Basketball has taken C.J. Meredith a variety of places.
The former Spring Valley High School all-state selection played at Marshall University, the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä and Fairmont State. He said all of that has prepared him for a long-distance move to Austria, where he signed to play professionally.
"I'm very excited," Meredith said on Wednesday. "It'll be hard to be away from family and friends, but not many people get to experience something like this."
Meredith, a 2020 Spring Valley graduate, signed with Eagles Raiffeisen UBSC Graz, a team in Graz, Austria. His six-month contract begins with the team's season-opening game Sept. 26. Meredith is scheduled to leave for Europe on Aug. 30.
Meredith said the move will challenge him. He said he speaks no German, the most prevalent language of Austria, and knows little about the city of just more than 300,000 people in the southern part of the country.
"I need to update myself on stuff like that," Meredith said. "I just found out a few days ago I'm going there. I'm in the process of learning and figuring out what to do. The language will be a challenge, but I'll handle it."
Meredith said his contract provides for a free apartment, a transportation pass and meals. The gym where the team plays is close to where he'll live.
The team features four other Americans, including Josiah Shackelford, who played at Bowling Green.Â
Meredith, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard, averaged 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a graduate student last season with Fairmont State. He played the previous three seasons at the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, where he scored 10.3 points per game as a redshirt sophomore, 7.9 as a redshirt junior and 12.8 as a redshirt senior. Meredith spent his true freshman and redshirt freshman seasons at Marshall.
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"C.J. had a great career at Spring Valley and is someone our entire community is proud of," Spring Valley athletic director Tim George said. "He's someone who's always worked super-hard to hone his craft. We're all excited to see him get the opportunity to play professional basketball and can't wait to see what the future has in store for him."
Meredith said his coaches with the Fighting Falcons put him in contact with an agent who offered opportunities in multiple European nations. He chose Austria, where he'll play in the country's top league.
"I think it'll be super-fun," Meredith said. "I'm looking forward to playing basketball. In college, you go to class and do a bunch of stuff. I just want to play basketball."
Meredith said he'll assess his future after the season and that he wants to remain in the game.
"I can make a career out of it," Meredith said. "There are infinite possibilities. I want to coach collegiately or professionally. My dream is to coach on an NBA bench."
Pro ball is more of a grind. The season runs through April. Meredith said he's ready for it.
"It's definitely different than college," he said. "I stick to workouts that got me through college. I stay in really good shape and play the whole game. Once I get over there, they'll get us ready for the pro aspect. I'm sure it's harder on the body and against older players."
Meredith said he's tapped into the knowledge of former teammates who played in Germany and Portugal. He said on the court, basketball is basketball.
"You put the ball in the hoop and try to keep your opponent from doing it," Meredith said.
