Earlier in the year, Furman alumnus Jordan Lyons signed a contract to play overseas in Latvia for BK Ogre. In an exclusive interview with The Paladin, Lyons spoke about fulfilling his lifelong dream, and how he found success on the basketball court both collegiately and professionally.  

As of Oct. 3, Lyons officially began his first season as a professional basketball player for BK Ogre, and after playing in just three games, he is already having an incredible impact on his team. Lyons is averaging over 11 points per game in just over 20 minutes per game. Lyons’ bold presence on the court is  something Paladin fans are not surprised to see. His most spectacular achievement thus far was his debut in which he was able to capitalize time on the court with 25 points in 31 minutes. That game, he led the team in both of those categories while also racking up two steals. Lyons is making big strides, but even with BK Ogre’s early season success, he believes that they “haven’t even come close to reaching [their] potential.” This is indeed a promising outlook, and Jordan Lyons' future is looking bright.  

When reflecting on the differences between playing in college and playing professionally, Lyons noted his current ability to designate much more of his time to improving himself in a manner that is much more applicable to his career. “A lot of the previous things I had to commit to in the past like school are no longer there, so I get to put my focus every day into growing as a man and becoming a better basketball player.” Coming from an academically demanding university like Furman, Lyons undoubtedly had to set aside basketball for his academics at many points in his college career.  

In addition to Lyons stepping up to commit himself completely to basketball, everyone around him has the same mindset. While Furman has a powerful basketball program, it is still a university, and all players are required to be the best students they can be.  When playing basketball is your livelihood, actions on the court carry more weight; Jordan understands this clearly and has devoted himself to the process.  He said, “I also love the fact that at this level, everyone is a professional, and this is everyone’s livelihood.” That change is instrumental in the development of any young player’s career.  

Originally coming from Peachtree City, Georgia, Jordan Lyons is one of only two players on BK Ogre not from Latvia. Though this initially presented him with countless new challenges such as a language barrier, a new environment and a completely different culture, Lyons believes this experience will help him grow not only as a more talented basketball player, but also as a person. For Lyons, this has been an incredible step forward in his career. He expressed, “I love just being a professional and having this as my job.” Jordan is now living his dream and thriving in his new environment. BK Ogre plays today and we look forward to seeing how Lyons progresses.