Getty MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 01: Miye Oni #25 of the Yale Bulldogs reacts against the Miami Hurricanes during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
At one point, Yale guard Olumiye “Miye” Oni couldn’t make his Viewpoint (Calif.) High School varsity team until his junior year. After an injury sidelined for all but a few games, he didn’t even have film to show colleges…so he walked on for the Bulldogs.
Only a few years later, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was stating that Oni “will be a first-round pick,” in the wake of a 91-58 Blue Devils victory. As Forbes’ Adam Zagoria states:
If, and when, he’s drafted, Oni will become the first Ivy League player drafted since current Boston Celtics assistant Jerome Allen was taken in the second round in 1995.
What the hell happened? Quite simply, the 6-foot-6, 210-pounder is producing on the court. He averages 17.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He cans 39 percent of his triple attempts, and even uses his length to record 1.3 blocks per contest.
Against Miami in December, he erupted for 29 points in a 77-73 win.
His athleticism and wide-ranging skill saw him earn looks from over 20 NBA scouts at the Ivy League Tournament last weekend. He has a chance to show up big Thursday as No. 14 seed Yale takes on No. 3 LSU in the East Regional (12:40 p.m. EST, Tru TV).
Let’s take a dive into his NBA prognostications, as well as mock drafts and big boards.
Miye Oni Draft Projections & Mock Draft
Jeremy Woo of SI.com lists him as the No. 62 overall prospect on his most recent mock draft. He states that there are “few glaring weaknesses” in Oni’s game.
Oni’s length, strength and agility on the wing have made him a prospect teams have scouted heavily this season, and he boasts a solid all-around game to go with it. In addition to a basic, effective spot-up game, he’s a solid passer, rebounder and shot-blocker who contributes across the box score. He moves his feet well defensively and should be able to stay with bigger wings. Though he isn’t a prolific shot-creator, Oni doesn’t have any glaring holes in his skill set, either. Granted, the leap from the Ivy League is steep, but Oni’s athleticism won’t be in question and will be considered in the second round. If he continues improving as a shooter, he could stick.
Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype shows in his aggregate mock draft that Oni is a strong bet to go in the second round (No. 53 overall). The highest evaluation comes from The Athletic, which has Oni going No. 39.
Our own Jon Adams leaves him off of his most recent mock draft.
Miye Oni NBA Draft Big Board Rankings
Aran Smith’s NBA Draft Net has him as the No. 78 player in his top-100 prospects list.
ESPN’s Draft Board has him as the No. 9 shooting guard and No. 51 player overall, placing him just behind Virginia’s Ty Jerome, Arizona State’s Luguentz Dort and Virginia Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Bleacher Report bestows Oni with the No. 73 spot on its NBA Draft board.
An Ivy League standout for his 6’6″, 210-pound size and scoring ability, Oni took a step forward for the second consecutive season—averaging 17.6 points and shooting 39 percent from range. His athleticism is in question though, as he gets little elevation and shoots just 50.7 percent at the rim. Oni should have a huge opportunity to boost his stock on Thursday against LSU.
That’s absolutely right. LSU boasts an NBA prospect itself with center Naz Reid, so scouts would have been looking anyways. The Tigers are vulnerable without suspended head coach Will Wade, though. With NBA eyes on Oni now, and a potential upset brewing, his profile could skyrocket this weekend.