Pro Basketball Player Trapped In Ukraine Wants To Return To Prince George's County

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A basketball player from Oxon Hill has found himself trapped in Ukraine during the ongoing conflict between the country and Russia.

Maurice Creek is stuck in Mykolaiv, a city located in the southern part of the country.

WJLA spoke with the 31-year-old Creek about his plight.

"My mother is crying every day. My father is worried sick. My brothers are calling me nonstop every day," Creek said.

Creek starred at Oxon Hill High School before transferring to Hargrave Military Academy. The 6'5 guard played college ball at George Washington University from 2013-2014, then began playing professionally in Ukraine in 2019 with MBC MYKOLAIV, part of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague.

But now he has nowhere to go, since the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is closed. Because he was not paid before the conflict escalated, Creek couldn't afford to leave, he told WJLA.

"I just got out of a bomb shelter. It scares you; it's like I am part of a war that I have no business being a part of," Creek said. "I'm terrified...It's a terrible time, so I can use all the comfort and need all the love and support I can get."

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, former California guard and Chicago native Jerome Randle said: "These teams basically held us hostage. It was like you either stay over here or you’re not going to be able to play anywhere. That’s pretty messed up. That’s pretty backwards to me. I don’t think that was fair for them to be able to do that."

More than 30 Americans spent at least part of the basketball season playing in the Ukrainian league, according to team rosters found on EuroBasket. Agent Charles Misuraca told Yahoo Sports that the pro athletes are "caught between the dilemma of basketball and life."

“If they don’t get their letter of clearance, they can’t play anymore," Misuraca said. "But if they stay and play basketball, they can end up in the middle of a war."