August 21, 2024
Name Game
In the Lead: Scoring the Internship Hanna Bishop ’24 and Rob DiSibio ’24 both worked for the NBA in summer 2023.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of W&L: The Washington and Lee Magazine.
Rob DiSibio ’24 and Hanna Bishop ’24 were the 2024 recipients of the Preston R. “Pres” Brown Outstanding Senior award from the Athletics Department. As a forward on the men’s basketball team, DiSibio secured 1,708 points during his collegiate career — fifth in program history — with his 190 made 3-point shots as the second most. Bishop, an attacker for the women’s lacrosse team, earned 218 goals and 295 points during her four years (record-holder in both) and is the only player in Washington and Lee lacrosse history to tally more than 200 goals.
Their storylines had intertwined previously, when, the summer before their senior years, both interned for the NBA. DiSibio worked in the front office for the Milwaukee Bucks, coordinating logistics for the pre-draft process and inputting scouting reports.
“My biggest takeaway from the internship was the level of detail that’s involved in building an NBA roster,” he says. “There are so many moving parts that you aren’t aware of until you see them firsthand.”
DiSibio majored in cognitive and behavioral science, which he credits with helping him on and off the court. He signed a contract to play professional basketball with Fortitudo Agrigento of Serie B Nazionale in Agrigento, Sicily; their season starts later this month.
“I gravitated toward psychology because I realized how important mindset is, not just in basketball but in all aspects of life,” he says. “Studying human behavior has helped me become a better communicator and leader, which are skills that are imperative to success.”
Bishop worked for the NBA’s New York City-based social responsibility team, which focuses on philanthropic efforts and community relations initiatives.
“My responsibilities varied from day to day, but a significant portion of my time was spent on event planning for the WNBA All-Star Game and the NBA draft,” she says. “I also coordinated and supported an intern volunteer project with Parks for Partnerships and two State Farm partnership charity events.”
The internship solidified Bishop’s goal of pursuing a career in the sports industry, specifically partner relations and marketing.
“As a student-athlete, I learned invaluable lessons in time management, teamwork, resilience and leadership,” she says.
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