DME Basketball Program Prepares Birkir Eythorsson for Academic and Athletic Success
Delafield, Wis. – At 16 years old, Birkir Eythorsson immediately caught the attention of someone who would later become his high school basketball coach. But neither of them knew it at the time.
“I won’t forget it,” said Ben Wisniewski, head coach at St. John’s Northwestern DME Basketball Program. “It was a game in Bulgaria, and (Birkir) played really well. I jotted down some notes about him.”
What he liked was a player from Selfoss, Iceland, who stood 6-foot-8 with prolific shooting ability, as well as a confidence and swagger that was difficult to ignore. But, Wisniewski didn’t think anything else about it afterward.
Fast forward two years.
Eythorsson is now a senior with St. John’s Northwestern DME Basketball Program, creating a steady amount of opportunities to pursue his dreams, and Wisniewski is among the people hoping to help him get there.
From a basketball perspective, Eythorsson is developing his skills and adjusting to the faster and more physical play of basketball in the U.S. Wisniewski said Eythorsson’s combination of size, wing span, and shooting talent makes him a valuable prospect in today’s college basketball.
“(Coaches) are looking for guys like Birkir,” Wisniewski said, adding, “I think he’s a (Division) I player.”
The website, getrecruitedhoops.com, about Eythorsson, “Birkir is a dynamic and versatile wing player, excelling at scoring from all three levels and defending multiple positions. He moves well off the ball, showing strong instincts for rebounding and positioning. With a smooth dribble drive and a reliable pull-up jumper, he’s a scoring threat both on and off the ball. Highly coachable and a supportive teammate, Birkir is also dedicated academically, performing exceptionally well in his studies.”
His talent is hard to argue against. He has represented Iceland in international tournaments and showcases for its U16 and U18 teams.
During the 2024 FIBA U18 Eurobasket Division B tournament, he averaged 11.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game across eight games. He also posted a pair of 20-point games. In one game against Norway, he scored 22 points, had six rebounds, and three steals.
In 22 international tournament games, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. In 2022, playing in the FIBA U16 European Championship Division B, he averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
In Iceland, basketball, Eythorsson said, is the third-most popular sport behind handball and soccer. But he predicts basketball will overtake both sports in the near future. Why?
The growth of basketball being able to be seen on television or on streaming services has exposed the country to the sport that it hasn’t seen before.
“People are realizing the sport is fun,” Eythorsson said, who also credited his youth basketball coach for inspiring his passion for the sport.
“It’s the love of my life,” he said about basketball, adding he dreams of making it to the NBA. If he’s successful, he’ll become just the second person to ever play in the NBA from Iceland. The only other player to accomplish that feat was Petur Gudmundsson. A 7-foot-2 center, Gudmundsson played in 150 games across six seasons in the early to mid-1980s with the Portland Trailblazers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s all I want to do,” Eythorsson said.
What the DME coaches have worked on with Eythorsson this season is stepping up his aggression, attacking the basket more, and taking advantage of his size.
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” he said.
From the academic perspective, Eythorsson is learning about going to class in the U.S., but also adjusting to the social life.
He said back home in Iceland that the structure is looser than it is at SJN. He is grateful for the work being done by his teachers, and he’s seeing the results on the basketball court, too.
“They care about you,” Eythorsson said about his teachers. “They want you to succeed. They push you to your limit. They care about their job. It’s been a very positive experience.”
That combination of preparation on the basketball court and in the classroom is helping Eythorsson be ready for the next chapter in his life.
“I feel like I’m college-ready now,” he said.
He was once committed to play basketball at North Dakota State, but ultimately didn’t attend because some of the coursework he did in Iceland didn’t meet U.S. standards. So, he went a different direction to develop his game and to live in the U.S. by attending SJN and playing with DME. Because of that, both Eythorsson and Wisniewski believe the Icelandic native will be ready for whatever happens in life ahead of him.
“It’s a huge value,” Wisniewski said about the structure and accountability at SNJ and with DME. “It’s living a college-style life. You’re going to class, living in dorms. You’re being held accountable.”
Having grown up and lived in cold climates most of his life, he has a good idea of where he’d like his future school to be located.
“Some place warm,” he said with a smile.
About SJN
St. John’s Northwestern is a safe, structured environment that provides each student a foundation for life, with specialized programs built with future aspirations in mind. SJN is a private, co-ed college preparatory boarding and day school accepting applications for grades 7–12 and post-graduate year. Learn more at stjohnsnorthwestern.org.