HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam– After a standout four-year career with the Madonna University men's basketball program, Chris Dierker (SR/Canton, Mich.), whose mother, Lien Dierker, grew up in DaNang, Vietnam, has been selected first overall in the Vietnamese Basketball Association draft.
Dierker was one of 134 players eligible for the draft was taken by 2016 league champion and his mother's hometown team, the DaNang Dragons. It provides Dierker, who has never visited his mother's native land, a unique opportunity to not only continue his playing career but also get to know the country his mom grew up in.
"Being able to play pro ball in Vietnam will be a great experience," said Dierker. "A coach from one of the teams in the league has been talking to me for awhile now and told me about the opportunity to play overseas and possibly join the national team. Getting the chance to play in a country where my mom was born and raised and being able to experience their culture will be awesome."
Dieker is just the third player to be drafted first overall and he couldn't be more excited to land with the Dragons. "Being selected first overall in the draft by DaNang was exciting, especially since that is where my mom grew up. The coach and some of the members of the team reached out to let me know what their team is about and talked about how beautiful the city is and the fact that is is surrounded by beaches and mountains which will be cool to live in."
Dierker spent five seasons on the Madonna campus and will graduate in May with a degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He will also leave as the career leader in rebounds with 908, while also ranking first in rebound average (7.4), offensive (304) and defensive (604) rebounds. He finishes his 122-game career with 1,483 career points which ranks seventh all-time. In 2016, he set the single-game record with 19 rebounds and scored a career-high 29 points.
"Playing at Madonna gave me the opportunity to work with many great coaches and a group of guys who were all about getting the most out of everyone both on and off the court. I have grown a lot over the last five years at Madonna and am very grateful for the opportunity they gave me," added Dierker.
"The entire program is excited for Chris and this opportunity before him," said Crusaders' Head Coach Noel Emenhiser. "I'm proud of what Chris has done, both on and off the court. He's been a great representative of Madonna basketball and he's left a great and lasting impact not only on our program but on the school as well. I'm excited for him to be able to continue playing at the professional level after graduating with honors this May. I know he'll make a big impact not only on his teammates but also the community of DaNang."
Dierker knows there will be some challenges when it comes to playing and living in a new country around the world, but he's ready to face those challenges head on.
"Going over there is going to bring many new experiences, but it will be interesting getting used to their language and being able to communicate," said Dierker. "It's going to take some time acclimating to a new climate, it's hot and humid over there during the summer, and living across the globe will be an adjustment, but I'm excited to show what I can do."
The VBA was established in 2016 as the first professional basketball league in the country whose aim is to provide all players of Vietnamese descent with the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion for basketball, as well as offering them a great chance for further career development in their hometown.
For more information on the Vietnamese Basketball League, visit https://vba.vn/.
