St. Mary’s Grad Barrett begins Polish Hoops career, and Santa Clara birds are veterans in Europe – The Press Democrat
Torun, Poland – from the state of travel in St. Mary’s to start his career overseas this year Luka Barkett Starteut Luka Barrett sees a dream come true in his five years in Moraga.
“Everybody that graduated is still playing. I felt if I could play well enough to play at St Mary’s, I’d be in Europe,” said Barrett, 24, standing on the court here in central Poland. “That started to become a dream come true.”
The 6-Foot-6 Barrett plays Arka in GDYNIA, a city in northern Poland on the Baltic Sea side where the home bull holds 5,500 fans. CLUB provides him, free of charge, an apartment and a car – a standard arrangement for former division I NCAA players who compete in Europe. He is averaging 12.5 minutes and 4.3 points per contest in his first four pro games in Poland.
“The kind of basketball I want to play and the kind of places I’m suited for, I knew that from the beginning,” he said of Europe. “This is a lot closer (in style) to college than the NBA. It’s a lot more NBA. It’s quick to get out of here and it’s a different Clow Clock.”
Barrett had to persevere after his college career ended.
“Obviously I knew the goal was to find a place and play overseas, play Pro and end up playing basketball somewhere else,” said Barrett, 6.8 boards per 35 games for the Gaels. “I didn’t want to think about it until my St. Mary’s career was over. I tried to hang on as long as I could. I tried to get an agent (at Wasserman College) who was hurt.”
“Those three months (this summer) were tough; it was a waiting game,” he added. “For me, it took a while to feel anything concrete. I was working and trying to get ready. I said there was interest in Poland, Germany.”
Barrett’s dream began this season in what was once a communist state of nearly 38 million people who continue to live the hoops dream in other California products – and those with a much higher influence than Barrett.
One of those Poland rights is Bakersfield Nation Arik Smith, who finished his college career at Cal Lutheran in 2015. Since then, Slovakia, Sweden and now, a city of about 200,000 people in central Poland.
“Poland is a pretty good league,” said Smith, after facing Barrett’s side. “They have a lot of teams and big stadiums. The live here is good. It’s one of the cheapest countries in Europe and that’s good for trying to play as a pro.” He averaged 13.3 points in his first four starts this season.
Another product of St. Since 2015 it has also played in Belgium, France, Japan, Kosovo, and Luxembourg. He had 21 points in one game and 12 boards in another in late October as his team in Wreclaw in southwest Poland won both games. Matthias Tass, from Estonia, plays for Legia in Warsaw.
Other former St Mary’s players from overseas (not a complete list) include Tommy Kuhse (Germany); Logan Johnson (Germany); Matthew Dellavedova (Australia); Jordan Ford (Italy); Stephen Holt (Philippines); Kristers Zoriks (Spain); Mitchell Saxen (France); Alex ducas (Australia); Tanner Krebs (Australia); Calvin Hermason (Spain); Kyle Bowen (Australia); Daniel Fotu (Japan); and Jordan Hunter (Australia), according to Eurobasket.com.
Santa Clara’s scholars set in the Polish League
Raymond Coloels III, who was waiting in Santa Clara, put down more roots in Poland than Smith.
A guard who played high school football in Minnesota, Cowels played for several clubs in Poland and became the first member of the Polish Women’s National Basketball team, named after StankiebuseIcz. Like many former players, he had lofty goals early in his college career.
“In my mind, it was NBA or Nothing,” said the Chicago native, sitting in a downtown Warsaw coffee shop one recent day. After playing in the G League for Maine, Cowuels spent a good career overseas. “You’re getting an experience that will last a lifetime,” said Cowels, 34. “It’s priceless. To me it’s not a different thing in life.”
Many Americans abroad change teams, and countries, almost every year. And it’s not unusual for an import to change teams mid-season. Cowels stayed at Santa Clara for four years, though he considered transferring, and is now a veteran of the Orlen League in Poland.
Like Barrett, Bird is not guaranteed playing time throughout his college career.
“It was a tough four years,” Cowels said of college. “It’s in my position to find you. There have been UPS and Downs” playing abroad. He is in his sixth season in Poland and fourth. This season features Trefl in Sopot, a scenic resort town in northern Poland near the Baltic Sea. Cowels played last season at MKS DąBowa Górnicza in southern Poland and has also played in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Finland, France since graduating from Santa Clara with a degree in business management in 2013.
In Santa Clara, the Cowels played coach Kerry Keating. A player at Seton Hall, Keating was an assistant at several schools, including Appalachian State in North Carolina and UCLA, and was a Rockets Scout after his teaching career.
Cowels was averaging 22 minutes and 10 points per contest in Poligue League games in early November; He scored 30 points in the first Fiba Euro Ref Train team competitions for teams from outside Poland. He was part of the winner of the Polish cup in 2024.
Other ex-broncos overseas to start this season according to robasket.com (not a complete list) include Carlos Stewart (Germany); John Bryant (Germany); PJ Pipes (Turkey); Josip Vrankic (Spain); Tahj Eaddy (Croatia); Camaron language (Estonia); Henrik Jadersren (Sweden); Keshawn Justice (France); DJ Mitchell (Australia); KJ Feagin (Mexico), and Carlos Marshall (Italy).
A Gaels assistant assisted Barrett
Barrett, before directing overseas, received good advice from assistant coach EJ Rowland, who played in France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Russia, Israel and the Bulgarian national team.
“Luka was a joy to be around every day last season. His desire, work ethic and commitment to the team is one of the highest I have ever seen.” “He was a walk-on in college, he worked harder than anyone and eventually outlasted most of his peers. I expect his pro career to be the same story.”
Some American men who play abroad simply focus on hoops – from now on it is their way of life. Others try to take advantage of the cultural aspect of another country.
“I want to do both,” Barrett said. “The first month has been just basketball. You have a good amount of free time (with one game a week in the Polish League). I want to go to a new place.”
Barrett is proud of the culture within the program at St. Mary’s, where he and others live out their respective careers. “We were really proud of that,” she said. “I had two children who stayed at home for five years and one for four. That’s what made us good and gave us a chance for teams.”
Things are changing, of course, with the new NIL currency. “That’s absolutely true. You’d be hard-pressed to get a contract here (in Poland) that’s as good as a college” in the injured section. “I’m glad I saw both sides of it. I’m glad I could be honest.”
According to sources, the top American players in Poland can make at least $150,000 per season – and there are few costs because the apartment and travel are often provided.
Barrett has come a long way since Piedmont High, despite the separation I’m giving him after his senior year. “I talked to (almost) every Division III school in the country,” Barrett said.
He went to Pomanana-Spitzer as a freshman during a senior year, then to St. Mary’s as a walk-on. “I went to St Mary’s. I was very lucky,” he said.
Barrett is hoping for the best of luck in his pro career, which has begun nearly 6,000 miles from its bay roots.
Editor’s note: Virginia Nave Driver, a former sports editor for papers in Baltimore and Virginia, lived for three years in Hungary and now lives in Poland. He is the author of “Hoop Dreams in Europe: American Basketball Players Building Careers Overseas.” Driver has interviewed American basketball players in nearly 20 countries in Europe and can be reached at dadtondavid.com and [email protected].
