Here's an article on Justus Thigpen I thought you might like to read. Apparently he is playing for a team in Ohio called the Cyclones!
Cyclones latest stop in whirlwind career
Thigpen has been around block in minor leagues
Friday, May 19, 2006
Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH
Cyclones player Justus Thigpen says he’s satisfied with his long, but NBA-less, career in basketball.
Justus Thigpen was a big-time player at Iowa State in the early 1990s, good enough to dominate the college ranks but not quite what NBA scouts wanted.
Thigpen’s NBA career reads like this at age 35: two 10-day contracts and two veteran training camps with the Utah Jazz, one 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers.
And no NBA games played.
Thigpen, a guard, now plays for the Columbus Cyclones of the International Basketball League, the latest stop in a 12-year career spent mostly in the minor leagues and pro leagues overseas.
But if Thigpen is frustrated by his fate, he won’t admit it. And the longer he talks, the more you believe him.
"I’ve had a great career," he said with a wide smile. "I can’t complain."
Thigpen has lived in Columbus since the fall of 1994, when he signed with the Columbus Horizon of the Continental Basketball Association.
His wife, Lachelle, works as a senior auditor with Huntington Banks, and he has a 3-year-old daughter, Alexis. He is, first and foremost, a family man.
"It’s like Alexis has always been here," Thigpen said. "I can’t even imagine life without her. It’s the absolute best. My wife got a great job and we put our roots down. We’re very happy here."
During the days, Thigpen works for 7-Up, setting up displays for retailers. By night, he practices and plays for the Cyclones, a first-year franchise in the 24-team IBL.
The Cyclones were 9-1 heading into their game last night against West Virginia. They play again at 7:15 tonight, against Holland, Mich., at Westerville North.
"It’s been a very good situation," Thigpen said. "With my career, I’ve seen a lot of things, been a lot of places, and this is one of the better setups I’ve been a part of. We have a really good team. We’re going to win a lot of games this season."
Thigpen has a one-year contract that pays him about $5,000. That could be a bargain for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones have five players younger than 25. Many of them still have NBA dreams, along with the more realistic hope of signing a lucrative contract overseas.
"When we put the roster together, I wanted a blend of young kids," coach Dave Cecutti said. "But I also wanted somebody who had been at a high level in college, which Justus was at Iowa State, and I wanted somebody with a lot of background, a lot of knowledge. He’s mature enough to understand that he’s at the tail end (of his career). But he’s a tough competitor, and he’s still an outstanding player."
Thigpen, the Cyclones’ first or second player off the bench, has played about 16 minutes per game.
"It’s a cycle," he said. "When I was coming through the loop, the older guys, they dropped the wisdom down to me. I’m at that stage now where I’m giving back to the young guys, warning them about the pitfalls, the stuff to watch out for."
Thigpen said the highlight of his career was his brief taste of the NBA.
"I practiced and played with John Stockton every day for some pretty long stretches," Thigpen said. "Let me tell you, that Stockton-to-Karl Malone combination was a beautiful sight. I hear some of these young guys who think they can step in there and do it in the NBA. I tell them it’s not like going to the YMCA. It’s not pickup ball from 8 to 10. It’s a whole different world."
The NBA might be in Thigpen’s rearview mirror, but the view in front of him is pretty good, too.
"I’m pretty content, man," Thigpen said. "I had a great career. Basketball brought a lot of great things to me. I’m totally satisfied."
Cyclones latest stop in whirlwind career
Thigpen has been around block in minor leagues
Friday, May 19, 2006
Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH
Cyclones player Justus Thigpen says he’s satisfied with his long, but NBA-less, career in basketball.
Justus Thigpen was a big-time player at Iowa State in the early 1990s, good enough to dominate the college ranks but not quite what NBA scouts wanted.
Thigpen’s NBA career reads like this at age 35: two 10-day contracts and two veteran training camps with the Utah Jazz, one 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers.
And no NBA games played.
Thigpen, a guard, now plays for the Columbus Cyclones of the International Basketball League, the latest stop in a 12-year career spent mostly in the minor leagues and pro leagues overseas.
But if Thigpen is frustrated by his fate, he won’t admit it. And the longer he talks, the more you believe him.
"I’ve had a great career," he said with a wide smile. "I can’t complain."
Thigpen has lived in Columbus since the fall of 1994, when he signed with the Columbus Horizon of the Continental Basketball Association.
His wife, Lachelle, works as a senior auditor with Huntington Banks, and he has a 3-year-old daughter, Alexis. He is, first and foremost, a family man.
"It’s like Alexis has always been here," Thigpen said. "I can’t even imagine life without her. It’s the absolute best. My wife got a great job and we put our roots down. We’re very happy here."
During the days, Thigpen works for 7-Up, setting up displays for retailers. By night, he practices and plays for the Cyclones, a first-year franchise in the 24-team IBL.
The Cyclones were 9-1 heading into their game last night against West Virginia. They play again at 7:15 tonight, against Holland, Mich., at Westerville North.
"It’s been a very good situation," Thigpen said. "With my career, I’ve seen a lot of things, been a lot of places, and this is one of the better setups I’ve been a part of. We have a really good team. We’re going to win a lot of games this season."
Thigpen has a one-year contract that pays him about $5,000. That could be a bargain for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones have five players younger than 25. Many of them still have NBA dreams, along with the more realistic hope of signing a lucrative contract overseas.
"When we put the roster together, I wanted a blend of young kids," coach Dave Cecutti said. "But I also wanted somebody who had been at a high level in college, which Justus was at Iowa State, and I wanted somebody with a lot of background, a lot of knowledge. He’s mature enough to understand that he’s at the tail end (of his career). But he’s a tough competitor, and he’s still an outstanding player."
Thigpen, the Cyclones’ first or second player off the bench, has played about 16 minutes per game.
"It’s a cycle," he said. "When I was coming through the loop, the older guys, they dropped the wisdom down to me. I’m at that stage now where I’m giving back to the young guys, warning them about the pitfalls, the stuff to watch out for."
Thigpen said the highlight of his career was his brief taste of the NBA.
"I practiced and played with John Stockton every day for some pretty long stretches," Thigpen said. "Let me tell you, that Stockton-to-Karl Malone combination was a beautiful sight. I hear some of these young guys who think they can step in there and do it in the NBA. I tell them it’s not like going to the YMCA. It’s not pickup ball from 8 to 10. It’s a whole different world."
The NBA might be in Thigpen’s rearview mirror, but the view in front of him is pretty good, too.
"I’m pretty content, man," Thigpen said. "I had a great career. Basketball brought a lot of great things to me. I’m totally satisfied."
