By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In the 9½ years since he graduated from the University of Cincinnati, Erik Martin has seen more of the world than most of us could dream, certainly more than he ever thought he would see.

Martin has played professional basketball in seven countries on four continents. He attended training camp with the NBA's Golden State Warriors and knocked around the Continental Basketball Association for a few years, hoping to catch a break that would catapult him to fame and riches.

Recently, Martin, who arrived at UC in 1991 as a junior-college transfer from Covina, Calif., was back in Cincinnati, working out with the Bearcats' basketball team at Shoemaker Center and waiting for a call to tell him where he would go next.

While Corie Blount and Nick Van Exel have made millions in the NBA, Martin, an overachiever during his UC years, has become a citizen of the world.

"Anybody who plays basketball, their first choice would be to play in the NBA," Martin said. "But if you can't do that, at least have fun seeing the world and making money. Put off getting that 9-to-5 as long as you can."

Martin, 31, was always one of Bearcats coach Bob Huggins' favorite players because, at 6-foot-6, his specialty was effort. Martin got many of his points off offensive rebounds and routinely held his own against bigger, stronger opponents.

Martin and his teammates took UC to the Final Four in 1992 and just missed making a repeat trip in 1993, losing in overtime to North Carolina in the East Regional final.

When that game was over, Martin wasn't sure what he was supposed to do next. He had only one class to complete to earn his degree in criminal justice and that class met only once a week.

"I don't think it ever occurred to me about playing basketball after college," Martin said. "Nick and Corie had agents two or three weeks after the season. I didn't get an agent until the summer. I just assumed that it would happen. When I look back, that's dumb. I thought someone would come and tell me what to do."

But no one did. Martin wasn't invited to any NBA tryout camps, so with prodding from Huggins, he contacted the late Ron Grinker, then an NBA agent, for advice.

Grinker laid out his options, and before long, Martin found himself under contract with Yakima (Wash.) of the CBA and remarkably, in the Warriors' training camp as a free agent.

"When I got there, I didn't know the plays, and it wasn't like they were going out of their way to teach me," Martin said. "I looked at it like I'm just another body for practice, but I think if I do well, you never know in the NBA. It never materialized, so I went to the CBA that year."

Martin spent two years in Yakima, one in Omaha, Neb., and part of a season in LaCrosse, Wis. He then realized he wasn't going to play in the NBA.

Thus began an odyssey that has taken him to The Philippines, Spain, Argentina, China, Japan and most recently South Korea.

"Japan was my favorite," said Martin, who lives in Forest Park. "We played 14 games for the whole season. Their theory was, 'We want you to work hard, but we don't want to overwork you,' so you practiced Monday and Tuesday and got Wednesday off, then you practiced Thursday and Friday and got the weekend off.

"I would have loved to play all 10 years of my career in Japan. I had a ball. The teams took really good care of you. They gave you really nice apartments. The only problem was you had to ride your bicycle to practice. Certain Asian countries don't want to give you a car because they don't trust Americans. They feel like they're going to be wild."

Martin said he has been treated well every place he's been.

"As soon as they see you're black and tall, they go 'You're American! What team do you play for?'" Martin said. "They might want an autograph or want to shake your hand, or try to speak English to you so they can see if their English is good."

Martin isn't ready to quit playing yet, but realistically he knows he has only a few years left before he'll have to find a regular job. When that time comes, Martin says, he wants to become a college coach.

Martin's travels have taught him a simple lesson, but one world leaders seem to have a difficult time grasping.

"People are all the same, no matter where you go," Martin said. "If you take the culture out of everybody, we're all the same."

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com