Greg Mangano surrounded by campers
at Notre Dame-West Haven basketball camp

Yale graduate Greg Mangano has signed a professional contract with Antalya of the Beko Turkish Basketball League.

“It’s exciting,” Mangano said. “I did some research on the area, and it’s right on the coast and supposed to be very nice.

“I’m also playing professional ball so that’s exciting.”

Mangano set Yale’s all-time record for blocked shots and finished among the school’s all-time leaders in several categories. The 23-year-old from Orange averaged 18.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game his senior year, earning first-team All-Ivy honors.

Mangano boosted his pro stock with a solid stint at the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament where he averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 block.

But despite the accolades and solid tryouts with several NBA teams he went undrafted in the NBA draft a couple of weeks ago.

“My agent said that if I was European, I would have been drafted 50th,” Mangano said. “It’s kind of disappointing, but without a doubt the NBA still doesn’t respect the level of competition in the Ivy League.

“Then again I had my best games (numbers-wise) against Florida and Wake Forest.”

Mangano said he feels that he was “just as good or even better than several players picked in the final dozen NBA selections.”

Said Mangano: “The NBA has always been the goal and is still the goal. I have to go over to Turkey and have a good year to prove that I can play against good competition. I just can’t have an average year there. I don’t have to average 22 points and 14 rebounds, but I also can’t score 10 points and grab four rebounds. They also want me to put more weight on, which has always been the case.

“Playing in the NBA summer league was still a possibility, but then I got this offer and I felt it was the best for me,” he said. “I could have stayed home and played in the NBA D-League, and I had some very intriguing offers, but I feel that this will be a great place to start (my professional career).”

Mangano, a 6-10 post player with great range, will join a league with a solid American presence. Antalya finished 13th last season in the 16-team league featuring a backcourt of former Villanova stars Scott Reynolds and Corey Fisher.

The Beko League is regarded as one of the top professional leagues in Europe and the same league that tried to lure Kobe Bryant during last year’s NBA strike.

Antalya also signed Seton Hall guard Jordan Theodore last week and had been eyeing a deal with the Pirates’ Herb Pope.

Follow Bill on Twitter @BillCloutier. To receive breaking news first, simply text the word nhsports to 22700. *Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.

With the NBA draft approaching on June 28, a pair of Bulldogs are working to boost their professional resumes.

Mangano, a 6-10 post player with a deft outside touch, is regarded as a possible second-round selection. He has appeared on some mock drafts.

But Jones feels that if Mangano isn’t selected, it could be the best thing for him.

Reggie Willhite/Yale photo

“If he doesn’t get picked he becomes a free agent and then he has the pick-and-choose option where he can decide where he feels he has the best chance of making a roster,” Jones said.

Jones said that Mangano has already worked out in a couple of NBA camps. He has workouts planned with the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and the Boston Celtics beginning on June 17. He is also scheduled to work out for the Bucks and the Jazz.

If Mangano doesn’t get selected, he could reach a free-agent deal immediately after the draft is concluded.

“I’ve called the Celtics and the Sixers to set up things for Greg,” Jones said. “None of the general managers have called me, but I believe they don’t do that because they know that all they’d hear is someone trying to sell their player. They’ve probably called (other Ivy League coaches) to talk to them about Greg.”

Willhite, a 6-4, first-team All-Ivy selection, worked out for the Celtics on June 1, and Jones was told that his former swingman posted the second-best conditioning score in the history of the team. Willhite is certainly a candidate for the NBA D-League which produced Jeremy Lin last season. He is an explosive leaper and defensive wizard.

Yale's Greg Mangano wrapped an impressive showing at Portsmouth Invitational, a showcase for college seniors eyeing pro careers.

Mangano ended his stay at the Portsmouth Invitational by scoring nine points and grabbing three rebounds in Cherry Bekart & Holland’s 78-75 loss to Portsmouth Partnership in the third-place game. Mangano started at forward, played 21 minutes and was 4-of-9 from the field. In three games at the Invitational, Mangano averaged 10.7 points and six rebounds. More importantly he showed the many NBA and international scouts on hand that he can play away from the basket. He shot 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from three-point range in the three games. Mangano, a two-time first team All-Ivy selection, enjoyed an outstanding career for the Bulldogs. He is Yale’s all-time leader with 213 career blocked shots, which is the third most in Ivy League history. In addition, he finished sixth in school history with

Greg Mangano made a good first impression at the Portsmouth Invitational, scoring 10 points, grabbing six rebounds and blocking three shots to help Cherry Bekart & Holl to an 85-73 victory over K&D Rounds Landscaping on Wednesday night.

Mangano started at forward and played 23 minutes. He was 4-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. He was one of three Ivy League players in the game. His teammate -Harvard’s Keith Wright - had nine points and seven rebounds. Penn’s Zack Rosen scored four points and handed out six assists for K&D Rounds. Mangano’s team will play next on Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Portsmouth Sports Club. The Portsmouth Invitational is a four-day, 12-game tournament that is played in front of representatives from every NBA team and a number of overseas teams. Mangano, a two-time first team All-Ivy selection for the Bulldogs, enjoyed an outstanding career. He is Yale’s all-time leader with 213 career blocked shots, which is the third most in Ivy League history. In addition, he finished sixth in school history with 735 career rebounds and 13th in school history with 1,213 career points.

Mangano Invited To Portsmouth Invitational

Skills Will Be On Display For NBA Scouts In April

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Greg Mangano will have the opportunity to showcase his skills for NBA scouts when he participates in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational in April.

Mangano, who leads the Ivy League in scoring (18.5 ppg.), rebounding (9.7 rpg.) and blocks (62), will be one of the top seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, 12-game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team. The Invitational runs from April 11-14 in Portsmouth, Va.

Mangano has enjoyed an outstanding career for the Bulldogs. His 210 career blocks are the most all-time at Yale and the third most in Ivy League history. In addition, he is seventh in school history with 708 career rebounds, and his 1,166 career points are the 15th most by a Yale player.

Over the summer, Mangano was a part of the 12-player roster that represented the United States in the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China. In six games during the tournament, Mangano averaged 3.2 points and 3.2 rebounds. The team was coached by Purdue's Matt Painter.

As a junior, Mangano finished ninth in the nation in blocked shots (3.0 per game) and 24th in rebounding (10.0 rpg.). He averaged 16.3 points and was a unanimous first team All-Ivy selection and earned all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Mangano led the Ivy League in rebounding and blocked shots and was second in scoring. He was the first Ivy player to average a double-double for the season since Harvard’s Kyle Snowden in 1995-96. His numbers were even more impressive in Ivy games where he averaged 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds, which both led the league.

Mangano was dominant on both ends of the floor. His 85 blocks were the most in a season in school history and the third most in Ivy history. In addition, his 51 blocks in league games were a new Ivy record

He also became the first Yale player since Chris Dudley in 1986-87 to average a double-double for the season.

“Greg has performed extremely well over the last two seasons, and he is well deserving of this honor,” said James Jones, The Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Yale.

This year is the 60th annual Portsmouth Invitational. Notable players who have participated over the years include Dave Cowens, John Lucas, John Stockton, Tim Hardaway and Scottie Pippen.

Yale center Greg Mangano has been invited to participate in the Team USA open tryouts over the summer.
Mangano, who will be a senior next season, is one of just under 30 of the nation’s top college basketball players to receive an invitation. Twelve players will be selected to the team.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to even get a tryout,“ Mangano said. “I found out yesterday and don’t know a lot of the details. I’ll get a chance to play with some of the best players in the country who are my age.
“It’s going to be the rest returning college players in the country. I know they’ll put together a great team and hopefully I’ll be able to make it.”
Mangano recently entered the NBA draft but withdrew his name from consideration just before the deadline in order to maintain his collegiate eligibility. He did not hire an agent and will finish his education at Yale.
“I looked at the draft a lot more,” said the first-team All-Ivy selection. “There’s a lot of guys who decided to come back to college. It’s still going to be great competition and I wouldn’t say that the draft was weak this year but hopefully I’ll get a chance to show what I can do against some of the great competition.”
Yale coach James Jones said that Mangano, who averaged 16.3 points and 10 rebounds a game last season, entered the draft process very late which prevented most NBA teams from making contact with the 6-10, 240-pounder from Orange.
“I did get a call from the San Antonio Spurs who wanted to know how serious he was about coming out,” Jones said. “They wanted to fly him down for a workout. He entered the process late but it was still beneficial.
“I don’t know if Greg will be drafted next year but I want him to get invited to the pre-NBA draft camp and then at least get into the (NBA Developmental League).”
Said Mangano: “As far as getting my name out there it served the purpose. I still it was a good decision and I’m glad I went through with it but this USA tryout is great. Basketball-wise things are going well.”
Jones said that Mangano is becoming a more complete player with every practice.
“Greg practically dominated every Ivy League game he played in last year,” Jones said. “I gave him (former Yale star and NBA veteran) Chris Dudley’s stats. I showed him that he averaged over four offensive rebounds a game.
“That’s what Greg has to do. He averaged 10 rebounds a game last year and only about one offensively. He has to attack the basket, dominate the offensive boards and live on the free throw line.
“If he does that he’s going to have a special season.”
The national team tryouts are expected to include Ohio State freshman center Jared Sullinger and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.
Contact Bill Cloutier at 203-789-5653. Follow Bill on Twitter @BillCloutier. To receive breaking sports news first — simply text the word “nhsports” to 22700. Standard msg+data rates may apply.

By Bill Cloutier
Assistant Sports Editor
bcloutier@nhregister.com
Yale junior center Greg Mangano has declared himself eligible for the NBA. Mangano, from Orange, has not hired an agent in order to retain his with the school.
Mangano had a breakout junior season in which he finished ninth in the nation in blocked shots (3.0 per game) and 24th in rebounding (10.0). The former all-stater from Notre Dame-West Haven averaged 16.3 points and was a unanimous first team All-Ivy selection and earned all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Mangano said that at this time he fully intends on returning to Yale for his senior season.
"Coach (James) Jones told me there were some teams thta expressed some interest and he said that this path was the best thing for me to do right now," Mangano said. "It's get's me some exposure.
"I fully intend on pulling my name out by the May 8 deadline. There is a form I have to send into the NBA offices by May 8. I haven't hired an agent and that will get me fully reinstated by the NCAA."
Mangano didn't disclose which teams have shown interest.
"The most important thing to me right now remains the fact that I came to Yale to get a first class education and graduate from this university," Mangano said. "The decision to declare for the draft is just something we decided would be beneficial for my future. Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine, and this may help my cause.
"It's definitely exciting. It's exciting to know there is some interest."
Mangano said his decision wasn't impacted by the commonly-held belief that this is a weak NBA draft.
"I've looked at the mock drafts but I haven't really studied them," he said. "I've read that it really isn't a strong draft this year. Next year could be a stronger draft but it really doesn't make a difference. My plan right now is to get some exposure and then come back to Yale and have a really big season next year.
"I fully intend on graduating from Yale and that’s why I went there in the first place."
Mangano led the Ivy League in rebounding and blocked shots and was second in scoring. He is the first Ivy player to average a double-double for the season since Kyle Snowden in 1995-96. His numbers were even more impressive in Ivy games where he averaged 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds, which both led the league.
Mangano, a four-time Ivy League Player of the Week selection, was dominant on both ends of the floor. His 85 blocks were the most in a season in school history and the third most in Ivy history. In addition, his 51 blocks in league games is a new Ivy record. He scored 20 points or more in nine games this season, including tallying a career-high 30 in a victory at Dartmouth. He led the Bulldogs in rebounding in all but four games and grabbed a career-high 17 at Brown.
"Greg had a tremendous junior campaign which is worthy of NBA interest," said Jones. "His ability to defensive rebound and his shot blocking ability makes him an outstanding candidate for the next level."
Underclassmen who have declared for the draft, but have not hired an agent, have until May 8 to withdraw their names from consideration and retain their eligibility.