NEW HAVEN, Conn.- After standout careers at Yale, John Poulakidas and Bez Mbeng are taking their talents to the next level, signing summer league contracts following the 2025 NBA Draft. Poulakidas signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Mbeng signed with the Golden State Warriors. Additionally, Danny Wolf, who played with the Bulldogs from 2022 to 2024, was selected in the first round of the draft as the 27th overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets.
"So excited for Bez, John and Danny as they start their NBA journeys," said James Jones, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Men's Basketball. "All three men are extremely hard workers and I'm looking forward to their growth and accomplishments."
Mbeng's next stop will be joining the Golden State Warriors for the California Classic, which will take place at the Chase Center on July 5th, 6th and 8th. He and Poulakidas will then play in the NBA Summer League, held 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 broadcast across ESPN networks and NBA TV.
"After a great discussion with my agency, I am very excited to be joining the Warriors for summer league," said Mbeng. "It has always been my dream to be in the NBA, and I am grateful to be given this next opportunity."
Mbeng, became the first Ivy player to win Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors, after leading the nation with three triple-doubles and was one just six active players with multiple career triple-doubles. The Potomac, Maryland native also scored double figures in 23 games this season, including both Ivy Madness games, where he earned All-Tournament honors.
The senior concluded his outstanding collegiate career with 1,189 points, 449 assists, and 195 steals, graduating as Yale's all-time leader in career steals. His 449 assists also rank second in program history.
"After a great conversation with Lawrence Frank and Trent Redden, I'm excited and grateful for this opportunity," said Poulakidas. "Nothing worth having comes easy and I'm ready to get to work!"
Poulakidas, a standout shooter from deep, led the Ivy League in scoring and earned First Team All-Ivy honors this season. The senior reached double figures in 26 games this season, including 14 games with 20 or more points, highlighted by a stellar 25-point performance in the Ivy Madness championship game that earned him All-Tournament MVP honors. Additionally, Poulakidas ranked 18th in the nation with 3.22 three-pointers per game.
A native of Naperville, Illinois, he also cemented his place in the Yale record books by finishing second all-time with 243 career three-pointers. His 87 threes this season were the second-most ever in a single season for the program. He concluded his career with 1,362 points, placing him 10th on Yale's all-time scoring list, while his 243 made threes remain the second-highest total in school history.
Wolf, who played two seasons with the Bulldogs before transferring to Michigan, was a First Team All-Ivy selection in 2023–24. He led the Ivy League in rebounding (9.7 rpg), recorded 14 double-doubles, and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 Ivy League Tournament after posting nine points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and four blocks in the championship win over Brown. He also helped lead Yale to a 78-76 upset over No. 4 seed Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Wolf becomes the first player with Yale ties to be selected in the first round since Tony Lavelli in 1949.
