Miye Oni

Olumiye "Miye" Oni[1] (born August 4, 1997) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Yale Bulldogs. Listed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and 206 pounds (95 kg),[2] he plays the shooting guard position. Oni was named Ivy League Player of the Year in 2019 and is a three-time All-Ivy League selection.

Miye Oni
Oni handles the ball for Yale in December 2018
No. 81 – Utah Jazz
PositionShooting guard / Small forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1997-08-04) August 4, 1997
Northridge, California
NationalityNigerian/American
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeYale (2016–2019)
NBA draft2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 58th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–presentUtah Jazz
2019–2020→Salt Lake City Stars
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Oni, who is of Nigerian descent, grew up in Northridge, Los Angeles and began playing high school basketball at Viewpoint School, where he was named the divisional player of the year. He was lightly recruited at Viewpoint and committed to Williams College of the NCAA Division III. After drawing more interest as a senior at Viewpoint, he committed to Yale, but admissions rules forced him to play an additional season of prep basketball at Suffield Academy before college.

Early life

Oni was born to Nigerian parents Opeyemi and Oludotun Oni. His father is a professor at the University of Phoenix and an engineer.[1] Oni began playing basketball at age two with a toy hoop and joined a YMCA league with his older sister at age five.[3] From a young age, he had aspirations to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and admired Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.[4] In addition to basketball, he played football, mainly as a safety and wide receiver, and baseball.[3]

High school career

Oni started playing high school basketball at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, California under head coach J. J. Prince. He played for the junior varsity team in his freshman season, when he stood 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and weighed 140 pounds (64 kg).[5] As a junior, Oni suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the season.[6] The injury hindered his college recruiting because he did not have film to show college coaches before his senior year.[1] Oni stood 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg) by the time he was a senior.[5] He had a breakout final season for Viewpoint, averaging 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists and being named California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division 5AA player of the year.[7]

At Viewpoint, Oni did not draw interest from NCAA Division I basketball programs and was only recruited by Division III school Williams College, where he committed in the fall of his senior year of high school. However, Williams did not offer enough financial aid for his family to meet the cost of attendance.[1] During his senior season at Viewpoint, Oni attracted attention from Yale assistant coach Matt Kingsley. After watching his highlight video in the spring of 2015, Yale head coach James Jones offered him, and Oni committed to play for the team on July 1, 2015.[6][8]. However, since Yale admissions were closed, he spent his next season playing for Suffield Academy, a prep school in Suffield, Connecticut, located near Yale University.[1]

With Suffield, Oni averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and earned New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class A player of the year distinction.[7] On February 5, 2016, he scored 52 points with 11 three-pointers versus Wilbraham & Monson Academy at the National Prep School Invitational, breaking his school record and Shabazz Napier's tournament record.[7][9] Oni was named most outstanding player of the event.[7] He was a nominee for the 2016 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.[10]

College career

Freshman

Oni made his debut for Yale on November 13, 2016, recording a team-high 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in a 98–90 upset win over Washington.[11] In his next game, he posted 13 points, 10 rebounds, and a season-best 5 blocks in an 89–81 victory over Lehigh.[12] Oni claimed Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors in each of his first three weeks with Yale.[13] On February 25, 2017, he scored a season-high 27 points while chipping in 7 rebounds and 4 assists, in a 99–86 win over Dartmouth.[14] By the end of the season, Oni was averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.[15] He earned second-team All-Ivy League recognition and was named conference Rookie of the Week on five occasions during the season.[16][15]

Sophomore

Entering the 2017–18 season, the Hartford Courant speculated that the Yale duo of Oni and Makai Mason could be "one of the top backcourts in the country."[17] On November 14, 2017, his third appearance in his sophomore season, he led all scorers with 20 points in an 86–54 victory over South Carolina State.[18] Oni erupted for 26 points, his best mark in the season, and recorded team-highs of 7 rebounds and 4 assists on November 25, in a 79–73 loss to Vermont.[19] On February 24, 2018, he flirted with a triple-double in an 83–73 win over Columbia, matching his season-high of 26 points while leading his team with 9 rebounds and 8 assists.[20] Through 29 games, Oni averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, leading Yale in all three categories.[7][15] He tied the school record for three-pointers attempted in a single season, with 184.[21] Oni was a three-time Ivy League Player of the Week, unanimous first-team All-Ivy League pick, and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 13 second-team selection.[7]

Junior
Oni (right) skies for a block in December 2018.

Oni made his junior season debut on November 9, 2018, scoring 16 points in a 76–59 win over California at the Pac-12 China Game held in Shanghai.[22] On November 21, he posted his first double-double of the season, leading his team with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 79–70 loss to Vermont.[23] On December 1, Oni scored 29 points and was named game MVP in a 77–73 victory over Miami (Florida) at the Hoophall Miami Invitational.[24][25] He erupted for 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, leading his team in each category, on February 2, 2019 in an 89–68 win over Dartmouth. Oni was the first Yale player to record a 30-point game since Anthony Dallier in 2017.[26] In his next game, a 74–60 victory over Princeton, he posted a career-high 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Oni scored the most single-game points in school history since Greg Mangano in 2012.[27] He delivered another strong performance on March 1, when he scored 30 points—shooting 9-of-11 from the field—to help Yale defeat Cornell, 88–65, and clinch a spot in the 2019 Ivy league Tournament.[28] By the end of the regular season, Oni was averaging a team-best 17.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He was named Ivy League Player of the Year, becoming the third Yale player to win the award.[29]

In his junior season, Oni frequently attracted attention from NBA scouts, who visited all of his games to see him play.[30] He was considered a top-50 prospect for the 2019 NBA draft and became the first Ivy League player to be drafted since 1995.[4] In December 2018, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski predicted that he would be a first-round pick.[30]

Professional career

Utah Jazz (2019–present)

On June 20, 2019, Oni was selected as the 58th pick of the 2019 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. His draft rights were traded to the Utah Jazz.[31] With the selection, Oni became the first Ivy League men's basketball player picked in the NBA draft since Jerome Allen in 1995 and the first Yale Bulldogs men's basketball player picked since Chris Dudley in 1987.[32] On July 15, 2019, the Utah Jazz signed Oni.[33] He was assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars for the start of the NBA G League season. He scored a season-high 28 points for the Stars in a win over the Memphis Hustle on January 10, 2020.[34]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019–20 Utah 10110.9.375.368.8001.7.4.4.23.5
Career 10110.9.375.368.8001.7.4.4.23.5

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Yale 292831.2.441.396.7846.32.7.71.112.9
2017–18 Yale 292632.8.405.310.7506.03.6.9.815.1
2018–19 Yale 292831.0.441.371.7936.33.6.91.317.1
Career 878231.7.428.356.7776.23.3.91.015.0

Personal life

At Yale University, Oni was a major in political science.[30] He has been praised for his academic performance, with Yale assistant basketball coach Justin Simon saying, "To maintain his grades at the level he has—the guys respect his work ethic."[4] After being drafted, Yale allowed him to complete his degree.

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References
  1. Zagoria, Adam (January 7, 2019). "How Yale's Miye Oni Went From Division 3 College Commit to An NBA Prospect". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  2. "Official NBA bio of Miye Oni". NBA.com. NBA. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. Kent, Richard (March 1, 2019). "Q&A with Oludotun Oni, father of Miye Oni". Ivy Hoops Online. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  4. Belli, Brita (March 14, 2019). "Heading into "Ivy Madness," all eyes on NBA prospect Miye Oni". Yale University. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  5. Fattal, Tarek (January 5, 2019). "Former Viewpoint basketball player Miye Oni emerging as first-round NBA prospect". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  6. Jacobs, Jeff (January 11, 2019). "The NBA may be in his future, but Miye Oni is relishing a special season at Yale". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  7. "Miye Oni". Yale University. Archived from the original on March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  8. "Miye Oni". ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  9. Evans, Corey (February 5, 2016). "NPSI Day One: Miye Oni scorches the nets". HoopSeen. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  10. "2016 McDonald's All American Games Nominees" (PDF). McDonald's All-American Game. February 1, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  11. "Bulldogs Stun Washington 98-90". Yale University. November 13, 2016. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  12. "Five Players In Double Figures In 89-81 Win Over Lehigh". Yale University. November 17, 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  13. "Miye Oni's college career with Yale men's basketball team off to a great start". New Haven Register. December 2, 2016. Archived from the original on February 6, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  14. "Bulldogs One Step Closer To Clinching Berth In Ivy League Tournament". Yale University. February 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  15. "Miye Oni Player Profile". RealGM. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  16. "Men's Basketball All-Ivy, Postseason Awards Announced". Ivy League. March 8, 2017. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  17. Conner, Desmond (October 13, 2017). "Yale's Oni, Mason, Could Be One Of Best Backcourts In 2017-18". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  18. "Bulldogs Roll Over South Carolina State 86-54". Yale University. November 14, 2017. Archived from the original on March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  19. "Vermont Holds Off Yale 79-73". Yale University. November 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  20. "Bulldogs Punch Ticket To Ivy League Tournament, Knock Off Columbia 83-73". Yale University. February 24, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  21. "Team & Individual Records" (PDF). Yale University. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  22. "Oni, Swain Pace Yale With 16 Points". Yale University. November 9, 2018. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  23. "Vermont Edges Yale 79-70". Yale University. November 21, 2018. Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  24. "Miye Oni leads Yale's 2nd-half rally past Miami, 77-73". USA Today. Associated Press. December 1, 2018. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  25. "Oni Scores 29 Points, Named Game MVP". Yale University. December 1, 2018. Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  26. "Oni Scores 31, Bulldogs Rout Dartmouth". Yale University. February 2, 2019. Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  27. "Oni Scores 35 As Bulldogs Knock Off Princeton 74-60". Yale University. February 8, 2019. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  28. "Bulldogs Clinch Spot In IvyMadness, Hammer Cornell 88-65". Yale University. March 1, 2019. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  29. Fuller, Jim (March 12, 2019). "Yale's Miye Oni named Ivy League Player of the Year". New Haven Register. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  30. Amore, Don (March 18, 2019). "For Yale's Miye Oni, the story just keeps getting better". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  31. "Warriors Select Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall in 2019 NBA Draft". NBA.com. June 21, 2019. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019. The Warriors selected Yale University's Miye Oni with the 58th overall pick in the second round before completing a trade with Utah to send Oni's draft rights to the Jazz in exchange for cash considerations.
  32. McCormack, William; Zillo, Cristofer (June 21, 2019). "Miye Oni selected by Golden State, traded to Utah Jazz with 58th pick in 2019 NBA draft". Yale Daily News. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  33. "Utah Jazz sign Miye Oni". NBA.com. July 15, 2019. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  34. "Jazz's Miye Oni: Leads squad with 28 points Friday". CBS Sports. January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
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