In terms of his professional career, Danny Ferry was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the second overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. However, he decided against joining the Clippers and instead accepted a contract offer from Il Messaggero (now Virtus Roma), an Italian league team.
He gained notoriety abroad in 1989–1990 thanks to his 23 points and six rebounds per game average, which helped the Italian team reach the playoffs. The Clippers dealt Ferry and Reggie Williams to the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 16, 1989 in return for the high-scoring guard Ron Harper, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick.
