Ex-Michigan guard Eli Brooks and longtime partner Kelly Keil get engaged following adorable proposal: IN PHOTOS

Former Michigan Wolverines guard Eli Brooks, nicknamed "The Professor," during his college basketball career, has found success in the Lega Basketball Serie A for Pallacanestro Trieste.

The former Michigan guard got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Kelly Keil, earlier in the week. He showed off the moment with adorable photos on Instagram.

Eli Brooks' pic-1

Eli Brooks' pic-2

Eli Brooks' pic-3

Eli Brooks' pic-4

---

A look at the career of Eli Brooks

Brooks played basketball for Spring Grove High School, York, scoring 2,416 points, before choosing the Wolverines as his college basketball program of choice.

He was nicknamed "The Professor" during his stint as a Michigan player due to his excellent understanding and defensive acumen for the game. During his senior year, Michigan coach Juwan Howard predicted that Brooks had the talent to play basketball professionally.

"He has a chance to play at the next level in the NBA as well as Europe," Michigan coach Juwan Howard said during Brooks' senior year. "Because a coach is going to see all the intangibles he brings that results in winning basketball."

"Huge," Howard added. "He's selfless in so many ways. He's smart, he's a competitor and his teammates can trust him. He brings it every time, all the time. He's one of the best leaders I've been around, and I've been around sports a long time. It's great to have a teammate like him because he cares about you. It's like having another coach on the floor."

Brooks was the winningest player in Michigan history, using up his extra year of eligibility due to the extra COVID-19 year awarded to athletes after the pandemic.

His father and high school coach, James Brooks, was effusive in his praise for Eli when the latter called time on his Michigan career.

"It's amazing that a kid from Spring Grove made it this far," James Brooks said. "I keep telling everyone that. He's left a lasting impression on Michigan athletics."

Brooks declared for the 2022 NBA Draft but went undrafted. He was signed to a free agent contract with the Indiana Pacers, where he played for Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team's G-League team.

He averaged 24 minutes a game with the team and registered 6.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Last year, he signed for the Italian basketball team, Pallacanestro Trieste of the Lega Basket Serie A, after leaving the Pacers.

Brooks hinted at a desire to play in Europe during his time in Michigan, and that prediction has come true for "The Professor."