LORETTO, Pa. – Isaiah Blackmon, the seventh leading scorer in Saint Francis University men's basketball history, has been drafted by the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League. He was taken as the 26th pick in the third round of the draft on Saturday.

"I am really excited for Isaiah! He was such a huge part of our success during his time at Saint Francis," said Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel. "His determination and work ethic are again on full display as he opens another chapter of his professional basketball career in the NBA G League. I am proud of Isaiah and all that he has accomplished so far and look forward to following his success in Greensboro!"

Blackmon played for the Red Flash from 2015-20 and ended his career with 1,606 career points and a 16.0 points per game average. He also ranks third in career 3-pointers made (218), fourth in 3-point percentage (42.0) and fifth in 3-point attempts (519). Blackmon was named the 2019-20 Northeast Conference (NEC) Player of the Year and earned first-team recognition. In addition, he was named a Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American and an NABC All-District 15 first-team selection. A three-time NEC Player of the Week, Blackmon scored 564 points and averaged 18.8 points per game in his Player of the Year campaign.

Blackmon helped the Red Flash to an 88-72 overall record and a 57-33 mark in league play. Saint Francis advanced to the NEC Championship Game three times and participated in the CIT twice and the NIT once in this span.

Blackmon signed to play with the Besiktas Icrpex in the Turkish League for the 2020-21 season. He appeared in three games with two starts and posted 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in those three contests.

Blackmon becomes the first Saint Francis player drafted since Devin Sweetney was taken by the Tulsa 66ers in the 2010 NBA D-League Draft. The D-League was renamed the NBA G League starting in the 2017-18 season. Sweetney spent the preseason with the 66ers before joining Hamar of the Icleandic Urvalasdelid karla. He has played the majority of his professional career outside the United States, but Sweetney played four preseason games with the Denver Nuggets in in 2015 and signed with the Capital City Go-Go team of the NBA G League in 2018. He is currently playing for the Zob Ahan Isfahan BC team in the Iranian Basketball League.

The NBA G League is the NBA's official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league's research and development laboratory. Featuring 29 teams — 28 with one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises — the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. NBA G League Ignite will also play against G League competition.

If Blackmon makes the jump to the NBA, he would join Norm Van Lier (SFU-1966-69), Rick Hockenos (SFU- 1972-74), Mike Iuzzolino (SFU-1989-91), Kevin Porter (SFU-1968-82) and 2004 Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Maurice Stokes (SFU-1951-55) as former Red Flash standouts to play in the NBA.

The Greensboro Swarm are scheduled to open the season on Friday, November 5 at home against the Birmingham Squadron. Game time is 7 p.m.