Chavez signs pro contract
Former Louisiana Tech guard Tahlik Chavez signed a professional contract to play for the Köping Stars in Sweden on Tuesday. Photo by Darrell James
Tahlik Chavez is officially a professional basketball player.
After spending his final year of college eligibility at Louisiana Tech for the 2023- 24 season, Chavez signed to play for the Köping Stars in Köping, Sweden, on Tuesday.
The Stars compete in the SBL (Swedish Basketball League), considered the highest level of basketball in the country.
“It feels amazing, like a dream come true, and takes a huge chip off my shoulder knowing that all my hard work paid off,” Chavez said to the Leader. “But I still gotta keep working. My agent is amazing, and he handled everything and got me in the right position in a great environment with a great organization. I always thought it would be fun to play overseas, to travel abroad and actually get to see the world, because I’ve never been overseas before. But now, I’ll be living there. It’s definitely a surreal feeling.”
Chavez started in 31 games for the Bulldogs last season, averaging 13.9 points and 2.9 rebounds and knocking down three- point shots at a high rate of 40.4%, ranking second in Conference USA and 33rd nationally in that category. He also led Tech in free-throw percentage at 77.7% His outside- shooting skills, along with a strong work ethic, made Chavez a perfect fit for Köping’s leadership.
“It’s a very exciting signing,” Stefan Ståhlmalm, Sport Manager of the Köping Stars, said in the team’s press release, translated from Swedish.
Chavez made 80 three pointers for Tech in his lone season in Ruston — tied for fifth most in a single season in program history. The Stars’ head coach couldn’t deny those numbers.
“He is definitely a threat from the three-point line, but he can also take care of the ball and act as a game distributor,” Stars coach Gabo Loaiza said in the team’s release.
Chavez’s new life in Europe will become the latest in a long history of moving for the sharp-shooting guard, who came to LA Tech after two seasons at Charleston Southern in Charleston, South Carolina.
Before that, Chavez spent a season at Iona in New Rochelle, New York. And before his East Coast stint, he spent one season at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, fresh out of his high school career in Texas.
With unique experiences to pull from, Chavez is eager to get started at the professional level.
“Not even just at Louisiana Tech but everywhere I’ve gone I’ve had a huge success just being confident and believing in myself and in my shot, and that’s what I’m going to keep doing playing pro,” Chavez said. “My goal is to win and keep advancing in my professional career year by year.”
Tech head coach Talvin Hester is ready for Chavez to continue a strong legacy of Bulldogs in professional basketball.
“I am really excited for Tahlik in getting an opportunity to play post-collegiate basketball," Hester said. "I talked to the team in Sweden and they were really excited about him. They dug deep into his abilities. He is a phenomenal basketball player and a good person. We wish nothing but the best for him. He will continue the legacy of Pro Dogs.”
The Köping Stars begin their season Aug. 19.
