Donald Hunt – SLAM

SLAM’s Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time: PART 4

Donald Hunt — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:27:44 +0000

When you look at some of the greatest to ever play the game, there are plenty of them who starred at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCU basketball has provided a platform for some legendary standouts to display their skills at schools such as Winston-Salem State, Grambling State, Virginia Union, Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T and others.

These schools haven’t received a lot of national attention for their contributions to the game. Nevertheless, HBCUs have produced some terrific talent, who have gone on to enjoy careers in the NBA, such as Leonard “Truck” Robinson (Tennessee State, New Orleans Jazz), Donald “Slick” Watts (Xavier La., Seattle SuperSonics), Caldwell Jones (Albany State, Philadelphia 76ers), Purvis Short (Jackson State, Golden State Warriors), Larry Smith (Alcorn State, Golden State Warriors), and Kyle O’Quinn (Norfolk State, Philadelphia 76ers), among many other.

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

This number could change with some future potential prospects playing at Black institutions, like Joe Bryant (Norfolk State), Tyree Corbett (Coppin State), Kyle Foster (Howard), M.J. Randolph (Florida A&M), and Jalen Johnson (Alabama A&M), to name a few. Today’s HBCU stars are well-coached, with the likes of LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Johnny Jones (Texas Southern), and Byron Smith (Prairie View A&M) among the many impactful mentors.

In addition, the NBA and the NBPA will host a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game between Howard University and Morgan State on Saturday, Feb. 19 during NBA All-Star Weekend at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Throughout Black History Month, SLAM spotlighted five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Check out our list from Week 1 (Earl Monroe, Charles Oakley, Rick Mahorn, Willis Reed, Avery Johnson), Week 2(Sam Jones, Ben Wallace, Dick Barnett, Bobby Dandridge, Marvin Webster) and Week 3 (Earl Lloyd, Lindsey Hunter, Al Attles, Ronald “Flip” Murray, Cleo Hill).

Mike Davis was an outstanding scorer. Not only did he finish his career as the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer with 2,758 points, but Davis is also the CIAA’s second all-time leading scorer behind Hall of Famer Earl Monroe (2,935). During the 1967-68 season, Davis averaged 36.3 points a game, and in 1969, he was named CIAA Player of the Year. Davis went on to play for the Baltimore Bullets and the Buffalo Braves during his four NBA seasons, as well as for the Memphis Tams in the ABA.

Travis Grant was a scoring machine during his days at Kentucky State. He averaged 33.4 points a game during his career while taking the Thorobreds to three straight NAIA championships. The three-time NAIA All-American finished his career with 4,045 career points. In 1972, Grant was selected as a first-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Draft.

Zelmo Beaty could make things happen on both ends of the floor and was both a brilliant scorer and rebounder. He finished his college career with 2,285 points and 1,916 rebounds. In 1962, he led Prairie View A&M to the NAIA championship and was the third overall pick in that year’s draft by the St. Louis Hawks.

Beaty, who played six seasons in St. Louis and with the ABA’s Utah Stars, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Marques Haynes had an amazing college basketball career. He guided Langston University to an incredible record of 112-3 over his four years, which includes a 59-game winning streak. Haynes was the team’s all-time leading scorer, and a four-time All-State, All Conference selection and the team’s Most Valuable Player.

As one of the all-time greatest ball handlers, Beaty had a magnificent professional career with the Harlem Globetrotters where he showcased his sensational dribbling skills.

Elmore Smith was a tremendous rebounder who averaged 22.6 rebounds a game at Kentucky State and grabbed 1,917 rebounds during his college career. He was also a great scorer around the basket and averaged 21.3 points a game. Playing alongside All-American Travis Grant, Smith helped lead Kentucky State to two NAIA championships.

A third selection overall with the Buffalo Braves in 1971 NBA Draft, Smith played eight NBA seasons for the Braves, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Photos via Getty Images.

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SLAM’s Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time: PART 3

Donald Hunt — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 22:52:02 +0000

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

Every Thursday throughout Black History Month, SLAM will spotlight five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Check out our list from Week 1 (Earl Monroe, Charles Oakley, Rick Mahorn, Willis Reed, Avery Johnson) and Week 2 (Sam Jones, Ben Wallace, Dick Barnett, Bobby Dandridge, Marvin Webster).

A true trailblazer. After leading West Virginia State to a 30-0 record and a CIAA championship in 1947-48, Lloyd, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds a game his senior year, was the first Black player to suit up in the NBA. He shattered the NBA’s color line when he was selected by the Washington Capitals in 1950.

After 10 years in the Association, suiting up for the Capitals, the Syracuse Nationals and the Detroit Pistons, Lloyd’s monumental legacy continued in 1968 when he became the first-ever Black assistant coach in the NBA after signing with the Pistons. During the 1971-72 season, he became the first ever Black head coach of the Pistons.

Lindsey Hunter had the ability to create his own shot—he could get to the basket effortlessly and connect from long range. In ‘93, he averaged 26.7 points a game and was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He then helped Jackson State edge Connecticut in the NIT that year, dropping 39 points against the Huskies.

Hunter started his college career at Alcorn State, where he was selected as the SWAC Freshman of the Year before transferring to Jackson State. As the No. 10 overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, he went on to play 17 NBA seasons and won two titles (one with the Lakers and another with the Pistons). Hunter is now the head basketball coach at Mississippi Valley State.

Attles was one of the best defensive players to ever play in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. His long arms and quick hands were a big part of his defensive prowess, while he also made things happen on the offensive end. He led North Carolina A&T to two CIAA championships and scored 1,039 career points.

In 1960, Attles was a fifth-round selection of the Philadelphia Warriors. Suiting up alongside NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, Attles scored 17 points in Chamberlain’s 100-point game on March 2, 1962 when the Warriors defeated the New York Knicks, 169-147, in Hershey, PA. In that contest, he shot 8-for-8 from the field and 1-for-1 from the free throw line.

Attles then continued his legacy as a coach, and in 1975, he led the Golden State Warriors to an NBA championship title.

Murray was one of the most exciting players in CIAA history. In 2002, he was named the CIAA and Division II Player of the Year and led Shaw University to the school’s first-ever CIAA title and to the Division II Final Four. He averaged 23.5 points a game.

In 2002, he was a second-round pick for the Milwaukee Bucks, and went on to play 12 seasons in the League.

Hill was a magnificent shooting guard who averaged 25.4 points a game and tallied 2,488 points in his college career. Suiting up for legendary head coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, he led the Rams to two straight CIAA championships in 1960 and ’61. He then was selected in the first round of the 1961 NBA Draft by the St. Louis Hawks.

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Photos via Getty Images and courtesy of the WSSU Archives and F.D. Bluford Library/North Carolina A&T State University.

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SLAM’s Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time: PART 2

Donald Hunt — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 21:14:12 +0000

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

Every Thursday throughout Black History Month, SLAM will spotlight five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Check out our list from last week, which includes Earl Monroe, Charles Oakley, Rick Mahorn, Willis Reed and Avery Johnson.

They called him “Mr. Clutch’” for a reason. Sam Jones was known for knocking down shots when the game was on the line, and during his collegiate career he scored 1,745 points while playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon at North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University). The three-time All-CIAA honoree was the first Black athlete to be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in ‘69.

Although originally drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1956 NBA Draft, Jones decided to go back to college to earn his degree after serving in the military. Then, a year later, he was selected in the first round by the Boston Celtics in the 1957 Draft. Throughout his 12-year career in the League, Jones averaged 18.9 points and 4.7 rebounds across 154 games during the playoffs and hit one of the most clutch buzzer-beating shots over the Philadelphia Warriors during Game 7 of the 1962 Eastern Conference Finals to send the C’s to the Finals. There, they defeated the Lakers in another seven games, giving the five-time All-Star his third ‘chip—he’d go on to win 10 titles. Rest in peace, legend.

Wallace transferred to Virginia Union from Cuyahoga Community College and was a dominant big man for the Panthers during his two seasons. He led Virginia Union to a 28-3 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1996. The All-American averaged 13.4 points and 10 rebounds.

Although Wallace went undrafted, he had a 17-year career in the L, mostly suiting up for the Pistons. There, Big Ben held his own on the defensive end: he was a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, two-time rebounding leader and led the League in blocks in ‘02. Two years later, Wallace won his first and only title with the Pistons. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Barnett was a brilliant shooter with one of the most unique jumpshots—he’d kick his legs up and let the shots fly from long range. His feathery touch helped the Tigers win three consecutive NAIA titles (1957-59).

Barnett was chosen in the first round of the 1959 NBA Draft by the Syracuse Nationals. He played 14 NBA seasons, spending nine of those years with the New York Knicks. There, he was part of the Knicks’ 1970 and 1973 NBA championship teams.

Dandridge is one of the greatest players to ever suit up in the CIAA. In 1968, he averaged 26.1 points per game and led Norfolk State to the CIAA championship as a junior. The dominance continued his senior year, where he averaged 32.3 points while guiding the Spartans to a 21-4 record and another trip to the NCAA tournament.

Dandridge was then selected in the fourth round of the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He played 13 seasons and won two ‘chips with the Bucks and the Washington Bullets. In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Webster was known as “The Human Eraser” for his elite shot blocking ability, but his game was truly all-around. He averaged eight blocks and helped lead Morgan State to the NCAA Division II championship in 1974, where he posted 21.4 points and 22.4 rebounds a night and was ultimately named Division II Player of the Year. He finished his collegiate career with 1,900 points, 2,267 rebounds, 839 blocks and was a three-time MEAC Player of the Year. Different.

Webster then played two seasons for the ABA’s Denver Nuggets and eight NBA seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks.

Photo credit Getty Images, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Norfolk State and Morgan State.

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SLAM Presents: Top 20 Men’s HBCU Players of All Time

Donald Hunt — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 19:59:42 +0000

Right now, Robert Covington from Tennessee State, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the only active NBA player from an HBCU.

Every Thursday throughout Black History Month, SLAM will spotlight five HBCU legends who were not only dominant players during their time, but also trail blazers of the game.

Earl Monroe put on quite a show at Winston-Salem State. In 1967, he carried the Rams to the NCAA Division II championship and averaged a sensational 41.5 points per game that season. He played for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines.

Monroe had a great jump shot to go along with the spin dribble, an array of change of pace moves and he could also make some insane shots in the open court. The Hall of Famer went on to play for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. He scored 17,454 points and handed out 3,594 assists in his NBA career. In 1973, Monroe, aka “The Pearl” and Walt Frazier formed a fantastic backcourt that helped lead the Knicks to the NBA championship. He didn’t just entertain the fans in the NBA, but also in Philadelphia’s Charles Baker League during the summer months.

Oakley was a powerful inside player at Virginia Union. He is the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,664) and third all-time leading scorer (2,379). In 1985, Oakley averaged 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game while guiding Virginia Union to a 31-1 record. He helped the Panthers capture the 1985 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.

Oakley was selected as a first-round pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in ‘85, but was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his 19-year career, he played for the Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets. As a great rebounder and inside scorer, he finished his NBA career with 12,417 points and 12,205 rebounds.

Mahorn was a terrific player in the CIAA. He was a three-time NAIA All-American and tallied 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game over his college career—he walked away with 2,418 total points. The three-time All-CIAA standout also had 1,465 career rebounds. In 1980, he became the first HU player to be drafted in the NBA, selected in the second round by the Washington Bullets. He went on to play 18 years in the League and was a key player on the 1989 Detroit Pistons’ NBA championship team.

Reed, who was a left-handed center with a great shooting touch from the outside, led Grambling State to an NAIA championship in ‘61 and multiple Southwestern Athletic Conference championship titles during his career. After averaging a video game-like stat line of 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds per game during his senior year, he was taken in the second round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.

Throughout his 10 years in the Association, Reed scored 12,183 points and 8,414 rebounds. His hard work and determination helped the New York Knicks win the NBA titles in 1970 and 1973.

Johnson played junior college basketball before going to Southern University, where he solidified himself as a magnificent point guard for the Jaguars. He had the ability to penetrate and hit the open man. In 1988, he led the nation in assists, tallying 13.3 assists a night. He also averaged 11.4 points that season.

Johnson, who led the NCAA in assists in his two seasons at Southern University, earned SWAC Player of the Year honors and was named MVP of the league tournament as a junior and senior. While he went undrafted in 1988, he did manage to break into the League as an undrafted free agent and played 17 seasons. In 1999, he helped the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA championship over the New York Knicks.

Johnson then pursued a career in coaching and served as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets before returning to the NCAA as head coach at the University of Alabama. He’s now a TV analyst for CBS Sports.

Courtesy of Winston-Salem State, Virginia Union, Hampton University, Southern University and Getty Images.

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