Former Cards Succeeding As Italian Pros
The last time most Cardinal fans saw Taquan Dean, he was gutting his way through cramps for 39 minutes in one of the greatest Elite Eight games ever played and then finishing a successful 4-year career as the school’s #12 all-time scorer. The last time most Card fans saw Otis George, he was setting the pick heard round the world on Washington’s Bobby Jones. And together, the duo was carrying the Louisville Cardinals back to the Final Four for the first time in over 20 years.
But while their local successes may have ended three years ago in the NCAA Final Four in St. Louis and two years ago in the NIT Final Four in New York City, these fan favorites are far from finished making highlights on the hardwood. Playing in one of Italy’s top professional leagues, Taquan Dean and Otis George are enjoying quite the Euro trip.
With Fastweb Casale, Dean and George have reunited to become one of LegADue’s most dangerous high-low combos and two of the league’s top players.
“I’m loving where I’m at in my life,” says Dean from his team-paid pad in Casale Monferrato. “It’s another challenge for me and another lesson for the young ones who can look at all that I’ve been through and can see that there is no quit in me.”
Dean’s determination and hard work have made him one of the top players in Italy’s second division, scoring 19.5ppg this season (team-high and 6th in the league) while shooting 42% from the field. But it is George who has actually made even bigger personal strides, becoming one of the best big men and one of just two players averaging a double-double on the season. The one-time 6th man for Louisville has made the most of his increased playing time (33.5/game), becoming LegADue’s top rebounder at 11.4 per game while chipping in 14.9ppg.
“The playing time I got over here made me build my confidence a lot,” says George. “I’m the type of person that always strives to do better, so I’m always working on my game, always trying to make myself better.”
Having an old teammate and friend hasn’t hurt, either, says George.
“It’s great having Taquan here; it makes it much easier having someone around that you already know. He knows how you play and you know how he plays. But most of all, just having a friend around makes things go by so it’s great having him here.”
Both Dean and George have certainly accomplished their initial professional goals, leading Fastweb to a 17-12 record and the playoffs in the coming weeks. For fans not familiar with the Italian league, teams play a 30-game season and are awarded points towards playoff eligibility that can be penalized for conduct detrimental to the league or other administrative/team offenses. According to George, only seven teams make the playoffs, playing best-of-5 series to determine the league champion. The top two teams each season are awarded an upgrade to Italy’s top league, Serie A.
But a move to the top league isn’t what brought Dean down a level in the first place.
Says the sharp-shooter, “I chose to come down to the 2nd division of the Italian league because of the coach I have. He was the former head European scout for the Suns and coached Bob McAdoo in Milan a few years back.”
“We met and he had one common goal for me and that was to get another shot at the NBA. He studied my game a lot from college and he broke down my whole game. So he and I work out four times a day on everything. Ball handling, mid-range jumper, pick-and-roll… we watch tape on different players from the NBA.”
The goals are very similar for George, who has fared well in recent summer seasons with the NBA’s Vegas Summer League and nearly earned a contract with the New York Knicks two seasons ago. Both players are planning on returning to Vegas this summer to show off the development in their games and make their professional home a little closer to their original ones.
“The fans will see me on an NBA team soon,” says George, “because I’m working hard everyday to make it. If I don’t – trust me – it won’t be because I wasn’t good enough or not working for it, so hopefully they will see me soon.”
And while they toil away in Italy working to make their NBA dreams to come true, don’t feel too bad for the life that Dean and George have made overseas. In addition to contracts that can reach well into the six figures (Dean shared his salary with Cardinal Empire, but we chose to respect his professional privacy and not report an actual number), players are afforded free housing and a car while they play in Italy’s professional leagues. In addition to the “interesting country” (George’s words), a professional athletic career in Europe isn’t the worst career path a 20-something could choose.
“It definitely affords a comfortable life,” says George.
And a heck of a Euro trip.
More from Taquan & Otis
As part of my new favorite media outlet, a certain networking site afforded me the chance to chat with Taquan and Otis and get a lot of really great stuff from the former Cards. Both players have had some opportunities to see the current edition of the Cardinals despite the time difference and shared some thoughts on the team.
“I kept up with the Louisville team this year and I can’t get enough of Preston Knowles,” says Dean. “But T-Will and the guys really showed heart and I’m hoping they will win it all next year.”
Says George, “I think that they have a lot of talent. I think they have more talent than our team did, but talent without heart can’t make you win games or make it to the Final Four. I think that they need to humble a little and play with heart. They have to fight and sacrifice for the team.”
“I think they have a good shot, but they have to want it, they have to think of the team and not themselves. They should watch our road to the Final Four and see how we fight, how we never give up, how we play with heart and desire.”
After chatting with Otis back and forth, he asked me to also send along this message to the fans: “To all the fans that supported me through my college career and even up until this day, I just want you guys to know that I really appreciate it. You always made it fun to come out every night in Freedom Hall and play. Without all your support, I don’t think that we would have had so much success as a team. I don’t think I would have much success as a player either, so I just wanted to say thanks for all your love and support… GOD BLESS. Keep watching for me.”
Check the Freedom Hall Forum for the complete transcript of our interviews with Taquan and Otis.
