Joe Alexander, the eighth overall pick to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2008 NBA Draft, was not able to meet expectations during his brief NBA career due to injures, but the 25-year-old wing was not going to give up his dream.

After a few attemtps to get back to the NBA, Alexander went to Russia and signed with Krasnye Krylya Samara last summer. Alexander averaged 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds in 22 minutes in this Russian championship this season before injuries stuck again. Just couple of days ago Alexander parted ways with Krasnye Krylya and returned to the States where he continues his rehabilitation.

Alexander talked with RealGM about his NBA experience, the Bucks and Russia.

First of all, do you think leaving West Virginia after your junior year was the best decision?

It was definitely the best thing to do at that time. West Virginia had just completed a terrific season, so I felt like I was done there, and it was okay to move on. And I was thristy to challenge the NBA players.

Did you expect to be called so early in NBA Draft?

I was not certain when I would be called. There is a lot of uncertainty on draft day for almost everyone, and I had hoped to be called early. But in the days leading up to the draft I just did not know for sure.

In your opinion, were the Bucks the right team for you at that time?

There were other teams that could have been better for me, but Milwaukee was not a bad place or a bad team. Like in any situation in life, it is up to a person to make the most out of what they are given, and to make it into something positive. I am happy with what I was able to produce in Milwaukee, and I think I improved a lot as a player and learned a lot while I was there.

What were the main reasons of you struggling to adapt to NBA game?

Well, adapting to the NBA game was never a problem. The problem I had was getting injured, and never being able to play healthy during my two years in the NBA. If I did not have those injuries, things would be different.

If you would have a chance to change something, would you do anything different at the beginning of your NBA career?

I would do everything differently. Being young in the NBA is a struggle, and there is a lot to learn. If I could go back, I would probably change every single thing that I did, both on the court and off the court.

Did living abroad while growing up help you to adapt to Russia easier?

I think it has helped me a lot, yes. The main struggle when you live somewhere new is learning to enjoy the area, have a positibe outlook on it, and not being afraid of things that are different. I feel very comfortable being away from the United States, so coming to Russia was something that I had a positive outlook on from the very start, and that definitely helped me to enjoy it.

Which things in Russia surprised you the most?

How quickly it changes from winter to summer, and how delicious all the soup is.

Was money the only reason you decided to go to Europe instead of staying in the D-League?

No, I wanted to experience the European game because it is a different style of basketball. Whenever you have new experiences you get to learn from them and take things with you when you leave, and I thought that Europe would provide that type of learning opportunity.

As you are still only 25, do you plan to make a comeback to the NBA or you see yourself more as an European player?

I think that the future is uncertain. But in either case, I will get to play basketball, and get to travel around and have fun while I do it, so I think that it will only be good no matter what happens. I would like to play in the NBA again, but I would also like to play in some European countries, so for right now I just can't anticipate what will happen.

Did you learn anything in Europe, which you could use back in the NBA?

I learned how to shoot three pointers from Dragan Labovic.

Jaycee Carroll has always been known as a talented scorer, but only this season has Utah State’s all-time leading scorer had a chance to demonstrate his skills on the biggest European scene. Carroll, who turned 29 this week, signed a long-term contract with European powerhouse Real Madrid last summer and became one of the team’s leaders right away.

Carroll, who already had two years experience in Liga Endesa (former ACB) before debuting in Euroleague, is the winner of the RealGM 2011-12 Euroleague Sixth Man of the Year Award and also made the All-Rookie 1st Team. The guard’s statistical numbers in Euroleague were more than impressive - 14.2 points, 2.6 rebounds in 22 minutes.

RealGM recently spoke with Carroll, who shared his thoughts about this Euroleague season, playing for an organization like Real, Nikola Mirotic and the Azerbaijan national team.

RealGM: Real was unstoppable in the Euroleague regular season, but we saw a different team in the Top-16 stage where you didn’t make it to the playoffs. What happened?

Carroll: We had a bad day, just one bad day in Bilbao, where we didn’t play well (Real lost that game, 69-93). Bilbao played extremely well and because of that we missed out on the points differential and missed out on the next round of Euroleague. Other than that, we had a good run. We finished beating Montepaschi at Siena. One bad day cost us an opportunity to play in the Final Four.

RealGM: Talking about your performance, you played like an MVP candidate in regular season, but in Top 16 it seemed you slowed down a bit.

Carroll: The competition just got better. We played against better teams, which scouted more. After my good performance, teams were more focused on containing me and making things more difficult on me.

RealGM: In general, how would you evaluate your Euroleague debut season?

Carroll: Personally, I am happy with my first Euroleague season. I think I played well, I think I showed well for myself. As a team, I think we did great and we deserved to be in playoffs. Unfortunately, it was our own fault and now we have to reload and focus for the next year.

RealGM: Is it fair to say that playing in ACB in the past years have helped you to get ready for Euroleague?

Carroll: Yes. Playing in the ACB, you are constantly playing Euroleague teams like FC Barcelona Regal, Unicaja, Caja Laboral. All these traditional, great European teams. There is not much of shock factor when you play against, for example, Maccabi, because you already played two full seasons against this kind of competition.

RealGM: What is like to play for a huge organization like Real Madrid?

Carroll: Basketball and soccer is a really good mix. Honestly, coming to Madrid was great. We have practice facilities which are ours. We can keep our stuff there. There are also people, who help us out with all the equipment we need, shoes and uniforms. Everything we need is always ready there. If we need anything special, medical treatment and things like that, they can always provide us that. The opportunity to compete at highest level and stay healthy is amazing.

On the other hand, it’s fun to be associated with the soccer team. We go to Santiago Bernabeu to watch soccer games. Do we talk with soccer players? We do it sometimes. We had Christmas dinner where everybody in the club was involved. They mixed people sitting at the table; therefore I sat with Kaka and Ricardo Carvalho for most of the dinner. It was really cool experience for me.

RealGM: Have you ever been in a situation where people in the States recognized Real as soccer, not a basketball team?

Carroll: Back in the U.S., we are not big soccer followers, but we do know big stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, and we know he plays for Real Madrid. So we do associate Real Madrid with soccer. We know Kaka, who plays for Real, and we do associate it with soccer. We know [Lionel] Messi and we do know he plays for Barcelona. But as Serge Ibaka and Rudy Fernandez played for us at the beginning of the season, I think the U.S. opened it eyes to the basketball side of Real Madrid and European basketball, and how really good it is.

RealGM: In your opinion, who is the main favorite to win the Euroleague?

Carroll: The main favorite now has to be CSKA. In my mind, it seems they have been dominating throughout the whole Euroleague season. They have NBA All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, who does a little bit of everything, and few other ex-NBA players, like Nenad Krstic. FC Barcelona Regal is also definitely a very good team. They have been in this situation before.

RealGM: Bulls draftee Nikola Mirotic became one of the key players of Real Madrid. As you spend a lot of time playing and training together with him, what is your opinion about this young talent?

Carroll: Nikola Mirotic is a good player. He is tall, long and athletic. One of the tools big guys in the States don’t develop is a jump shot and he shoots the ball very well from the three-point line. He is still young, though. He still has experience to gain and he needs to understand how physical the NBA game will be. I think he will be successful and he will continue to grow as a player with our coach, Pablo Laso. I think he does a great job helping him to develop. He is a really bright future here in Europe and possibly in the NBA as well.

RealGM: You have been a frequent participant in the NBA summer league. Is it in your plans this year and do you see yourself playing in the NBA in the near future?

Carroll: No, I don’t have any plans of playing in the NBA summer league. I have a couple more years on my contract with Real Madrid. I am over here, I’m trying to make the most of the opportunities I have. I’m trying to play well and climb up the ladder. My first three years in Europe, I felt like I was always fighting to get somewhere and for the first time in my career I finally feel I am at some place, arrived at the destination. I’m really happy here in Madrid. We will see what will happen in the next couple of years, but there is not reason why I couldn’t go back to the NBA and maybe finish my career over there.

RealGM: You have an Azerbaijan passport and now you will play for their national team. Could you tell me more about that?

Carroll: There is not much to say. They were looking for a player and I was on their radar, therefore I worked hard and I did what I could, and I will be playing with them this summer. Other countries showed interest in me during my career, but it never got finalized. My family was happy because they understand it is an opportunity to play at another level competition. They were surprised at the same time but they are looking forward to it. What was my friends’ reaction? My teammates gave me a little bit of hard time, but back home, all they know is that I play basketball and that is about it.

As the Euroleague season begins to come to an end and four teams are just two wins away from winning the title at the Final Four, RealGM presents its award winners.

Andrei Kirilenko of CSKA Moscow is this season’s winner of the Euroleague MVP award. The 31-year-old forward averaged 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 blocks and has also led his team all the way to the final four with second best record in the league, 18-2.

The RealGM All-Euroleague First Team consists of last season’s MVP Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos and Montepaschi’s Bo McCalebb at guard, Kirilenko and FC Barcelona Regal’s Erazem Lorbek at forward, and another member of CSKA, Nenad Krstic at center.

The RealGM All-Euroleague Second Team includes Unics' Henry Domercant, Olympiakos' Vassilis Spanoulis and FC Barcelona Regal’s Juan Carlos Navarro at guard, Gescrap BB’s Marko Banic at forward, and Real’s young star Nikola Mirotic at center.

Banic is also the winner of the Euroelague Rookie of the Year Award, while CSKA’s Alexey Shved was the RealGM pick to win the Most Improved Played Award.

Fotios Katsikaris of Gescrap BB was named as the 2011-12 Euroleague Coach of the Year, while Real’s Jaycee Carroll is the winner of the 2011-12 Euroleague Sixth Man of the Year Award.

RealGM's 201-12 Euroleague season awards:

Euroleague MVP

Andrei Kirilenko (CSKA)

All-Euroleague 1st Team

Bo McCalebb (Montepaschi) – 16.9 points (53% 3FG), 2.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists in 28 minutes

Dimitris Diamantidis (Panathinaikos) - 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists in 30 minutes

Andrei Kirilenko (CSKA) – 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.9 blocks in 29 minutes

Erazem Lorbek (FC Barcelona Regal) – 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds in 25 minutes

Nenad Krstic (CSKA) – 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds in 24 minutes

All-Euroleague 2nd Team

Vassilis Spanoulis (Olympiakos) – 16.5 points, 2 rebounds, 3.9 assists in 30 minutes

Henry Domercant (Unics) – 15.5 points (50% 3FG), 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 32 minutes

Juan Carlos Navarro (FC Barcelona Regal) – 13.3 points, 3.2 assists in 25 minutes

Marko Banic (Gescrap BB) – 13.3 points, 4 rebounds in 25 minutes

Nikola Mirotic (Real) – 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds in 23 minutes

Rookie of the Year

Marko Banic (Gescrap BB)

All-Rookie 1st Team

Jaycee Carroll (Real) – 14.2 points, 2.6 rebounds in 22 minutes

Sonny Weems (Zalgiris) – 15.5 points, 5 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 30 minutes

Krunoslav Simon (KK Zagreb) – 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists in 30 minutes

Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets) – 11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals in 26 minutes

Marko Banic (Gescrap BB)

All-Rookie 2nd Team

Acie Law (Olympiakos) – 9.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists in 26 minutes

Jamal Shuler (SLUC Nancy) – 11.2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 29 minutes

Aaron Jackson (Gescrap BB) – 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists in 25 minutes

Anthony Tucker (Brose Baskets) – 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 23 minutes

Joshua Shipp (Galatasaray) – 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds in 28 minutes

Coach of the Year

Fotios Katsikaris (Gescrap BB)

Most Improved Player Award

Alexey Shved (CSKA) – 10.7 points (50% 3FG), 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists in 22 minutes

Sixth Man Award

Jaycee Carroll (Real)