story of former Nitt Tyler Smith playing in Uruguay

[ivan brunetti]

"Tyler Smith started at forward for the 2000–01 Penn State team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.

But Tyler knew he wasn’t NBA material. He was slow. He was tall — but not NBA tall.
So Tyler knew he’d have to look elsewhere for a job playing basketball. And he’d heard good things about the leagues in Europe.

"You'd hear, ‘Oh, man, I hear so-and-so is making $200,000, $300,000,’ " Tyler recalls. "And I'm like, 'Just for playing basketball?' Like, 'I've been playing basketball for free my whole life. You're telling me I can make money now?' So I was ready."

One of Tyler's Penn State teammates was from Germany. He told Tyler that in Europe he'd probably make about $90,000 his first year.

"I'm like, 'Yeah. I'd be cool with 90,' " Tyler says with a laugh. "Live this great life in Europe and learn a new language and learn about wine. I didn't drink wine, but I thought maybe I could — who knows, you know?"

So after graduating, Tyler — just like all the other 22-year-olds hoping for an overseas gig — waited for offers to start rolling in.

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019...ysPucH53qb3uONZAZos5H3DiagkpdU-dfMwW-v_Bx3TcU

 

[interrobang]

His book:

Amazon product ASIN 1683580761

 

[ChiTownLion]

"Tyler Smith started at forward for the 2000–01 Penn State team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.

But Tyler knew he wasn’t NBA material. He was slow. He was tall — but not NBA tall.
So Tyler knew he’d have to look elsewhere for a job playing basketball. And he’d heard good things about the leagues in Europe.

"You'd hear, ‘Oh, man, I hear so-and-so is making $200,000, $300,000,’ " Tyler recalls. "And I'm like, 'Just for playing basketball?' Like, 'I've been playing basketball for free my whole life. You're telling me I can make money now?' So I was ready."

One of Tyler's Penn State teammates was from Germany. He told Tyler that in Europe he'd probably make about $90,000 his first year.

"I'm like, 'Yeah. I'd be cool with 90,' " Tyler says with a laugh. "Live this great life in Europe and learn a new language and learn about wine. I didn't drink wine, but I thought maybe I could — who knows, you know?"

So after graduating, Tyler — just like all the other 22-year-olds hoping for an overseas gig — waited for offers to start rolling in.

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019...ysPucH53qb3uONZAZos5H3DiagkpdU-dfMwW-v_Bx3TcU

His book:

View embedded media

Who would've predicted any of this for Tyler? Good for you, young man!

 

[Victor E. Bell]

He's got his own cryotherapy gig going in town also, at least last I knew.

 

[psu1969a]

He's got his own cryotherapy gig going in town also, at least last I knew.

Cryotherapy gig located in Victory Sports, 189 Rolling Ridge, state college.

 

[gamblepsu]

He always knew how to take a charge. That’s about the best I could say of his playing time here! Glad he’s doing well though.

 

[81b&w]

"Tyler Smith started at forward for the 2000–01 Penn State team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.

But Tyler knew he wasn’t NBA material. He was slow. He was tall — but not NBA tall.
So Tyler knew he’d have to look elsewhere for a job playing basketball. And he’d heard good things about the leagues in Europe.

"You'd hear, ‘Oh, man, I hear so-and-so is making $200,000, $300,000,’ " Tyler recalls. "And I'm like, 'Just for playing basketball?' Like, 'I've been playing basketball for free my whole life. You're telling me I can make money now?' So I was ready."

One of Tyler's Penn State teammates was from Germany. He told Tyler that in Europe he'd probably make about $90,000 his first year.

"I'm like, 'Yeah. I'd be cool with 90,' " Tyler says with a laugh. "Live this great life in Europe and learn a new language and learn about wine. I didn't drink wine, but I thought maybe I could — who knows, you know?"

So after graduating, Tyler — just like all the other 22-year-olds hoping for an overseas gig — waited for offers to start rolling in.

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019...ysPucH53qb3uONZAZos5H3DiagkpdU-dfMwW-v_Bx3TcU

Really enjoyed reading that and had no idea all that happened. Thanks for posting it

 

[IANit]

"Tyler Smith started at forward for the 2000–01 Penn State team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.

But Tyler knew he wasn’t NBA material. He was slow. He was tall — but not NBA tall.
So Tyler knew he’d have to look elsewhere for a job playing basketball. And he’d heard good things about the leagues in Europe.

"You'd hear, ‘Oh, man, I hear so-and-so is making $200,000, $300,000,’ " Tyler recalls. "And I'm like, 'Just for playing basketball?' Like, 'I've been playing basketball for free my whole life. You're telling me I can make money now?' So I was ready."

One of Tyler's Penn State teammates was from Germany. He told Tyler that in Europe he'd probably make about $90,000 his first year.

"I'm like, 'Yeah. I'd be cool with 90,' " Tyler says with a laugh. "Live this great life in Europe and learn a new language and learn about wine. I didn't drink wine, but I thought maybe I could — who knows, you know?"

So after graduating, Tyler — just like all the other 22-year-olds hoping for an overseas gig — waited for offers to start rolling in.

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019...ysPucH53qb3uONZAZos5H3DiagkpdU-dfMwW-v_Bx3TcU

I heard this on NPR a few nights ago. Was flipping channels and wasn't familiar with him, kind of missed the first part and would have turned it then I heard something about $6 an hour at Penn State and was sucked in. He's a pretty good story teller.

 

[LoyalandTrueLion]

Cryotherapy gig located in Victory Sports, 189 Rolling Ridge, state college.

Best gym in town ... owned by a coal region-ite

 

[UncleLar]

I heard this on NPR a few nights ago. Was flipping channels and wasn't familiar with him, kind of missed the first part and would have turned it then I heard something about $6 an hour at Penn State and was sucked in. He's a pretty good story teller.

He used to write letters home to his family while he was playing overseas. They were kind enough to share some of them with me. They were dead on hilarious. The man spin a tale. He was also a really good three point shooter - career mark of 41.5%, third on the PSU all-time list just ahead of Pete Lisicky.