By RICHIE HALL
If there’s one thing Aaron Brennan did during his years at IUPUI, it’s work.
And work. And work some more.
What does he have to show for it? A Purdue degree, a marketing minor, two certificates, the satisfaction of helping the Jaguars men’s basketball team improve and…a professional contract.
Brennan, a 2014 Guerin Catholic graduate, signed to play with the Walter Tigers Tübingen, which is one of the teams in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga, that nation’s top basketball league. Brennan is still in Indiana and will leave for Germany on Aug. 5.
Brennan said he was “definitely excited” to go over to Germany and live in a new country. He said he was nervous, but also knows that is to be expected.
“A good chance to grow and mature on my own,” he said. Brennan led IUPUI in scoring during his senior year, averaging 12.4 points per game. He also pulled 4.5 rebounds each game.
If he ever needs any advice about playing overseas basketball, Brennan will simply need to call his college coach, Jason Gardner. The 1999 Indiana Mr. Basketball and University of Arizona star played professionally from 2003-2011, with his last four seasons at the EWE Baskets Oldenburg, which also competes in the Bundesliga.
It was during his time in the Bundesliga that Gardner got to know Tübingen’s current coach, Mathias Fischer. Brennan was able to talk to Fischer as well, before the negotiation process began.
“It went well,” said Brennan. “I thought it was a good fit. He liked the fact that I was versatile.”
Brennan’s versatility is reflected in his senior stats. In addition to the points and rebounds, he also dished out 1.6 assists per game, and also totaled 31 steals and 19 blocked shots. Brennan himself said he’s not the flashiest player, but can be effective in what he does.
That’s a trait that his old high school coach Pete Smith noted back at Guerin Catholic when Brennan was helping the Golden Eagles to a Class 3A state championship in 2012.
“He gets the most out of his athleticism, he always has,” said Smith. “He doesn’t run the fastest or jump the highest, but in the heat of the game, he’s always making plays and it’s been so cool to see him do that.”
“He’s worked so hard to continue paying basketball,” said Smith. “He just loves it and he’s not ready to give it up and I think it’s great that he’s getting the opportunity to play after college.”
The wheels for that opportunity were set in motion in April, when Brennan signed with an agent who was based out of Greece. Brennan said that picking an agent is similar to choosing a college all over again – while there are many of them reaching out to prospective players, it’s hard to do homework on just who these agents are.
But Brennan liked his agent right away, saying he felt like they were both on the same page.
“I signed with him, and I continued to work out,” said Brennan. “He did his thing with his connections over there.”
Brennan’s agent found a couple offers that he thought were okay, but it wasn’t the best fit. Eventually, things began to click with the Tigers Tübingen.
“You got to trust your guy with the selection process,” said Brennan. “That’s why I say it’s picking a school all over again.”
Brennan’s agent contacted the Tigers’ general manager, and the negotiation process began from there, and finished last week when Brennan signed. Playing overseas also meant going through all the necessary paperwork, getting Brennan a work visa, and all the other things involved with playing professional sports.
At the end of the process, Brennan said he was happy that everything got finished and finalized.
“I think the biggest thing over there is going to be the language barrier,” said Brennan. “At least I know a handful of guys that can speak English. I felt very comfortable with the situation. My agent did a great job of placing me in a spot that I wanted to be. I’m really excited for the opportunity.”
“My mom actually bought a subscription to the Rosetta Stone,” said Brennan, referring to the popular language-learning software. Brennan said he’s “familiarizing myself with phrases,” but don’t worry – Fischer and the team’s public relations person both speak English.
Besides, learning has never been a problem for Brennan anyway. He graduated from IUPUI a semester early with – get ready:
A degree from the Purdue Engineering and Technology department in Organizational Leadership and Supervision
A Marketing minor from Indiana University.
A certificate through IU Kelley School of Business in Business Foundations.
A Human Resources certificate through Purdue.
Again, this is a young man who knows how to work, something that Smith knew about way back at Guerin Catholic. Smith said he “knew that was always a goal” for Brennan to play professionally someday.
“His work ethic was going to get him as close, if not there,” said Smith. “Because he just worked so hard. And he’s such a great kid. The amazing thing about Aaron was that, even the opponents of our schools that we played against fell in love with them.”
Brennan will get a chance to make some new fans in Tübingen, a college town located in southwestern Germany. The city’s population is around 87,000, making it comparable in size to Carmel or Fishers. The city’s university, the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, has around 28,500 students.
Guerin Catholic and IUPUI star Aaron Brennan will be playing in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga next season. Brennan signed a contract to join the Walter Tigers Tübingen, one of the 18 professional teams in Germany’s top basketball league.
The message is roughly translated: “I am thrilled to be part of the Tigers family next season! As a player you can expect from me the will to win. I look forward to seeing you and your support!” (Photo provided)
Brennan was IUPUI’s leading scorer during his senior year, averaging 12.4 points per game, as well as 4.5 rebounds. (Photo provided)