The Ivy League asserted its presence in the National Basketball Association over the summer when Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin signed with the Golden State Warriors in late July.
Lin, who averaged 16.4 points per game for the Crimson in his senior season, became the first Asian-American to sign with an NBA team since 1947 and, when the season tips off, will likely become the first Ivy League graduate to suit up for an NBA team since 2003.
“I understand there are not many Asians in the NBA and there are not many Ivy Leaguers in the NBA,” Lin told the Associated Press. “Maybe I can help break the stereotype.”
While Lin’s signing captured the national spotlight, several other Ivy graduates also climbed the professional ranks overseas.
Taking a Jaab at Italy. After playing several summer league games for the Los Angeles Lakers, 2007 Penn graduate Ibrahim Jaaber signed with Italian team Olimpia Milano in July.
Jaaber initially impressed the Lakers organization after averaging 6.5 points, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals after starting at point guard in two summer league games.
But after ESPN caught onto the hype, Jaaber’s play worsened until he was eventually benched.
Fortunately for Jaaber — who gained dual citizenship in Bulgaria during his first European stint after college — he was able to return to Europe and landed a two-year, 1.2-million euro contract with Olimpia.
Add in an advertisement deal with Armani Jeans that he acquired while in Vegas, and the return overseas may prove to be a good investment for Jaaber.
Italian icebreaker. Though he led Cornell to an improbable NCAA tournament run, Ryan Wittman was unable to attain an elusive NBA contract this summer.
The 2009-10 Ivy League Player of the Year signed with Flugor Libertas Forli, also in Italy.
In his debut this weekend, Wittman scored just 14 points over two games — a far cry from the 17.5 points per game he racked up in his last season with the Big Red.
Wittman is one of four recent Cornell graduates to play professionally in Europe.
Classmates Jon Jaques and Jeff Foote are both playing in Israeli basketball’s highest division, while former Big Red guard Louis Dale signed with German team BG Gottingen.
From Brown to Orange. After finishing sixth in the Ivy League in scoring and receiving second team All-Ivy honors, Brown’s Matt Mullery signed with Dutch team Landstede Zwolle this summer.
After arriving in the Netherlands August 15, Mullery got acquainted quickly, providing a spark in Landstede’s first exhibition game August 28.
One of three Americans on the team’s roster, the former Brown forward has clearly transitioned better than Wittman.
In Lanstede’s two most recent exhibition matches, Mullery was his squad’s high scorer, racking up 18 points in the first game and 15 in the second.
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