Former UC Davis basketball player signs professional contract with Australian team
(FOX40.COM) — A former UC Davis basketball star is taking his talents to Australia.
Former Aggies guard Elijah Pepper signed a two-year deal with the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). The second year includes a club option, according to the team.
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The NBL is considered the top professional basketball league in Australia and New Zealand. The league is composed of 10 teams — nine in Australia and one in New Zealand.
Pepper is a native of Australia with roots in the city of Shepparton. He then relocated to the state of Washington as a young child.
Before attending UC Davis, the 22-year-old played high school basketball in Selah, Washington.
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“It means a lot, I’m super grateful to be in this position and signing for such a great organization. I’m excited to get going,” Pepper said in a statement. “I pride myself working as hard as I can and getting into the gym and getting the reps up so that I’m ready to work on the court when it comes to game time.
The 22-year-old guard played for UC Davis for five seasons, averaging 16.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
In his last two seasons, Pepper averaged over 20 points per game including a career-high average of 22.5 in 2022-23.
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