Cullowhee, N.C. – Former Catamount men's basketball standout Bernard Pelote has signed an international basketball contract with Tübingen Tigers of the BARMER 2nd Basketball Bundesliga, Germany's top professional basketball league. Pelote, who completed his final season at Western Carolina in 2025, became the third player from WCU teams in the last two years to sign to play professionally.

Pelote joins the European professional ranks along with former teammates Tre Jackson (Poland) and Russell Jones Jr. (Switzerland) who both began their pro careers after the 2024 season.

Jackson, who scored 956 of his 1,273 career points in Cullowhee after transferring from Iowa State, finished his time in the Purple & Gold with 210 career 3-pointers, fifth in the school record books. Jones Jr. transferred from Winthrop to Western Carolina ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played in 148 career games with 80 starts between his two stops. Including 702 points scored in a Catamount uniform, the Columbia, S.C., product eclipsed the 1,000-career point threshold in 2023-24 and finished his career with 1,167 points.

Pelote transferred from Catawba College to Western Carolina ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played in 130 career games with 57 starts between his two stops in Catawba and Cullowhee. The Savannah, Ga. native totaled 811 of his 1,179 points in Cullowhee including a team-best 426 (14.2 points/game) during the 2024-25 season where he connected on 158 field goals and 61 threes.

"As a power forward, he brings a good overall package: points, rebounds, good shot selection, athleticism, and a drive to the basket, coupled with a lot of energy. The potential for a long and successful career in Europe is definitely there," commented Tigers head coach Henrik Sonko.

He finished the 2024-25 season sixth in the league, averaging 16.3 points per game in SoCon action as he reached double figures in 23 games including six games with 20+ points with a season-high 28 against Wofford (Jan. 8) & VMI (Feb. 1). Pelote eclipsed double figures in his final 10 games. He pulled down a team-high 227 rebounds, averaging 7.6 boards per game as he finished second in the conference with his total rebounds along with 181 defensive rebounds…

Pelote led the SoCon in conference play with 107 defensive rebounds as he finished third in total rebounds in league play with 133, while also tallying a team-best six double-doubles, including five against SoCon opponents.
 
The BARMER 2nd Basketball Bundesliga season traditionally commences in late September and runs through late-June with the finals of the 2024-25 season taking place on June 26, 2025.
 
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Other Former Catamounts Playing Internationally:
Devin Peterson – 2017 – Gence BK Ganja in Azerbaijani ABL
Marc Gosselin – 2019 – Saint Thomas Basket Le Havre in France
Onno Steger – 2020 – UD Oliverierense in Portugal
Mason Faulkner – 2022 – Plymouth City Patriots in the United Kingdom
Tre Jackson – 2024 – Miasto Szkla Krosno in Poland
Russell Jones Jr. – 2024  – Union Neuchatel Basket in Switzerland
Bernard Pelote – 2025 – Tigers Tuebingen in Germany