Wednesday, July 15, 2020
NAMPA, Idaho - Adalberto Diaz fulfilled his lifelong dream of signing a contract recently to play professional basketball.
The 2020 Northwest Nazarene graduate will play for Soles de Mexicali in the Mexican National Professional Basketball League.
"It's a great feeling," Diaz said of joining the defending league champions. "Ever since you start playing basketball, you wish you are a professional. In college, you are just thinking about having the opportunity to do it. Not a lot get to accomplish that, so it's great."
Diaz, who is from Nogales, Arizona, played two seasons for the Nighthawks after transferring from Iowa Western Community College. He started 49 of the 50 games he played for NNU, averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 32.3 percent from the 3-point line.
"It's so exciting to see someone who has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort on the court, but also the last couple of years to graduate," NNU coach Paul Rush said. "For him to play professionally and also to play for the top team in the league is exciting."
Diaz is one of 21 former NNU men's basketball players to play professional basketball since 2009, joining recent alumni Jayden Bezzant, Pol Olivier, Bouna N'Diayee, Marko Leprovic and Maurice Jones.
"My two years at NNU I grew as a player on the court and off the court," said Diaz, who recently signed with CSA Sports Management. "I learned a lot from every single coach and I grew mentally. In basketball, there are mistakes, but it is what you learn from your mistakes that helps you grow as a player.
"The coaching staff believing in me gave me a platform to perform at my best and become a pro."
The league plans on starting in mid-September.