Sociology Alumnus is First Mustang to Sign with NBA
David Nwaba, 24, is the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers and the first Cal Poly alumnus to sign with the NBA.
Nwaba graduated in spring 2016 from Cal Poly with a degree in Sociology. Just months after commencement, he signed a contract to play for the Lakers' Development League (D-League) team, the Los Angeles Defenders.
"It's been a great experience," Nwaba said. "Every day I feel like I'm getting better being surrounded by great talent."
Nwaba's success in the Development-League caught the attention of the Laker front office. In 40 games with the Defenders, Nwaba averaged 14.1 points per game and 6.9 rebounds.
David Nwaba
The Lakers signed Nwaba to a 10-day contract on March 1, during which Nwaba played in six games. During those games, Nwaba averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in just 12 minutes played per contest.
Nwaba raves about the competitiveness in the NBA, saying it is exactly what he expected it to be. "The NBA game moves at a much faster pace than the Development-League," he said. "At the end of the day, it's still basketball, and I've always believed I could play at this level."
So far, Nwaba's confidence has paid off. Luke Walton, Lakers Head Coach, was quoted in an article by Laker Nation's Corey Hansford saying Nwaba deserves more time with the team.
"He's done, in my opinion, everything he can do to deserve another 10-day [contract]," Walton said. "I like his character as a person. I like his work ethic. Those are types of qualities that we want around our locker room."
Nwaba credits his work ethic to his sociology studies at Cal Poly. "Sociology has helped me learn to work with others," Nwaba said. "Being a team player and learning to adjust to certain situations - I believe it has made me a better person mentally."
On March 11, the Lakers signed Nwaba to another 10-day contract, and he was signed to a two-year contract on March 21.