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The I-5 Corridor caught up with the former Oregon guard to chat about meeting Kobe, playing in Europe, Oregon’s Final Four run and that one big what if.
March is far less mad for Dylan Ennis these days.
Now seven years removed from his run to the Final Four with the Ducks, the former Oregon guard is a seasoned pro across the water. He’s played in Serbia, Monaco, Turkey and is currently making a home in Spain, where he’s in his first season with UCAM Murcia and averaging 15 points and 3.2 assists per game.
He’s got a contract signed for next year. He and his wife, Megan, a former Oregon women’s basketball player, have a house. Frankly, Ennis said it’s pretty cool that when he comes home from a road trip, like on Thursday when he spoke to The I-5 Corridor, it actually feels like home.
“I get to pick up my kids in two hours,” Ennis said. “If it was just me and my wife it would be different. But having kids, my daughter is four, my son is two, for them to start to building relationships with their classmates and to know that we’re coming back, it’s amazing.”
The I-5 Corridor spoke with Ennis about his time in Europe, his two years playing for Dana Altman at Oregon, meeting Kobe Bryant, Dillon Brooks’ insane gym workouts and what it’s like to not make the NBA.
How has your view of playing overseas changed over time?
I think my first two years I still had that inkling to get back to the NBA. I remember my second year, in December, Denver asked me if I wanted to come on a two-way (contract). Two-ways weren’t the same as they are now, they were very new, and for me, I had my daughter on the way, I was playing great, it was one of my best years, so I ended up declining. I think from there on I really just decided that, OK, I’m overseas, the NBA might not call, but I’m just going to focus on being in every place. I’ve made sure that I’ve connected with fans. I’ve eaten the domestic foods. Any cultural things they do, I make sure my family are a part of it. It’s really been amazing. And I think when I changed that mindset from ‘Just coming over for 10 months’ to instead being here and being a part of the city, I’ve loved it so much and my career has gone so great because of that.
Not hearing your name on draft day and nobody wanting to pick you up, it’s tough. You spend your whole life wanting to be in the NBA. And then when you get over here, I know a lot of guys don’t enjoy it and go back and I think the reason why they go back so fast is because they’re not where their feet are at.
I decided wherever I’m at in the world I’m going to enjoy it and make sure I’m in that moment. It’s helped me become a better basketball player because my mind is here.
I’ve enjoyed everywhere I’ve been. I’ve made sure to pick places that I can enjoy, that my family can enjoy. It’s not just been about money. Don’t get me wrong, having a lot of money is great. But you can’t put a price on your sense of peace. And I’ve really been able to enjoy that balance.
How much did coming to Oregon change your life?
I had that injury that kept me there for that second year, and I always tell people that changed my life forever. Being out for that entire year allowed me to work on myself and find out what I like other than basketball. It helped me learn how to take care of my body a lot better. God willing my streak keeps going, but I’ve only missed four games in seven years here overseas. One game was COVID. One game was because my daughter was born and two games were because I got ejected. So, that injury helped me educate myself about my body and how to approach the game and be a professional.
And obviously the Final Four was amazing. I have friends forever. Dillon Brooks. Payton Pritchard. Jordan Bell. Chris Boucher. We still all have a group chat. Every now and then we’ll all check up on each other, so those two years at Oregon it was amazing.
You guys certainly did a number on Dana. Up until this year’s team, he wouldn’t stop talking about how much he wished his guys were like you guys. What’s your perspective on the challenges he’s faced recently and the way he’s been able to overcome them?
You know, college basketball has changed a lot. When I was there there was no NIL. We just had guys who wanted to work hard and be in the gym all the time. I tell everyone now, Dillon Brooks is the hardest guy I’ve ever seen working out in a gym. He could go to bed at 3 a.m. and he’s waking up at 5 a.m. to go workout. That was just the culture back in the day. And I’m not blaming NIL because I think college players are getting what they deserve now, but Dana Altman was always a coach who appreciated hard-working guys. I know it’s a transition. You see Coach K is out of the game. You see Coach Wright is out of the game. It’s an adjustment for those guys to still coach how they want and still balance NIL and the players and what those guys are looking for.
But he’s still an amazing coach who is able to get the best out of guys. You know, it took us a while for everyone to buy into his system, but once we did we were hitting on all cylinders. It was our best basketball that I think we’ve all played — that last year.
It’s funny thinking back to your time at Oregon, you were the old man in college then. Now people are getting seven and eight years of eligibility.
Everyone keeps messaging me: Dylan, you’re not the oldest guy in college basketball anymore!
Do you have any favorite specific memories from that tournament run?
Meeting Kobe was by far the best experience ever. Just being able to be in front of him and talk to him. I remember, they surprised us. We were in a conference room and we just thought we were getting shoes and then Kobe walks in. As a kid, you watch him all the time and you don’t think he’s real. And I think that’s the only time I’ve ever met somebody and I’m like, no, no, he’s not real. He’s didn’t seem real that he would be talking to us.
As a team, going to the Final Four with Chris out and all of us banding together from start to finish. I say to everyone that if it wasn’t for Chris’ injury we’d be national champs, but then again, you could look on the other side — maybe Jordan Bell doesn’t have the tournament he does. Maybe Tyler Dorsey doesn’t step up knowing he has to score more with Chris out. It could have been the other way, maybe we got more relaxed with Chris went out.
I wish we’d won it, but the story that was written was amazing.
— Tyson Alger, The I-5 Corridor
