Dreams beyond the mat
Just hours before the NBA Draft kicked off in Brooklyn, Jake Islam wasn’t watching from home. Instead, the University of Michigan men’s gymnast was on the floor at Barclays Center. He was wearing an NBA credential and working behind the scenes. He was part of the league’s largest and most anticipated event of the year.
For Islam, the experience was almost surreal. “I’m here now,” he told reporters. He described how walking alongside NBA players and celebrities made the reality truly sink in. The event was a dream come true for someone. He had always imagined a life beyond competition, rooted in the world of sports.
His journey began in Suffield, Conn., a small town with a population of nearly 16,000 people. From an early age, Islam knew two things about himself. He loved gymnastics and he loved sports. As he explored college options, he sought a place. He wanted to compete at the highest level without sacrificing his preparation for a future career in the sports industry.
From LinkedIn to the draft floor
Islam discovered the NBA internship through a simple post on LinkedIn. Over the following weeks, he fine-tuned his résumé, practiced mock interviews and worked closely with Michigan’s Graham Family Athletics Career Center to prepare. After multiple rounds of interviews, he was among the 66 students selected from over 1,000 applicants. Securing the opportunity was a major turning point.
Receiving the news that he had been selected was a defining moment in Islam’s life. “She knew how much work I had put in to get here. She was always proud of me, but that day, she was especially proud.”
Assigned to the NBA’s Partner Services team, Islam had a front-row seat to the inner workings of one of the world’s most iconic sports leagues. His responsibilities included coordinating experiences for corporate partners, working across multiple departments, and managing logistics for major events. One of the most high-profile assignments of the summer was the NBA Draft.
Before the first player was even announced, Islam and his team conducted an exhaustive inspection of the draft floor. They walked through every section of Barclays Center, ensuring that all reserved seats for NBA partners were in order and that any potential issues were resolved before fans arrived.
During this process, Islam identified an issue that could have ruined the experience for some guests: certain premium seats had obstructed views due to the television production setup. He worked with multiple departments to relocate affected guests, ensuring they had the best possible experience of the night.
After fulfilling his responsibilities, he was able to watch the rest of the draft unfold from the arena floor.
A Michigan connection
One unexpected twist to the experience came when Islam spotted a familiar face backstage. Just days after the announcement that Michigan men’s basketball head coach Dusty May had accepted the head coaching position with the Dallas Mavericks, Islam ran into him during his rounds. “It was funny because it was still so fresh that he was leaving Michigan.”
The internship did more than just add another item to Islam’s résumé. It changed his perspective in ways he hadn’t expected. Surrounded by interns from prestigious universities like Harvard, UCLA and Cornell, he realized he was just as capable as his peers.
Confidence, he added, was the most valuable takeaway. The NBA internship proved to him that he belonged in the professional world and that there was a place for people like him in the sports industry.
As he continues his journey at the University of Michigan, Islam is more focused than ever on building a future that blends his passion for sports with the business side of the industry. “There really is a role for almost anyone,” he said. “All you have to do is believe in yourself and work hard to get there.”
