Nets Work Out Former NCAA Tournament Standout Ahead of NBA Draft

After a productive four-year career at Yale, guard John Poulakidas earned a workout with the Brooklyn Nets.

Mar 24, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Yale Bulldogs guard John Poulakidas (4) battles San Diego State Aztecs guard Lamont Butler (5) for the ball in the second half at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the NBA Draft now less than two weeks away, teams are making their final rounds of workouts as the big day approaches.

Brooklyn’s nearly unprecedented four first-round picks are shiny and enticing, but there are also some underrated potential contributors expected to be available late in the draft or in free agency.

In an NBA pre-draft workout tracker put together by USA Today Rookie Wire's Cody Taylor, former Yale guard John Poulakidas has been added to the list of players who have worked out with the Nets. In May, Poulakidas participated in the G League Elite camp, leading all players with 16 points during the final scrimmage of the event.

Last season, the 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard was a First-team All-Ivy League selection while leading the conference with 19.4 points per game. He led the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament, where he scored 23 points in a loss to No.4 Texas A&M during the first round. Once Yale’s season was over, Poulakidas was one of just eight players selected to participate in the  E*Trade 3-Point Competition, which took place ahead of the Final Four in San Antonio.

While his showing against Texas A&M proved he can hold his own against top-tier competition, it wasn’t the first time he did that. Back in the 2023–24 season, he dropped 28 points and hit six threes to help eliminate No. 4 Auburn from the NCAA Tournament's group of 32 stage. After upsetting the Tigers, Poulakidas even earned some praise from Auburn’s head coach, long-time coaching veteran Bruce Pearl.

“Obviously they made big shots and John got hot and we just couldn’t guard him. He made some big plays and big buckets. That’s what guys got to do at the end of things,” said Pearl.

Through four seasons at Yale, Poulakidas concluded his collegiate career with averages of 12.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 43.8% from field goal range and 40.2% from three-point range.  The Naperville, Illinois native wrapped up his collegiate career with the second-most three-point field goals (243) and the tenth-most points scored (1362) in program history.