For former UT Permian Basin men's basketball player Lathaniel Bastian 24', the path to professional basketball has taken him across continents, through different basketball systems and into new cultures.

Now 27 years old, the Bahamas native is beginning his third professional season and continuing to build a career that has already taken him from France to Argentina to Brazil and onto the international stage with the Bahamas Senior National Team.

Most recently, Bastian signed with Brasilia Basquete, which plays in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), the top professional men's basketball league in Brazil, adding another chapter to his international basketball journey.


The move to Brazil comes after Bastian began the 2025-26 season with Poissy Basket Association in France's NM1 league, where he averaged 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals over 17 games.

His professional journey is the latest step in a basketball career that has taken him through several college programs before ultimately finding his way to UTPB.

Bastian played at California State University Fullerton, Angelo State University and UTPB before graduating from UTPB in 2024.

At UTPB, he established himself as one of the Lone Star Conference's top players. In 2024, he was named Second-Team All-LSC and earned a spot on the LSC All-Defensive Team.

Since leaving UTPB, Bastian has continued to add to his resume while adjusting to the demands of professional basketball.

"The biggest adjustment when I first arrived overseas was the time difference and the language barrier," Bastian said. "I also had to figure out what foods I liked because the food was different from what I was used to."

Those challenges have been part of the education that comes with playing professionally overseas.

The language barrier, in particular, has been one of the biggest culture shocks.

"It can make everyday things more challenging, but it has also forced me to adapt and learn how to communicate in different ways," Bastian said.

That ability to adapt has extended beyond everyday life and into his development as a player.

Since leaving UTPB, Bastian said he has improved in three primary areas: basketball IQ, physicality and overall basketball awareness.

"I've learned how to get to my spots offensively where I am most efficient and have developed a better defensive awareness of where I need to be on the court," he said.

Perhaps the biggest evolution has come in his decision-making. At the professional level, Bastian has learned that the game moves faster, leaving less time to process what is happening on the floor.

"The higher the level of basketball you play, the faster your decision-making has to be," Bastian said. "You have less time to read the defense and make the right play, so you have to be able to process the game quickly."
 
That growth has been reflected in his production overseas. During his first professional season in 2024-25 with Pays Salonais Basket 13 (France-NM2), Bastian averaged 16.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while helping his team win the French NM2 Group A Regular Season championship and advance to the semifinals.
His professional development has also coincided with his emergence on the international stage.

Bastian has been regularly called up to represent the Bahamas Senior National Team since 2025. He appeared in two games during the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers, averaging 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Representing his country while playing professionally has become another source of pride for Bastian.

At the same time, his transition from college to professional basketball has required him to take greater ownership of nearly every aspect of his life. A typical day as a professional player, he said, provides more freedom than college, but that freedom comes with greater responsibility.

"I have to take the initiative to take care of my body, prepare my meals, recover, and get ready for practice," Bastian said.

The difference is that basketball is no longer simply something he plays.

"Basketball is now my job, and this is how I provide for my family, so I have to treat my body and my performance like a business," he said.

That mindset has become an important part of Bastian's professional growth. Away from the court, his career has also given him the opportunity to experience cultures far different from those he grew up with in the Bahamas.

One of his favorite parts of living overseas has been immersing himself in the communities around him.

"I enjoy experiencing the country, meeting different people, and getting to experience things that are different from what I'm used to," Bastian said on what he likes about living in Brazil.

His travels have also given him the chance to experience plenty of new foods. Although figuring out what he liked was initially part of the adjustment, one meal stands out above the rest.

His favorite food he has tried overseas is hot pot in China – a meal where meat, seafood, vegetables and noodles are cooked at the table in a flavorful broth.

While the international lifestyle has brought new experiences, Bastian has never forgotten the people and place that helped shape his journey.

When he thinks back to his time at UTPB, his first memory isn't necessarily a game or an award. It is his host family, Ted and Jodi Hogan.

"They made me feel welcomed and supported from the beginning," Bastian said. "They went from being my host family to becoming like family to me. I'll always appreciate the support they gave me during my time at UTPB."

And, naturally, he remembers Jodi's brownies.

That relationship is one of the lasting connections Bastian took from his time in Odessa, a reminder that his UTPB experience was about more than basketball.

"UTPB gave me the opportunity to develop as a player and as a person," Bastian said.

Now, every time Bastian steps onto a professional court around the world, he carries that experience with him.

"I am proud that I can represent the school everywhere I go," he said. "Being able to play professionally around the world and tell people that I came from UTPB means a lot to me."

For Bastian, that representation also comes with a responsibility to show current and future Falcons what is possible.

"I hope I can show current and future UTPB players that it is possible to take your career to the next level," he said.

His own career is proof of that progression.

From earning All-LSC honors at UTPB to becoming an LSC All-Defensive Team selection, winning a French regular-season championship and earning opportunities with the Bahamas National Team, Bastian has continued to build his resume one opportunity at a time.

Now, with Brasilia Basquete the latest stop on his journey, he has his sights set even higher.

"My biggest goal is to continue improving as a player, move up to higher levels of professional basketball, and establish myself as a consistent professional," Bastian said.

He also wants to continue representing the Bahamas and making an impact at the international level.

For the players at UTPB who hope to follow a similar path, Bastian's advice is simple and rooted in the lessons he has learned throughout his own journey.

"Put in the work even when nobody is looking."

He encourages current Falcons to respect their bodies, provide themselves with the nutrients they need to perform and remain disciplined about the small details every day.

"When your opportunity comes, you want to know that you did everything you could to prepare yourself for it," Bastian said.

For Bastian, the opportunity has come and he has continued to make the most of it.

His journey from UTPB to professional basketball is still unfolding, with Brasilia Basquete now serving as the newest stop. Wherever the game takes him next, Bastian will continue carrying two things with him: pride in representing the Bahamas and pride in representing the university that helped him take the next step.

From Odessa to France to Argentina, the international stage and now Brazil, the former Falcon is proving that the next level is not a destination.

It is a journey.