75 Years After First HBCU Player Was Drafted, Did NBA Drop The Ball In Recent Drafts?

As HBCU basketball continues to showcase its best in all-star games and combines, NBA execs are focused elsewhere for talent.

75th Anniversary of Lloyd, Clifton, and Cooper being drafted by the NBA | Credit: NBA

Seventy-five years ago, Chuck Cooper, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, and Earl Lloyd became pioneers in the NBA. These three Black players were the first to break the league's color barrier during the 1950 NBA Draft.

Since 2012, not one HBCU basketball player has received the call from and NBA team on draft day. Why?

Nathaniel 'Sweetwater' Clifton | Credit: XULA Athletics

NATHANIEL 'SWEETWATER' CLIFTON WAS OUR FIRST

On that historic day, Nathaniel Clifton, a product of Xavier University of Louisiana, became the first player selected from an HBCU.  

The six-foot and seven-inch DuSable High School star played only one season for the Gold Rush during the 1942-43 academic year before being drafted into the United States Army during World War II. As a youth, he loved the mixture of water and sugar; hence, he derived the nickname "Sweetwater."

Clifton became the second black player to sign an NBA contract when he joined the New York Knicks after the 1950 draft. Four days after Earl Lloyd officially broke the color barrier in a game, the 27-year-old Clifton made his first game appearance on Nov. 3., 1950.

Clifton, like Lloyd and Cooper, courageously faced the trials and tribulations of racial insults and injustices, reminiscent of Jackie Robinson's experiences in Major League Baseball.

Despite these challenges, the resilience of HBCU players like Clifton continues to inspire hope, even in the face of the current underrepresentation of HBCU players in the National Basketball Association.

THE DEARTH OF HBCU TALENT IN THE NBA CONTINUES TO GROW

The Baltimore Bullets selected Earl "The Pearl" Monroe from the Winston-Salem University Rams as the second overall pick in the 1967 Draft. Out of the 21 HBCU players drafted in the NBA's first round, Monroe remains the highest draft choice among them.

Kyle O'Quinn from Norfolk State was the last HBCU player drafted — that was in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Robert Covington of Tennessee State is the most recent HBCU alumnus to play in the NBA. His final time on an NBA court was with the Philadelphia 76ers at the end of the 2024 season.

No HBCU players were on the active rosters of NBA teams since Covington, whose career spanned 644 games, including playoffs, from 2013 with the Houston Rockets to 2024 with the Clippers and 76ers.

Norfolk Men's Basketball | Norfolk Atletics

SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR HBCU BASKETBALL PROGRAMS

Why hasn't an HBCU program produced a draft pick since O'Quinn? Is there a dearth of talent at HBCUs compared to Power 4 programs and international players?

In 2024, the NBA G League drafted two HBCU players: Christian Brown (Tennessee State) and Olisa Akonobi (Alabama A&M), as reported by HBCU Sports reporter Jarrett Hoffman. It was Akonobi's second time being drafted by a G League affiliate team.

Diamond Johnson and Zaay Green | Credit: HBCU Premier Sports & More

HBCU PLAYERS MAKE SUBTLE PROGRESS IN THE WNBA vs. NBA

Although the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) have strengthened their ties with HBCUs by producing the HBCU Classic, a showcase event for HBCU basketball talent, and assisting Travis Williams at the HBCU All-Star Games, which now features a women's all-star game, only the WNBA has drafted previous HBCU players.   

Both Jackson State's Angel Jackson (2024, Las Vegas Aces) and former UAPB's Zaay Green (2025, Washington Mystics) were drafted but faced challenges in making the final team rosters, showing mild progress. Some still contend it's not enough, highlighting the hurdles HBCU players still need to overcome.

Arguably, the best WNBA prospect, Diamond Johnson from Norfolk State, was overlooked in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The Minnesota Lynx signed Johnson as an undrafted player and praised her for being an impactful teammate during summer workouts.

Unfortunately, she didn't receive much playing time during the preseason and ultimately failed to make the roster. HBCU Legends reported that Johnson signed a contract with the WCBA Hefei team and is set to report for action in the fall of 2025.

Unknown Date; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Knicks guard Earl Monroe (15) in action against the Atlanta Hawks. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

In the past, NBA champions arose from the following 17 HBCU schools with the most NBA Championship players:

1. North Carolina Central: 10
2. Grambling State: 4
3. Tennessee State: 3
4. Jackson State: 2
5. Norfolk State: 2
6. Texas Southern: 2
7. Alabama A&M: 1
8. Albany State: 1
9. Coppin State: 1
10. Dillard University: 1
11. Florida A&M: 1
12. Hampton: 1
13. Howard: 1
14. Southern University: 1
15. Virginia Union: 1
16. West Virginia State: 1
17. Winston-Salem State: 1

Examine the case of former Howard's phenom Blake Harper, who received a healthy NIL deal to transfer to Creighton instead of remaining with the Bison.  

The onus is not solely on the NBA anymore; HBCU programs play a crucial role in bridging the talent gap.

We are now in the NIL era, a time that could change the game for HBCU programs. Will excuses about landing top talent still exist? Most likely.  

However, the emergence of the NIL era presents a unique opportunity for change, keeping the audience engaged and interested in the future of HBCU basketball.

We shall see.