Former Wisconsin basketball forward Markus Ilver signed a deal with the University of Tartu men’s basketball team on Monday.<\/p>\n
Located in Tartu, Estonia, the pro squad competes under the University of Tartu\u00a0Academic Sports Club umbrella and suits up against opponents in the\u00a0Estonian-Latvian Basketball League\u00a0and the\u00a0Korvpalli Meistriliiga. The organization is responsible for over 25 Estonian League Championships and nearly 20 Estonian cup titles.<\/p>\n
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Following a four-year stint with the Badgers in Madison, Ilver will now travel to compete in his home country. A native of Tallinn, Estonia, Ilver arrived at UW after a pair of high school seasons, one at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, and one at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia.<\/p>\n
Ilver played 72 total games from 2019-25, logging a career-best 27 appearances as a junior during the 2023-24 slate. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 1.3 points and 0.9 rebounds in 5.2 minutes off the bench in a depth role.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 22, 2024, Ilver dropped a career-best eight points in a win over Detroit Mercy. Weeks later, he played a career-high 10 minutes against Minnesota and knocked down a pair of 3-point looks in a 21-point triumph. Ilver becomes the second former Badger to sign a professional contract to play overseas this offseason, joining forward Carter Gilmore<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Several high-profile Badgers, including Nigel Hayes, have found success overseas. In Hayes’ case, his EuroLeague Final Four MVP recently netted him a deal with the Phoenix Suns<\/a>. Frank Kaminsky, another Badger legend, suited up in Serbia before making a return to the NBA.<\/p>\n While Ilver may never attain an NBA contract, his upcoming experience overseas is another step in his basketball journey.<\/p>\n Contact\/Follow\u00a0@TheBadgersWire<\/a>\u00a0on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball Markus Ilver professional contract in Estonia<\/a><\/p>\n