GREAT FALLS – Former University of Providence Distinctive and First Team All-American, Zaccheus Darko-Kelly played in the NBA Summer League To the Toronto Raptors less than a year ago. Now he’s back in the Great Falls for a summer practice, and he’s played professional basketball abroad for a year.

After playing in the Finnish Basketball League in Helsinki’s Seagulls for a year, the former Frontier Conference player of the year had a great season of entry, averaging 11.1 points per match with a 51% shot. Despite the staggering figures, it was an adjustment from NAIA to gaming in Europe.

“I would say there’s a greater focus on skill level rather than athleticism,” Darko-Kelly admitted. “They are very good at playing basketball, they know how to play [and] they are good at fulfilling roles. “

Of note were the cultural diversity of the team and the league, as well as the players of the G-League, the Finnish national team and even the Ukrainian, who helped Darko-Kelly learn different backgrounds and at the same time a new style of play.

When Darko-Kelly unmistakably showed the teams that he can play professionally abroad at a high level, his future can see him return to Helsinki for another year or move to greener pastures.

“I signed a two-year contract with them, so I have a chance to come back. My agent just wants to see if the teams are interested, so I probably know around August whether I’m going back to Helsinki or somewhere else.

So far, the 6-foot, 7-inch-old Great Falls native is training at the gym every day in her hometown as well as Las Vegas to prepare for her next move, but Darko-Kelly doesn’t think too far and takes life too seriously because at the moment she’s just grateful for the opportunity.

“I’m so grateful I can do this for my livelihood, so after all, it’s just basketball.”