According to Twitter, which is where I get all of my news these days, Juice Thompson has signed a pro contract with a team in Germany. He hasn't disclosed which team that is, but he says it's a "well-respected team."
My Internet sleuthing hasn't been able to sleuth out which team that is, but we'll update this once we find out.
Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago has the scoop: Juice will be playing for the Fraport Skyliners. He'll join Wisconsin's Jon Leuer as rookies on the team.
The Skyliners are based out of Frankfurt, and their sponsor, Fraport, is the owner of the Frankfurt Airport. Why an airport needs to sponsor a team in the German Bundesliga is a bit mystifying. What, is there some competing airport in Frankfurt waging a fierce advertising war to steal away passengers? Does going to a Skyliners game make you think, "Hm, this team is so quality, the ambiance is amazing, and the fan experience is so great, that flying out of Frankfurt Airport must similarly be a top-notch experience. I'm doing all of my flying out of Frankfort Airport from now on"?
Other players of note on the roster include former Wake Forest guard Justin Gray and former Golden State Warrior and Charlotte Bobcat Jermareo Davidson. The Skyliners, who were sponsored by Deutche Bank last season, finished second in the league last year at 26-8, losing in the playoff semifinals to ALBA Berlin.
The team plays its home games at the utilitarian-named (and thus aptly German) Ballsporthalle, which you don't need Google Translate to figure out what it is. As Rodger points out, juice in German is "saft." If I'm ever in Frankfurt, I'll definitely stop by the Ballsporthalle to hear the PA announcer yell out "Saaaaaaaaaaaft Thompson!!!!!"