When former Portland State Viking Jeb Ivey unlaced his basketball shoes for the final time in an arena in Njardvik, Iceland, it was the end of a 16-year journey through European professional basketball.
 
Ivey, who starred for the Vikings from 2001-03, has been on a remarkable odyssey that has included professional stops in Iceland (five seasons), Finland (six seasons), Germany (two seasons) and France (three seasons). And though he did not experience the bright lights of NBA arenas here in the United States, it more than satisfied Ivey's thirst for the game of basketball.
 
Ivey's 16 seasons were extraordinary in both travel and locale, and certainly not without many successes. Notably, Ivey took his long-range and free throw shooting prowess at PSU, and was able to make a substantial career of it. For the record, the 6-2 guard from San Jose, CA (via Portland State) played in 651 professional games in Europe. His career averages were 15.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Ivey shot 40% from three-point range and 90% at the free throw line as a professional. He was a six-time All-Star, twice won his league's MVP award, was twice a playoff MVP, and was a member of five championship teams – twice in Iceland and three times in Finland.
 
 "As the years have gone by, the thrill of training and constantly seeking challenges, and most importantly the support of my family, has kept me more motivated than ever," said Ivey. "I have been able to keep my body and mind sharp, and adapt to new countries, teams and styles. Looking back, I am shocked at all the years I have played and places we have been. But during the 16 years I never got caught up in actually how long I was doing it. I felt so blessed and lucky to be doing what I loved every day, and so that is what I focused on."
 
Perhaps Ivey's successes in Europe aren't so surprising. His time at Portland State indicated his talent at the top level of collegiate basketball. Ivey holds the Portland State and Big Sky Conference career free throw shooting percentage record at .937 (next best in Big Sky history is .882). In fact, Ivey missed just a single free throw the entire 2001-02 season (.980). In two seasons on the Park Blocks, Ivey averaged 13.7 points and shot 39% from three-point range while starting 55 straight games. "When I left PSU, I wanted to do whatever it took to play professionally," Ivey said. "I was ready to, and did, go to some of the most extreme environments just to have my first couple of jobs. Basketball was something I felt I could do for a long time. I looked around at the players I had competed against. I did not feel they were leaps and bounds better than me, and I saw they were having success professionally. That pushed me to believe in myself that I could do the same."
 
Still, 16 years in foreign countries is a long time. The experience didn't come with an NBA-level competition or paycheck, but Ivey makes an interesting distinction about the level of play.
 
"I played so long because when I set out to play basketball, it was my dream. I got to do what I loved every day. And if someone is lucky enough to do what they love every day, then pushing yourself to do it at "your" highest level is the icing on the cake. Everyone's "highest level', or in this case the NBA, is different. I can honestly say I was able to live my NBA every day."
 
He continued: "That has been my journey. As I have gotten older, I was able to play at my best level, physically and mentally, and receive some of my best contracts, when other guys my age started to retire. My career started for the love of the game, and I was lucky enough to keep that love for the game over all these years."
 
Ivey notes his time in Finland with the Nilan Bisons from 2011-13 as a high point of his career. The first season his team was a surprise, winning the league championship, then repeating the feat the following year. Ivey was the league MVP in 2011-12 and the league finals MVP both seasons.
 
With his wife Whitney, also a former Portland State student-athlete, and (now) three children in tow (Jaxon, 9; Bayland, 6; and Marli, 7 months), Ivey made the trek to Europe every fall from 2003 to 2018 to continue his love affair with basketball. The Iveys split their off-seasons between Portland and Jeb's hometown of San Jose. Leaving home, family and friends every year was not without its challenges.
 
"The toughest part for my family is not having familiarity (with a new culture). My wife has been leaving her friends and family for 14 years to be with me," said Ivey.
 
"Once we started having children, my contracts needed to have more plane tickets, and a bigger house and car, which was not always easy. Then as my children got older, planning the country, city, club, etc. according to schools in the area for them became a huge challenge.
 
 "Adapting to the different culture of each country was the toughest part. Once arriving in a new place, you are reminded that getting used to the time difference, logistics, language, food, and team culture is hard.
 
 "Despite these obstacles, one day my sons can say they attended four schools in four different countries, learning different languages and making friends all over the world. So the positives have demolished the negatives!"
 
Yes, Ivey and his family certainly enjoyed the adventure and they were always able to do it together.
 
"Every country we have been in has been beyond special, and it's impossible to say one place was our favorite," Ivey said. "Being able to be with my family every day is something I never took for granted."
 
Ivey's best memories of Portland State are those that have affected his life to this day. He said his degree in Speech Communication has proven to be extremely valuable to him over the past 16 years while traveling the world. Other highlights included: being recruited by Coach Joel Sobotka; meeting and rooming with Seamus Boxley and Jerrohn Jordan, who are good friends to this day; pride in his final season which, despite a lack of victories, was the first for Coach Heath Schroyer (and led two years later to PSU's first-ever Big Sky Championship); and, of course, meeting Whitney, whom he would eventually marry.
 
Now, 16 years after leaving the Park Blocks, Ivey had to make one of life's most difficult decisions; to give up doing the thing he loves.
 
Was there any gas left in the tank for Jeb? Well, in his final season with Njardvik in Iceland, he averaged 16.6 points and 5.0 assists to lead his team. Not too bad for a 38-year old in a league loaded with 20-somethings (one of Ivey's teammates was 17 this season). In his final contest – a playoff game on April 1 – he logged 38 minutes, had 22 points and eight assists.
 
That will prove to be a great swan song for Jeb Ivey's basketball career. He now looks ahead to returning his family to the States and getting into coaching "at the highest level," he said.