greece, Italy, and Kazakhstan. Two things that rank high on the list of fears for overseas players would be to total the rental car your team gives you and being chased down the streets by a man with a machete. The last one may be higher than most. Listen to Rod explain his crazy stories along with the cultural and basketball differences of playing abroad, the boredom that can plague many players, and advice to anyone looking to make this career move.