Rich Hidy, Sports Editor

The Irish men’s basketball team is in the midst of another successful season under head coach Mike Brey.  The Irish are having success at another level too; the hoops program currently has five former players vying for playing time in the NBA.

Matt Carroll, a 2003 graduate, has managed to put together a 9-year career in which he has averaged a total of 6.6 points per game (ppg). Carroll, a 6’6” guard, entered the NBA as an unlikely success story. After averaging 19.5 ppg his senior year at Notre Dame, Carroll went undrafted and was picked up as a college free agent by the New York Knicks. The Knicks waived Carroll as they didn’t have a roster spot for him, and he was signed for the remainder of the season by Portland. Carroll has bounced around the league with four different teams, but has spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats, his current team. Carroll’s best overall season came in 2006-2007, when he averaged 12.1 ppg and 2.9 rebounds per game (rpg) in over 25 minutes a game.

Ben Hansbrough, the brother of UNC legend Tyler Hansbrough, transferred from Mississippi State after two average years and became a key cog in his junior season and a superstar in 2010-2011, his final season at the school. He found a way to make big shots for his team and propelled the Irish to a second seed in the NCAA tournament his senior year.

Hansbrough was undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft and worked his way in the league in 2012-2013, when the Pacers took a chance on him. Hansbrough has had a difficult time working his way into the lineup this year for the championship-contending Pacers, but has appeared in 19 games and is averaging just under two points. Hansbrough is an extremely hard worker and a fiery competitor, which could earn  him additional minutes as he adjusts to the grinds of the NBA game.

Ask any Notre Dame student who their favorite and most memorable basketball player is in the last five years, and most will say Luke Harangody. “Gody” averaged over 20 ppg three out of his four years on campus, and a double-double two out of those four. The 6’8”, 250 lb. forward was drafted in the second round by the Boston Celtics to play with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett in 2010. He averaged just over two points and two boards a game for the Atlantic Division Champions until he was traded to the Cleveland Cavs. However, Harangody regressed last year and is currently stuck in the NBA’s D-League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He will look to get his career back on track, hopeful for a call-up to the NBA.

The most experienced Irish NBA veteran still in the league is the athletic swingman Troy Murphy. Murphy is built for the pros at 6’11” and is deadly both inside and behind the arc. The three-year Irish star had success right from the get-go, averaging 19.2 ppg and 9.9 boards in his first year with the Irish. He followed up that freshman year with two straight seasons of averaging over 20 ppg. Murphy declared for the draft after his third year of eligibility and was selected by the Golden State Warriors fourteenth overall in the 2001 draft. Now 32 years old, Murphy has averaged over 10 ppg in 8 of his 11 seasons in the league. Murphy’s career year came in 2004-2005, when he averaged 15.4 ppg and 10.8 rpg. Murphy also enjoyed a nice stretch with the Pacers where he averaged 14.3 ppg and 11.8 rpg in 2008-2009 and 14.6 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 2009-2010.

You may have heard of Luke Zeller’s two brothers. Tyler was a stud for North Carolina and Cody Zeller is arguably the best player in the country right now for Indiana University. The oldest Zeller brother played a limited role in his four years on campus, averaging a total of 4.2 ppg and 2.5 rpg during his four-year career. Zeller graduated in 2009 and predictably went undrafted, yet worked his way into the NBA’s D-League after stops in Lithuania and Japan. “I didn’t have the red carpet and flashing cameras,” Zeller said. “It was a long tough road, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” He has appeared in 14 games off the bench for the Phoenix Suns in 2012-2013. Zeller doesn’t see the floor much but if there is one man not to count out, it is Zeller. He may be just getting his feet under him now, but in the future, he may see an upgraded role in Phoenix.

Rich Hidy is a First Year of Studies student with plans to enter the Business school. He is always willing to debate about any sports topic, especially a pertinent topic like who is better between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Contact him at rhidy@nd.edu.