Aces' Webster heading to Spain

Forward signs pro contract

A basketball player all of his life, it was a matter of time before the University of Evansville's Matt Webster decided on his playing future. After signing with Spain's Los Barrios last week, he can start to worry about other things.

Like goat milk.

"I heard the milk's different — it's goat milk," the former Aces star said of his soon-to-be new home. "I might just have my parents freeze a gallon (of the cow variety) and overnight it to me."

It's just one of many adjustments that Webster is preparing to make. The muscular 6-foot-8 forward with a shooter's touch scored more than 1,400 points in his four-year career at Evansville, averaging 17 points and five rebounds as a second-team all-Missouri Valley Conference player last season.

Now he must transition not only to professional ball, but European-style basketball.

"At first I didn't know how good it was," Webster said of the international game.

Having played with foreign teammates the last few years, though, he liked what he learned. "There's a team aspect to it that you don't see in pro ball here," he said. "It's more fundamental and team-oriented in Europe, and I like playing that style."

The league he's joining, known as the LEB, is reputed for its high level of play. Webster said he hopes he's able to make enough of a name for himself that he can either make a greater living overseas, or possibly play domestically in the future.

Still, he's looking forward to his stay. "It's the second most travelled-to country behind the U.S., so there must be a lot of things to see," Webster said. "I'm definitely real excited about that."

Even if he's not excited to leave his family and friends.

Since graduating from UE in May, Webster has been working out and looking for a team, but also spending lot of time at home (in Sheridan, Ind.). He is under contract to be in Spain continuously from August until June, 2008, the longest he's ever been away.

"I'm taking my Playstation 3 and my laptop so I can watch movies in English," Webster said, adding he had to buy energy converters to take with him. "And I'm setting up a webcam on my computer so I can talk to my parents."

He might not have too many other people to talk to. He said he "didn't do too good" in the Spanish class he was once enrolled in, and there's only a pair of other Americans on the team's roster, so communication might be a problem.

But he has the chance to play and show his skills in the universal language of sport.