There are a handful of elite Michigan State basketball players over the years that looked like they were going to have long, successful NBA careers after getting drafted but fizzled out before they ever really got started.
Denzel Valentine is one of them.
Valentine was one of the greatest players to ever suit up for Tom Izzo and was a national player of the year candidate as a senior before getting drafted by the Chicago Bulls. It was assumed that he would be a legitimare role player in the league because he could do a little of everything. He could rebound, pass, shoot, and drive the lane, and he was a great floor general with the size of a small forward.
After spending six years in the NBA with the Bulls, Cavaliers, and Jazz, he ended up signing an overseas contract which is where he's been ever since that 2021-22 season. He averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over his career and shot 36 percent from 3-point range.
Denzel has since bounced around to a few different spots overseas, but he just signed his latest contract with a professional team, Reyer Venezia, in Italy.
Reyer Venezia inks Denzel Valentine pic.twitter.com/5871iCamCG
— Luca D'Alessandro (@DAlessandro_LU) July 24, 2025
After playing for the Maine Celtics in the G-League in 2022-23, he signed a contract with the Sydney Kings in Australia, then Olimpia Milano in Italy. He has spent the last year with Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy and now he's staying in the country with Reyer Venezia.
The former first-team All-American is staying in Italy for the upcoming season and he's maintaining a healthy professional career.
It's good to see him having success overseas even though it felt like he was a lock to be a long-time NBA contributor.