Haralds Karlis

[Halldan1]

Haralds Karlis '15 signs pro contract with BK Valmiera in Latvia

Recent Seton Hall graduate the latest Pirates basketball player to turn pro.

Haralds Karlis

June 17, 2015

South Orange, N.J. -- Haralds Karlis '15, a four-year letterwinner on the Seton Hall men's basketball team, has signed a professional contract with BK Valmiera in his native country of Latvia, becoming the latest Pirate to develop into a pro.

Karlis, who graduated Seton Hall this past May with a bachelor's degree in social and behavioral sciences, is now one of 19 former Pirates actively playing professional basketball, 11 of which have played at least one season for head coach Kevin Willard. The 6-6 wing will also be a candidate for the Latvian National Team, which will begin European Championship qualifying rounds in September.

Karlis joins a Valmiera squad that last season played at the highest level of basketball in Latvia -- the Latvian Basketball League -- and had a successful run in the Baltic Basketball League, going 10-2 in group play before finishing sixth out of 19 teams.

Karlis played 120 career games at Seton Hall and is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star. He was one of the team's better three-point shooters during his Pirates career, sinking 64 triples, and finished his career with more assists (85) than turnovers (78). As a senior in 2014-15, he posted career bests in field goal shooting (.459) and three-point shooting (.386).

Originally from Riga, Latvia, Karlis was a star at Rigas Hanzas High School before moving to the Canarias Basketball Academy in the Canary Islands, playing against elite international amateur competition. Karlis has previous national experience, playing on Latvia's U16 and U20 national teams.

http://www.shupirates.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061715aaa.html

 

[Seton75]

Way to go Harold's and best of luck!!!

 

[Shuathelete]

None of this matters until one of our guys plays in the NBA unfortunately. ridiculous lack of success at the most sought after level

 

[Vegas pj]

Way to go Harold's and best of luck!!!

+1

 

[Vegas pj]

None of this matters until one of our guys plays in the NBA unfortunately. ridiculous lack of success at the most sought after level

Give it a rest already! Good kid, good student & good representative of SH, no matter what the level.

 

[Halldan1]

None of this matters until one of our guys plays in the NBA unfortunately. ridiculous lack of success at the most sought after level

This isn't about the team it's about the individual. A very small percentage of college players go on to play professional ball. Especially in one's own country.

Good for Haralds. Great kid now living his dream.

 

[MBF72]

Good for Harolds. Any guess what a contract in Latvia pays? Interesting in the press release that it did not mention his points per game.

Haralds Karlis '15 signs pro contract with BK Valmiera in Latvia

Recent Seton Hall graduate the latest Pirates basketball player to turn pro.

Haralds Karlis

June 17, 2015

South Orange, N.J. -- Haralds Karlis '15, a four-year letterwinner on the Seton Hall men's basketball team, has signed a professional contract with BK Valmiera in his native country of Latvia, becoming the latest Pirate to develop into a pro.

Karlis, who graduated Seton Hall this past May with a bachelor's degree in social and behavioral sciences, is now one of 19 former Pirates actively playing professional basketball, 11 of which have played at least one season for head coach Kevin Willard. The 6-6 wing will also be a candidate for the Latvian National Team, which will begin European Championship qualifying rounds in September.

Karlis joins a Valmiera squad that last season played at the highest level of basketball in Latvia -- the Latvian Basketball League -- and had a successful run in the Baltic Basketball League, going 10-2 in group play before finishing sixth out of 19 teams.

Karlis played 120 career games at Seton Hall and is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star. He was one of the team's better three-point shooters during his Pirates career, sinking 64 triples, and finished his career with more assists (85) than turnovers (78). As a senior in 2014-15, he posted career bests in field goal shooting (.459) and three-point shooting (.386).

Originally from Riga, Latvia, Karlis was a star at Rigas Hanzas High School before moving to the Canarias Basketball Academy in the Canary Islands, playing against elite international amateur competition. Karlis has previous national experience, playing on Latvia's U16 and U20 national teams.

http://www.shupirates.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061715aaa.html

 

[halltheway]

Good for Harolds, wish him ALL the best..a real gentleman on and off the court.

 

[Pirate64]

None of this matters until one of our guys plays in the NBA unfortunately. ridiculous lack of success at the most sought after level

It does matter !
Every time a Seton Hall grad does something positive in the public eye- even in Latvia- it enhances our reputation.
Hooray for Haralds- welcome to the alumni !

 

[bobojcd]

None of this matters until one of our guys plays in the NBA unfortunately. ridiculous lack of success at the most sought after level

This is one of the dumbest comments I've ever read. And I don't just mean on this board. I'm saying that since I learned to read this ranks up there as amongst the least thought-through comments I have ever had the misfortune of reading.

None of this matters? If it doesn't matter to you then please rephrase to say "none of this matters to me", because outside of your head, in the real world, it actually matters a great, great deal. It doesn't matter to Harolds? To his family? To me, and HallDan, and everyone else who enjoyed hearing this news? To those kids in Latvia he is inspiring everyday to be a baller, to get a college degree, to come home and be a contributing member of society?

This is a symptom of our sick society. Because something doesn't matter to a certain individual, that individual makes a comment that it simply doesn't matter. The thought being, it doesn't matter to me, it must not matter to anyone else. Or maybe, it doesn't matter to me, who cares if it matters to anyone else?

So my head doesn't explode, I'm going to assume Shuathlete simply misstated his feelings and doesn't actually believe that "none of this matters".

 

[wpc75]

Great post bobojcd. That response could apply to all of shuathelete's 5000 posts.

 

[knowknow456]

Congratulations Harolds! I wish you great success!