Neuqua Valley alum and Yale basketball star John Poulakidas signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, joining their NBA Summer League roster.
A chance at an NBA roster after a decorated Ivy League career
The Naperville native led the Ivy League in scoring with 19.4 points per game and earned First Team All-Ivy League honors this season. Additionally, Poulakidas ranked 18th in the nation with 3.22 three-pointers per game as Yale won the Ivy League tournament, advancing to the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive season.
Poulakidas served as a high-scoring sharpshooter for the Bulldogs, finishing second all-time with 243 career three-pointers. His 87 threes in 2024-25 were the second-most ever in a single season for the program. He finished his career with 1,362 points, placing him 10th on Yale’s all-time scoring list.
“After a great conversation with Lawrence Frank and Trent Redden, I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said John Poulakidas. “Nothing worth having comes easy, and I’m ready to get to work!”
Poulakidas will play in the NBA Summer League for the Clippers, which will be held from July 10–20 in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. All 30 NBA teams will participate in the 11-day event, which features 75 games and will be broadcast across ESPN networks and NBA TV.
Joining Poulakidas on the Summer League roster for the Clippers are first-round selection Yanic Konan Niederhauser from Penn State and Northern Illinois University, and Kobe Sanders from Nevada. Fellow undrafted free-agent Jahmyl Telfort from Butler will play for the Clippers this summer as well.
With a strong performance in the Summer League, the former Wildcat will look to secure a full contract, a training camp invite, or an opportunity with another NBA team.
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