BOZEMAN — A pair of former Montana State men's basketball players have received NBA opportunities.
RaeQuan Battle has signed with the Charlotte Hornets for Summer League, and Darius Brown II has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, MSU announced, confirming reports from DraftExpress' Jon Chepkevich.
Battle transferred to West Virginia before last year after two seasons at MSU. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Tulalip, Washington, led WVU in scoring in 2023-24 with 16.1 points per game on 40.8% shooting from the field, 33.9% from 3 and 83.5% from the free-throw line with 4.0 rebounds per game in 28.1 minutes per game. He missed the first nine games of the season because the NCAA denied his transfer waiver request and appeals.
People are also reading…
Battle transferred to MSU in 2021 after two seasons at Washington, a team now coached by Danny Sprinkle, who was Battle's coach at MSU. Battle was named the Big Sky Conference's Top Reserve in 2021-22 and earned All-Big Sky first-team honors in 2022-23. He helped the Bobcats win the conference tournament and reach the NCAA Tournament in both seasons.
![Big Sky Basketball Championships- Montana State vs. Weber State 19.JPG](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=150%2C107 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=200%2C143 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=225%2C161 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=300%2C214 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C286 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=540%2C386 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=640%2C457 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=750%2C536 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=990%2C707 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C739 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C857 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C952 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1054 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/80/d803d376-486e-5683-b2da-6bf83e44bd83/6408445a25de7.image.jpg?resize=1703%2C1216 2008w)
Montana State guard RaeQuan Battle (21) dribbles against Weber State forward Dyson Koehler (4) during the Big Sky Basketball Championships semifinal game between Montana State and Weber State at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho, Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Brown joined Sprinkle at Utah State last season and earned Mountain West all-defensive team and all-conference first team honors. The 6-foot-2 point guard from Pasadena, California, helped the Aggies win an NCAA Tournament game and finished the season averaging 12.3 points, 6.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on 44.6%/39.8%/86.5% shooting splits.
Brown joined MSU in 2022 after four seasons at Cal State-Northridge, and he earned the 2022-23 Big Sky defensive player of the year award.
![Big Sky Basketball Championships- Montana State vs. NAU final 23.JPG](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=150%2C107 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=200%2C143 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=225%2C161 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=300%2C214 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=400%2C286 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=540%2C386 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=640%2C457 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=750%2C536 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=990%2C707 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C739 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C857 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C952 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1054 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/mtstandard.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/07/a072ab83-bde4-5b3f-b617-a209a56687bc/6409a02a6b55b.image.jpg?resize=1703%2C1216 2008w)
Northern Arizona guard Jalen Cone passes the ball as Montana State guard Darius Brown II defends during the Big Sky tournament championship game at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho, Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
An Exhibit 10 contract is non-guaranteed and ends prior to the regular season. Battle and Brown could sign two-way or standard NBA deals if they perform well in Summer League and training camp.
Email Victor Flores at victor.flores@406mtsports.com and follow him on Twitter/X at @VictorFlores406