PEMBROKE – Former all-Peach Belt Conference standouts Nigel Grant and Brandon Watts became the latest players in a long line of former UNC Pembroke men's basketball players to make their professional debuts over the last two weeks.
 
Watts inked a professional contract with the UCC Demons of the Irish Superleague (Ireland) in late September. He flirted with a triple-double in his professional debut on September 29, registering 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the UCC Demons downed Neptune BC, 100-88. He followed that up with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a loss to the Tralee Warriors.
 
Grant signed with the San Salvadore BC (El Salvador) organization and made his professional debut on Thursday, turning in 32 points and 21 rebounds in a 93-81 triumph over 11 Lobos, and registered 32 points, 17 points and four assists in Sunday's win over the same club. Through three outings, Grant is averaging 28.7 points and 18.3 boards per game.
 
Over the course of their storied coaching careers, UNCP's staff has now been involved in the development of more than 60 players that have gone on to have notable professional careers, including eight former Braves. 
 

PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS COACHED/DEVELOPED BY UNC PEMBROKE COACHING STAFF
Name	College	Pos.	Professional Teams
Blake Ahearn	Missouri State	G	Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Austin Toros, Estudiantes Madrid + 7 others
George Blakeney	UNC Pembroke	F	Wuber Estudiantes De Bahía Blanca, Regatas Lima, Liga Sudamericana, CAB Madeira
Randy Blocker	Northern Iowa	F	St. Paul Slam
Shahmel Brackett	UNC Pembroke	G	CS Amicii Pitesti, Cojute El Savador
Nick Bradford	Kansas	F	UMFG, Kansas City Knights, Keflavik Express, Relms Champagne, CSU SIBIU
Jamaal Brantley	Cameron	F	KK Skrlgevo, Raptors 905 (G-League)
Tony Campbell	Ohio State	F	Detroit Pistons, LA Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, NY Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, + 5 others
Tyler Chaney	Missouri State	G	Schalke, Arkansas Impact
Eric Chenowith	Kansas	C	New York Knics, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, + 13 others
Nick Collison	Kansas	F	Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics
Jason Daisy	Northern Iowa	G	Leuven, Bnei Hasharon
Matt Don	Cameron	F	Chorizo Zamorano
Lester Earl	Kansas	F	Melilla, Anibal, Ourense, CAI Zaragoza
Kellen Easley	Missouri State	F	Bergen op Zoom, Arkansas Aeros
J.R. Giddens	Kansas	G	Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Utah Flash, Maine Red Claws, Asseco Prokom Gdynia, + 3 others
Drew Gooden	Kansas	F	Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, LA Clippers, + 4 others
Nigel  Grant	UNC Pembroke	F	San Salvador B.C.
Jeff Graves	Kansas	F	LA Lakers, Union Olimpija Ljubljana, Cedevita, Barons Kvartals, Idaho Stampede, +2 others
Kenny Gregory	Kansas	G	Greenville Groove, Dodge City Legend, Chester Jets, Le Mans Sarthe, PAOK, SLUC Nancy, + 4 others
Paul Griffin	Western Michigan	F	New Orleans Jazz, San Antonio Spurs
Jerod Haase	Kansas	G	Terceira
Darrin Hancock	Kansas	G	Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Maurlenne, +11 others
Marcus Heath	UNC Pembroke	G	Big Texas
Kirk Hinrich	Kansas	G	Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks
Dennis Hopson	Ohio State	G	New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, Natwest Zaragoza, Le Mans, + 9 others
D.J. Jackson	Cameron	G	Villach Raiders
Darnell Jackson	Kansas	F	Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Erie BayHawks, BC Donetsk, + 3 others
Keaton Jackson	Missouri State-West Plains	F	ADO Sad Overense, Castec Rural Pioneers
Ashante Johnson	Kansas	F	Hapoel Afula, Atomeromu, Irnoi Nahariya, Benfica, Aishin, SH, Zain
Adonis Jordan	Kansas	G	Denver Nuggets, Rochester Renegades, Maccabi Jerusalem, Milwaukee Bucks, + 9 others
Clark Kellogg	Ohio State	F	Indiana Pacers
Raef LaFrentz	Kansas	F	Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers
Dale Lamberth	Missouri State	F	Korihait, Kansas City Stars, Springfield Thrill
Keith Langford	Kansas	G	San Antonio Spurs, Ft Worth Flyers, Kansas Cagerz, Austin Toros, Virtus Bologna, + 5 others
Cameron Lee	Cameron	G	BBC Avanti Mondorf
Michael Lee	Kansas	G	Entente Orleans, Vancouver Volacanoes, Harlem Globetrotters
Tamarr Maclin	Missouri State	F	Kotwica
Aaron Miles	Kansas	G	Golden State Warriors, Fort Worth Flyers, Pau-Orthez, Cajasol Sevilla, Panionios, + 3 others
Deven Mitchell	Missouri State	F	Arkadia, CS Gaz Metan
Maurice Newby	Northern Iowa	G	Mainfranken, Cuxhaven, Akropol, London Towers, Mallorca
Paul Pierce	Kansas	F	Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets
Scot Pollard	Kansas	F	Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Nathan Priest	UNC Pembroke	F	Big Texas, Club Sionsta, KK Elektra Sostanj
Kelvin Ransey	Ohio State	G	Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets
Deondre Ray	Cameron	F	BC Delta Marneuli
Jason Reese	Northern Iowa	F	Montpellier, Le Mans, Antibes, Besancon, Evreux
Drew Richards	Missouri State	F	Erdgas Ehingen Steeples, Springfield Thrill
Ryan Robertson	Kansas	G	Sacramento Kings, Kansas Cagerz, KC Knights, Eiffel Towers, Panellinios BC, Cholet, St. Louis Flight
Richard Scott	Kansas	F	Cajasol, Granada, Mad-Croc, Gescrap Bizkaia Bilbao, Assignia Manresa
Brad Sellers	Ohio State	F	Chicago Bulls, Seattle Supersonics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, + 9 others
Anthony Shavies	Missouri State	G	Gussing, Worthersee, Springfield Thrill, Furstenfeld, Mykolaiv
Wayne Simien	Kansas	F	Miami Heat, Caceres Ciudad del Baloncesto
Jim Smith	Ohio State	F	Detroit Pistons, San Diego Clippers, Ren Bighorns, Wyoming Wildcatters
Billy Thomas	Kansas	G	New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards, Kansas Cagerz, Regatas, Greenville Groove, + 9 others
Deke Thompson	Missouri State	G	Arkansas Aeros
Jacque Vaughn	Kansas	G	Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs
Granville Waiters	Ohio State	C	Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, FC Barcelona, Caja Bilbao
Rex Walters	Kansas	G	New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Baloncesto Leon, KC Knights, CB Gran Canaria
Brandon  Watts	UNC Pembroke	G	UCC Demons
Kyle Weems	Missouri State	F	Telekom Baskets Bonn, Medi Bayreuth, JSF Nanterre, Strasbourg IG, Besiktas
Herb Williams	Ohio State	F	Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors
Brandon Winford	UNC Pembroke	F	Team Brussels
Steve Woodberry	Kansas	G	Belinzona, Gold Coast Rollers, Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings, Zalgiris Kaunas, Jamtland, + 2 others
Jihad Wright	UNC Pembroke	F	Coventry Tornadoes
Head Coach Ben Miller - Kansas assistant coach (1995-2004); Missouri State associate head coach (2004-08); UNC Pembroke head coach (2008-present)
Associate Head Coach Drew Richards - Missouri State-West Plains assistant coach (2011-13); Cameron assistant coach (2013-14); UNC Pembroke associate head coach (2015-present)
Assistant Coach Tony Jones - UNC Pembroke student/graduate assistant coach (2013-present)
Assistant Coach Eldon Miller - Western Michigan head coach (1970-75); Ohio State head coach (1976-85); Northern Iowa head coach (1986-98); UNC Pembroke assistant coach (2008-present)