Patterson Signs Professionally With BC iauliai
Jul 12, 2016 | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Former Omaha men's basketball player Devin Patterson has signed a contract to play professionally for BC Šiauliai in Šiauliai, Lithuania, it was announced this week. BC Šiauliai plays in the Lithuanian Basketball League and Baltic Basketball League, and the club won its third consecutive BBL championship in 2016.
Patterson, a guard from Portsmouth, Va., was a three-year starter in the Omaha program from 2013 to 2016. After leading the Summit League in steals in 2013-14 and 2014-15, he garnered second-team All-Summit recognition as a senior and averaged a team-high 18.0 points alongside 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Patterson capped his Maverick career ranked 14th in school history for scoring (1,215 points) and 3-pointers made (116), fourth for steals (175) and ninth for assists (311).
"I'm very excited to start my professional career in a great league my first year out of college," Patterson said. "It was doubted whether, as a small guard, I could even play Division I basketball, but the coaches and staff at UNO believed in me and pushed me to be a better player and man over my college career. I'm so thankful for them and the opportunity they gave me to prove myself, which has opened the doors for me to pursue professional basketball."
Patterson will join BC Šiauliai in early September. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in general studies from UNO in May 2016.
"We're excited for Devin's opportunity to play professionally overseas in Lithuania," head coach Derrin Hansen said. "He was a leader in our program the last three years and developed into a standout among the Summit League's talented guards, and he deserves a chance to play at the next level. We're proud of his accomplishments as a Maverick and look forward to seeing his professional career unfold in the coming year."
