Domask gearing up for second season in Germany

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CHAMPAIGN -- Marcus Domask has spent a significant part of his offseason back in Champaign utilizing all that Ubben Basketball Complex has to offer.

With an assist from a sizable cast of Illinois basketball staffers and managers.

There's workouts with strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher. Rehab work on his injured knee with Illini women's basketball trainer Autumn Taylor. And a rotating cast of managers willing to help out when he gets in time on the court.

Preparation for Domask's second year in professional basketball that's hit its peak this month. The 6-foot-6 swingman flies out Aug. 7 to return to Germany for his first full season with the Frankfurt Skyliners.

"I'm really appreciative of everybody that's here," Domask told The News-Gazette on Thursday after getting in another on-court session at Ubben. "Everybody's told me to come back and do what I need to do. They treat me like I'm still on the team. I'm definitely very fortunate to have these people and these resources."

Domask turned into a fan favorite during the 2024-25 season at Illinois -- his first with the program and last of his college career. The Waupun, Wis., native and Southern Illinois transfer earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, and his version of "booty ball" paired with Terrence Shannon Jr.'s relentless attacks on the basket helped the Illini go 29-9 and reach the Elite Eight.

Domask parlayed that success into a Summer League roster spot with the Chicago Bulls and stayed with the organization at the start of his first professional season. But after 31 games in the G League with the Windy City Bulls -- where he averaged 9.0 points, 3.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds -- Domask left for Germany and what he considered a better opportunity in Frankfurt.

"I talked to my agent," Domask said. "I didn't love the G League for a few reasons, but I always planned on going overseas. We found a good fit, so I just took it and went with it. The (G League) landscape, I just wasn't a huge fan."

Domask found a better fit with the Skyliners, who play in Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) -- the top league in Germany. The former Illinois guard spent the final quarter of the season in Frankfurt and averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Skyliners, who finished the year 8-24 and 16th in the 17-team league.

"I joined like 75 percent of the way through," Domask said. "It's an eight-month season, and I was there for 2-3 months. That happens more in pro ball -- people kind of come and go -- but it's definitely different and something I haven't done before and had to get used to.

"I think I showed some versatility. I don't think I played my best ball -- it was a big learning curve for me -- but I'm excited for next year."

Basketball might be a growing global game, but Domask said there were real differences from what he experienced both in college at Illinois and SIU and in the G League. Having teammates a decade older was new, but Domask said he was able to "soak up information" from them after joining the team in mid-February.

"It's definitely different," Domask said. "It's a lot more physical. Guys are older, stronger. It's more tactical Xs and Os wise versus just kind of breaking down your defender -- especially compared to the G League. The G League is a lot of iso and just trying to score where overseas is tactical.

"Understand how they're guarding. Understand what we want to do. The players have more input. If I'm running point, I'm calling all the plays and running the show. It's different in that way, too."

Domask had to adjust to life off the court in Germany, too. He joined the Skyliners in time to play one BBL Cup game on Feb. 15 and then didn't play again until March when league play resumed. His 13-game run in Frankfurt was spread across two months.

"You've got a lot of time on your hands -- a lot of free time," Domask said. "It's learning how to balance basketball but find other things to do to keep your mind off of just basketball."

Domask used his free time to explore both Frankfurt and the surrounding area since he had use of a car. His parents, Dan and Patti, also visited.

"Take in a new culture," he said was his goal. "I had never been overseas other than the foreign trip I took when I was (at Illinois). It was a lot to soak in."