Mar 5, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; The four graduating seniors (from left) Wisconsin Badgers guard Zak Showalter (3), forward Vitto Brown (30), forward Nigel Hayes (10) and guard Bronson Koenig (24) were honored for their contributions to the program before the game with the Minnesota Gophers at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin defeated Minnesota 66-49. Mary Langenfeld-Imagn Images

Two former Wisconsin Badgers stars competing in EuroLeague Final Four matchups

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated May 23, 2025 6:20 AM ET

They didn't stick in the NBA, but a pair of former Wisconsin Badgers stars are seeing success at professional basketball in Europe.

The EuroLeague has its Final Four starting Friday, and Wisconsin produced two key contributors who hope to meet in the championship.

Can’t wait to watch Vitto and Nigel in the @EuroLeague Final Four later this month! pic.twitter.com/C5lkxwEStL
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) May 8, 2025

Forward Nigel Hayes-Davis is a starter for Fenerbahce in Turkey, playing at 10:00 a.m. CT against the Greek team Panathinaikos.

He has been his team's leading scorer this season, averaging just over 18 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from three.

On the other side of the bracket, Vitto Brown has been a rotational player for AS Monaco in Italy. His squad faces a Greek opponent of their own, Olympiacos Piraeus, at 1:00 p.m. CT.

If Fenerbahce and AS Monaco win, the two college teammates will square off in the final.

They shared the court together at Wisconsin from 2013 to 2017, accumulating the highest four-year win total (115) in school history.

Both went undrafted in 2017 and tried to make their way into the NBA through the G-League before eventually moving to European competition.

They may not ever make the jump back to the stateside professional ranks, but they can take great pride in what they've been able to accomplish overseas.