In the 2006 NBA Draft, Maurice Ager was selected 28th overall by the Dallas Mavericks — a moment that capped a college career at Michigan State University and opened the door to professional basketball for the Detroit native.

Ager was born on February 9, 1984, in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up to become a United States citizen who would make his mark on the hardwood. He arrived at Michigan State and suited up for the Spartans from 2002 through 2006. As a junior in 2005, he averaged 14 points per game and was part of the Spartans squad that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. He carried that momentum into his senior season, when he led the entire Big Ten Conference in scoring — a strong individual achievement heading into the draft.

The Mavericks used that 28th pick to bring Ager into the NBA, and he spent parts of four seasons in the league. After his time in Dallas, he also played for the New Jersey Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves, moving between rosters as many young players do while trying to establish a foothold in the league. When NBA opportunities became limited, Ager continued competing at a professional level in the NBA Development League, keeping his game sharp in the league's pipeline system. He also took his career overseas, playing professional basketball in Spain, which extended his time as a working professional in the sport well beyond his NBA tenure.

Ager's path from Detroit to Michigan State and then into professional basketball across multiple leagues and countries reflects a career built on persistence. His most concrete mark at the college level remains leading the Big Ten in scoring during his senior year, a distinction that put him among the conference's top performers heading into the 2006 draft class. After retiring from professional play, Ager is counted among the former professional basketball players who came out of Michigan State's program during that era.