Men's Basketball Alum Willie Kondrat Drafted To NBA G-League Grand Rapids Gold

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Playing for a professional sports team is always the dream for any young athlete from an early age, and for one former D’Youville University men’s basketball player, that dream has taken another step forward to becoming a reality.

This past Saturday, the NBA G-League held their annual draft and in the 110 players that were eligible to be drafted, Willie Kondrat ’23 waited for his name to be called. Of the two-round, 62-player draft, Kondrat had his named called in the second round with the 24th pick, being selected by the Grand Rapids Gold, affiliate of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA.

Kondrat played for one season with the Saints during the 2022-23 season. That season for DYU, Kondrat was selected to the East Coast Conference Second Team after averaging 21.5 points per game, which ranked second in the conference that year. Kondrat was also a glass-cleaner, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game, ranking eighth in the conference. Kondrat was also a USCAA First Team All-American selection.

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“At D’Youville, it is possible to make it to a high level no matter where you play,” Kondrat said about his alma mater. “I’m fortunate enough to have great coaches like Coach Stark and the entire coaching staff, that held me to a professional standard, was able to connect me with agents and general managers and is still there for me whenever I need him. D’Youville is a special place. Always remember it’s a marathon not a sprint!”

Upon graduation, Kondrat continued to play competitive basketball, signing a contract to play for MKKS Zak Koszalin of the Polish I Liga League. Kondrat played in 27 games for Koszalin where he averaged 14.2 points per game and shot 50.5 percent from the field. On the season, Kondrat surpassed the 20-plus point mark eight times including a pair of 30-plus points games. Kondrat scored a season-high 35 points in the team’s game against Slask 2.

“When G-League General Managers and Coaches started calling me about Willie I was not surprised,” said D’Youville head coach Andy Stark. “He always acts like a professional in everything he does, but, more importantly, he is an elite human being. Willie can fit in with any team that he plays for because he is willing to buy into whatever role is presented to him. I am so excited for him to go to a first-class organization in the Denver Nuggets/Grand Rapids Gold and be able to learn under 17 year NBA Vet, Head Coach Andre Miller.”

Kondrat will now head to training camp from now until November 7th. The NBA G-League will start on November 8th with a Tip-Off Tournament. Kondrat’s veteran presence will look to bring a boost to a Gold team that finished 14-34 a season ago.