From Arcadia to La Salle, guard Jamison Lynam is looking to ‘create a name for himself’

La Salle has brought in seven players from the men’s college basketball transfer portal so far this offseason. One of those newcomers has a last name that Explorers fans were once accustomed to booing.

Rising junior guard Jamison Lynam, the grandson of former St. Joseph’s and 76ers coach Jim Lynam — is coming to 20th and Olney from Division III Arcadia.

The 5-foot-10 Lynam was named the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom Rookie of the Year as a freshman, then averaged 17.7 points and 3.0 assists to earn all-conference first-team honors as a sophomore.

“I think I had in my head from the day that I stepped on Arcadia’s campus that eventually I would want to get into the portal,” Lynam said. “But when it really came down to it, I can’t lie, it was a little hard because of how much I felt that they did for me. … The stuff that I learned at Arcadia and the development in my game that took place while I was there — I’m going to carry that on with me. I think I’m in for a pretty successful future because of it.”

Lynam, the primary ballhandler for the Knights, had the opportunity to learn under head coach Adam Van Zelst, a former point guard. Van Zelst starred for Albright from 2006 to 2010. He ranks top 10 in all-time assists for the program.

The Knights coach, who recruited Lynam during his postgraduate year at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia, is excited for his former star. He also pointed out that Lynam’s hard work does not end here.

“He’s not a finished product by any stretch of imagination,” Van Zelst said. “I think Jamison will tell you the same. He’s grown up a lot in two years, and I think he still has a long way to go. I’m excited for him at La Salle, I think it’s an awesome opportunity. … I know he’s going to work his butt off. They’re going to have to kick him out of the gym.”

» READ MORE: Thomas Boyle’s family coaching roots runs deep in St. Joseph’s hoops. He’s following a similar path.

On his official visit to La Salle, Lynam felt that the Explorers “had really done their homework” on his game and how it would fit in a crowded backcourt. The staff also detailed what Lynam needed to work on and how the team could facilitate his improvement.

That was all he needed to hear.

“It just seemed like a spot where not only I would be part of a winning culture, but also be a part of a staff that wants me to get better,” Lynam said. “I think that’s the goal for any competitor, you just want to get better every single day.”

La Salle coach Darris Nichols added: “[Lynam] is a good piece that fits because we needed some more experience — a guy that can come into practice every day, compete, really love the game, and is a gym rat. You’re not only trying to get talent, you’re trying to create a culture that’s one of confidence.”

Lynam’s family tree is deeply intertwined with Philadelphia basketball.

His grandfather, Jim Lynam, willed St. Joe’s as a player to the Final Four in 1961. He later coached the program from 1978 to 1981 before serving in multiple NBA coaching roles, including with the Sixers as head coach from 1988 to 1992. He is now a television analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, Jamison’s aunt is Dei Lynam, a former Sixers television reporter who was recently hired by La Salle to coach the women’s golf team.

» READ MORE: La Salle names veteran Philly sports broadcaster Dei Lynam as its head women’s golf coach

The connections do not end there. He is related, through marriage, to the Boyle and Doyle families — who boast a slew of prominent players and coaches throughout the area.

“At Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner, we say grace, and then we talk ball,” Jamison Lynam said.

There was even a member of Lynam’s family on Nichols’ staff. His cousin, Mike Doyle Jr., served as an assistant with the Explorers for seven seasons until taking the head coach position at Delaware Valley. Before departing, Doyle alerted Nichols that his cousin was in the portal.

“When you come from those families, you can either be doing it because people are pushing you and you don’t really want to do it and you may not have the work ethic,” Nichols said. “With [Lynam], I feel like he’s doing it because he wants to create a name for himself. That’s what stood out to me the most.”

His last name has also proved to be a double-edged sword — especially when he made headlines at Arcadia.

“I always wanted it to be about Jamison, because I feel like it’s tough for him because they have such a rich history and a name,” Van Zelst said. “Jamison is trying to find his way, and for us, anytime there were articles after games or people would ask about his grandpa, it was just about Jamison. … We wanted to highlight him as the main character and him as an individual person.”

Despite feeling some pressure, Lynam says his family never pushed him to play college basketball. He even joked that he didn’t have a “Lavar Ball-type of dad,” hounding him to take the sport seriously.

Instead, his family gave him the tools needed to succeed and let him decide whether to use them.

“[Basketball] is in my blood for sure, but it’s always been up to me,” Lynam said. “In terms of knowledge of the game and in terms of the passion I have for it, I’m lying if I didn’t say that wasn’t a bit hereditary. … The freedom that my grandpa, my father, my cousins have given me, in terms of ‘this is your choice, you either want it or you don’t.’ I was able to find a authentic, natural love for it.”