Outhouse to Penthouse: HBCU Players Mattering to Power-League Members
A high percentage of bottom feeders among the lowest-ranked NCAA Division I squads are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference. We're a long way from "the good ole days" when Historically Black College and University hoopers included extensive list of standouts.
Perhaps the premier player ever to transfer from a HBCU to a major university was Tom Boswell. The 6-9 forward averaged 18 ppg and 13 rpg for South Carolina State in 1971-72 and 1972-73 before switching to South Carolina, an independent school at the time where he averaged 16.5 ppg and 8.7 rpg in 1974-75. It is rare for a HBCU transfer to post a higher scoring averaqe for a power-conference member (Ole Miss boasts a couple of players in this category). In deference to Black History Month, following is an alphabetical list of rare players transferring from a HBCU to NCAA DI power-league member in the past quarter century:
| Player | Pos. | HBCU | HBCU Statistics | Power-League Member | Power-League Member Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Adams | G | Prairie View 14 | 1.5 ppg, 1.1 apg | Arizona State 17 | 1.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg |
| Cameron Bacote | G | Maryland-Eastern Shore 18 | 7.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.9 apg | Georgetown 24 | TBD |
| Malcolm Bernard | G-F | Florida A&M 16 | 14.4 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.3 spg | Xavier 17 | 6.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1 spg |
| Wayne Bristol Jr. | G | Howard University 20 | 12.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.3 spg | Georgetown 23-24 | 3.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg |
| Dejuan Clayton | G | Coppin State 17-21 | 13.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.2 spg | California 23 | 9.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.9 apg |
| R.J. Cole | G | Howard University 18-19 | 22.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 6.2 apg, 1.8 spg, 37 3FG% | Connecticut 21-22 | 14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.1 spg, 37 3FG% |
| James Daniel III | G | Howard University 14-17 | 21.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.7 spg | Tennessee 18 | 5.6 ppg, 2.8 apg, 37.2 3FG% |
| Edric Dennis | G | Jackson State 17 | 14 ppg, 4.1 rpg | Texas Christian 20 | 6.2 ppg, 2.3 apg |
| Bassirou Dieng | C | Norfolk State 05 | 2 ppg, 1.2 rpg | Georgia Tech 09 | 1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg |
| RaShid Gaston | F | Norfolk State 13-15 | 11.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 57.8 FG% | Xavier 17 | 7.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 59 FG% |
| Elijah Hawkins | G | Howard University 22-23 | 12.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.8 apg, 2 spg | Minnesota 24 | 8.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 7.7 apg, 2 spg |
| Barry Honore' | F | Southern LA 08-09 | 8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg | Oklahoma 11-12 | 1 ppg, 0.9 rpg |
| Dale Hughes | G | Florida A&M 09-10 | 8.8 ppg, 35.6 3FG% | Mississippi 12 | 0.7 ppg |
| Sam Hunt | G | North Carolina A&T 16-17 | 14 ppg | North Carolina State 18 | 5.5 ppg |
| Deion James | F | North Carolina A&T 16 | 1.3 ppg | Washington State 20 | 2.6 ppg |
| Branden Johnson | F-C | Alabama State 16-19 | 5.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 62.8 FG% | Virginia Tech 20 | 0.4 ppg |
| Gerald Jordan | F-C | Morgan State 94 | 13.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.7 bpg | Pittsburgh 96-97 | 8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg |
| Darryl Labarrie | G | Florida A&M 97 | 12.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.3 apg | Georgia Tech 99-01 | 4 ppg, 1.3 rpg |
| Jayveous McKinnis | F | Jackson State 19-22 | 10.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 61 FG% | Mississippi 23 | 5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 65.4 FG% |
| Christian Mekowulu | F | Tennessee State 15-18 | 8.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1 bpg | Texas A&M 19 | 8.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1 bpg |
| Femi Olujobi | F | North Carolina A&T 18 | 16.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 53.6 FG% | DePaul 19 | 12.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 60.1 FG% |
| Richaud Pack | G | North Carolina A&T 14 | 17 ppg, 4.6 rpg | Maryland 15 | 5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg |
| Matt Pilgrim | F | Hampton 07-08 | 9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1 bpg | Oklahoma State 10-11 | 6.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.1 spg |
| Cecil Rellford | F | Kentucky State 74 | 21.7 ppg, 10 rpg | St. John's 76-77 | 11.2 ppg, 6 rpg |
| M.J. Rhett | F | Tennessee State 12-14 | 6.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg | Mississippi 15 | 7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg |
| Gerald Robinson | G | Tennessee State 08-09 | 16.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.8 spg | Georgia 11-12 | 13.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.8 apg |
| Johnnie Rogers | F | Jackson State 95 | 2.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg | Mississippi 97-99 | 3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg |
| Frank Russell | C | Hampton 03-04 | 2.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg | Rutgers 06-07 | 2 ppg, 1.8 rpg |
| Xavier Singletary | F | Howard University 97-98 | 18.7 ppg, 6 rpg | Boston College 00-01 | 11.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg |
| LaRon Smith | F | Bethune-Cookman 16 | 7.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg | Auburn 17 | 2.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg |
| Sterling Smith | G | Coppin State 13-15 | 10 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 spg | Pittsburgh 16 | 4.5 ppg, 3 rpg |
| Ben Stanley | F | Hampton 19-20 | 13.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 57.7 FG% | Xavier 21-22 | 3.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg |
| Davion Warren | G | Hampton 20-21 | 14.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.3 spg | Texas Tech 22 | 9.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.4 spg |
| Kam Woods | G | North Carolina A&T 23 | 17.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg | North Carolina State 24 | TBD |
NOTE: Dennis attended UTA between Jackson State and TCU. Stanley enrolled at ODU for 2022-23.