Insider: Finke goes pro in Poland

Michael Finke came to Grand Canyon to be a polished player and came out a Polish pro.

After making the All-WAC first team for GCU last season, Finke is headed to Poland for his first professional contract with Legia Warsaw. 18520

Finke is moving to the capital city on Aug. 6 to join the nation's top basketball division, the 17-team Polish Basketball League (also known as Energa Basket Liga), and compete against European clubs in Champions League play.

"I don't think it'll fully sink in until I'm out there living in Europe and a week or two goes by and I realize I'm not going home anytime soon," said Finke, whose finacée, Lexi, will join him in Warsaw after his 12-day training camp. "It'll be really cool to do this as a living. It's something you dream about as a kid – to play in the NBA or overseas. Playing basketball, making money and seeing the world … what more could I ask for?"

Finke stayed sharp this summer by using exercises from GCU Director of Sports Medicine Geordie Hackett and training with former European pro Trent Meacham, a fellow Champain, Illinois, native. The 6-foot-10 power forward played well in summer showcases in Chicago and Las Vegas and had a pre-NBA Draft workout with the Chicago Bulls but his GCU senior season was his best material.

Finke averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line for a 20-win team. Each stat was a career high for the Illinois transfer, who posted 36- and 38-point games for the Lopes in February.

"I wanted to win but I also thought I could do a good job of showcasing myself at Grand Canyon and by being around good players," said Finke, whose sister, Ashley, will be a freshman student at GCU this year. "It really helped me take my game to the next level and got me to where I am now. So I'm forever thankful for it."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Michael Finke

Related Videos