Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Bulldogs players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Casey Simmons, a 6'7'' guard and 24-year-old professional player who graduated from Yale in 2026, where he earned the prestigious All-Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year award, is currently playing professionally in Spain. In a recent Sunday night game, he played a key role in Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa's victory over the 12th-ranked Badajoz, securing an 83-72 win in the Spanish Segunda FEB, which is the third division of Spanish basketball. During the game, Simmons contributed significantly by scoring 10 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and providing 1 assist over 32 minutes of play. His performance was instrumental in helping Leonesa, now holding a 4-1 record, maintain their strong position in Group A, where they are currently placed third. Although the season is still in its early stages and much can change, Simmons has been demonstrating consistent and solid play. So far this season, Simmons has posted impressive averages of 13.4 points per game (ppg), 5.6 rebounds per game (rpg), and 1.2 steals per game (spg) across the five games he has participated in. His defensive prowess and overall contributions on both ends of the floor continue to make him a valuable asset to his team.
#2. Isaiah Kelly, a 6'7" forward and 26-year-old Bulldogs alumnus from the class of 2023, played a significant role in helping his college team secure the Ivy League Regular Season Co-Champion title that year. Currently playing professionally in Lebanon, Kelly has continued to demonstrate his impressive basketball skills on the international stage. In a recent game in the Lebanese Decathlon Lebanese Basketball League on Wednesday night, Kelly led Batroun to a hard-fought victory over the closely-ranked Antonine team, who held a 0-2 record prior to the match. Batroun triumphed with an 88-78 win, largely thanks to Kelly’s outstanding performance in his first game of the season for Batroun. During his 39 minutes on the court, Kelly delivered an impressive stat line, scoring 15 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, dishing out 7 assists, and blocking 2 shots. His all-around contributions were instrumental in securing the win and helped his team improve their standing in the league. Currently, Batroun is positioned sixth in the Lebanese Basketball League, and with Kelly’s leadership and skill, they look poised to climb higher in the rankings as the season progresses.
Other former Yale University players, who play in pro basketball:
Bez Mbeng (6'4''-G-2003, played in 2021-25) signed for Charlotte Hornets in the NBA
John Poulakidas (6'6''-G-2003, played in 2021-25) played for Dallas Mavericks in the NBA
Olumiye Oni (6'6''-G-1997, played in 2016-19) plays for Osos de Manati in Puerto Rican BSN
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Yale University basketball alumni.
Casey Simmons is last week best Bulldogs alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @yalebulldogs)
Ex-Players
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