Where Are They Now - Greg Gantt - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

All Greg Gantt needed was the green light to shoot. But as an unproven, 17-year-old freshman at Florida Atlantic University, that wasn't coming any time soon.

Or at least he thought.

"They just told me right away to shoot the basketball and be confident," Gantt recalled then-FAU head coach Mike Jarvis and his staff telling him. Greg Gantt vs. WK

Gantt rewarded their trust. The Gainesville, Fla. native led the 2009-10 team in scoring (15.6) and shot 39% from deep on over seven attempts per game.

That success was a sign of things to come.

Gantt eventually smashed the Owls' all-time scoring record with 1,972 career points -- 413 more than the previous record holder, Earnest Crumbley. In 2010-11, he led the Owls to a Sun Belt Conference Championship and the NIT.

"It kind of became normal to me -- scoring that much; I didn't really think about it," Gantt said. "We practiced so hard every day, and I found myself in a rhythm, doing things I've never really done before."

Gantt accomplished something else no FAU player did before: He was selected in the 2013 NBA Developmental League draft by the Austin Toros, an affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs.

Suddenly, Gantt found himself sharing the court with NBA champions like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and coach Gregg Popovich. That experience set the foundation for his career, and "ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me, honestly."

"I got to literally see how professionals are supposed to handle themselves," Gantt added. "Being with the Spurs -- even if it's the D-League -- you have to hold yourself to a high standard, and they do everything the right way."

Gantt's time learning the Spurs' way was scarce. After battling a knee injury in 2013-14, Gantt's role on the Toros diminished the following season. The team was too "stacked" for Gantt to play significant minutes, so he sought that opportunity overseas.

Midway through the 2014-15 season, Gantt found it in the Spanish league.

Gantt finished '15 with Palencia, a second-division club; he split the next year playing for Levitec Huesca and third-division Saskibaloi Taldea.

In 2017-18, Gantt signed with CB Valladolid. There, he worked with a coach -- Paco Garcia -- who knew the best way to extract his talent, a method that made him the most prolific scorer in FAU history.

"He really gave me the green light to shoot the basketball," Gantt said.

Garcia's decision, like the one Coach Jarvis made nearly a decade prior, made all the difference. Gantt averaged 11.9 points a game along with 44% three-point shooting -- both personal bests in second-division play.

Valladolid awarded Gantt a contract extension after that season; this year marks his third there.

Having lived and played in Spain for that amount of time, he's now considered a Spaniard -- not an American -- from a contractual standpoint. And since settling in Valladolid on the court, Gantt did the same off it -- he got engaged a few months ago -- making that fine with him.

"I'm thankful for the career that I've had because I found a home in Spain," Gantt said. "I found a family in Spain. I have a life in Spain after basketball. But, at the same time, I'm still very motivated and ambitious. I feel like, even though I'm 28 years old, I still feel this is just the beginning."

"It's been an amazing journey," he added. "I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Where Are They Now - Greg Gantt

Upcoming Events

Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Where Are They Now - Greg Gantt

Related News

Related Videos