For Olu Ashaolu, It Was Oregon or Nothing

After more than a decade of playing professional basketball around the world, Olu Ashaolu, MBA , MBA ’25, was ready for a change. Over the years, he had taken an interest in finance and remembered how much he enjoyed his time on the University of Oregon campus as a transfer basketball player.

Back in 2011, Ashaolu moved from Louisiana Tech University to use his fourth year of player eligibility with the UO Men’s Basketball team. He had sufficient credits from Louisiana Tech and was awarded his undergraduate degree in business from there. Even so, Ashaolu felt deeply connected to Oregon, especially head coach Dana Altman and the coaching staff. The feeling was mutual. When the season ended, he recalled the coaches saying, “If you ever decide to come back to Oregon to continue your education, we’d love to have you back as a graduate assistant.”

During his time as a pro player, “I never stopped thinking about Eugene,” Ashaolu said. He kept in touch with UO associate professor Shaul Cohen , with whom he took post-bac courses as a player. “He would send me literature from every single country I played in. Since the day I left Oregon, he was gently sprinkling in the idea of me coming back. He’s been my champion.”

Once the pro ball stopped bouncing, so to speak, Ashaolu reached out to assistant men’s basketball coach Mike Mennenga, wondering if that graduate assistant role was still available. It was.

Ashaolu took the GMAT and had the option to send his results to up to five universities, but there was only one on his mind.

“For me, it was Oregon or nothing. No other school could compare,” he said. “I wanted my degree from here.” That’s when part II of his University of Oregon journey began.

“I know the obvious choice for a former athlete is sports business—and that is interesting to me—but I wanted to use my MBA time to pivot and expand my horizons,” he said.

He joined the MIG (Masters of Investment Group) and worked to connect with other students in the Oregon MBA ’s finance and securities analysis specialization.

“We have a cohort of 52—so you know everybody,” he said. “It’s similar to a team. Everyone tries to help each other out. Every day, I’m thankful I chose finance.”

Ashaolu said the team feeling extends to Lundquist College of Business faculty, which he described as some of the brightest minds around. In particular, Darek Nalle, PhD. CFA Affiliate , senior instructor I of finance and program manager for the UO Cameron Center for Finance and Securities Analysis , and Robert Ready , associate professor of finance and Doug McKay Research Scholar, were supportive on all levels, from explaining complex financial terms in everyday language, to being available during office hours to talk about coursework, the finance field, or even basketball.

It's been a challenge balancing time between both “teams,” but Ashaolu always felt supported. “Coach [Altman] got his MBA, so he understands the commitment,” he said.

As Ashaolu looks toward graduation, he aims to combine his love of sports with the analytical and business skills gained while earning his MBA. That could be a career in the front office of a college or professional sports organization, investor relations, player development, or business and relationship development.

He describes his time as a UO MBA candidate as “10 out of 10.”

“The faculty has a love of teaching. I was able to do an internship in Portland last summer, and I have friends for life from my cohort,” he said. “There is something special here at the University of Oregon. I even like the rain!”

— AnneMarie K-S ’05, Lundquist College of Business Communications