Outhouse to Penthouse: HBCU Hoopers 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. On the other hand, there occasionally are HBCU "Jeffersons" who sing "Movin' On Up" when they go to the deluxe "Best Side" (transfer to power-conference member).

Minnesota's Elijah Hawkins, a transfer from Howard University, is leading the nation in assists. But 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 30 years:

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
Shareif Adamu F Alabama State 11 4.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg Auburn 13 2.7 ppg, 2 rpg
Cameron Bacote G Maryland-Eastern Shore 18 7.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.9 apg Georgetown 24 0.9 ppg, 1.5 apg
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
Jamar Blackmon G Mississippi Valley State 00 4.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg Arkansas 02-04 0.4 ppg, 0.3 rpg
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, 7.8 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 1.4 ppg, 1 rpg
Jesse Zarzuela G Coppin State 22 14.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.4 spg Oregon 24 10 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 86.7 FT%

NOTE: Dennis attended UTA between Jackson State and TCU. Stanley enrolled at ODU for 2022-23.