When the NBA announced the first official list of early entrants into the 2026 NBA draft on 27 April, something was missing. The major college stars who are poised for professional stardom are littered throughout. There are also the players who have potential for a big collegiate season who enter to get some professional attention or guidance before pulling out. This time though, there are only 71 entrants which is the lowest number in decades. The Name Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation for collegiate athletes means that staying in college can be more lucrative than attempting a professional career when there are so few positions available. This makes sense for many of the reductions in NCAA Division I entrants.

However, there was one unexplained abstinence which has previously mightily persisted over the years. That is: the random entrants from non-NCAA Division I schools who generally have no chance whatsoever at coming anywhere close to an NBA roster. I love the guys that do this because I have no idea why these guys do this. Yet, every year for 36 years, someone put their name forward.

With the streak now closed, I wanted to pay tribute and look back at some of the aspirational attempts from the last few years.

2025: Omar Rowe from Morehouse College

Omar Rowe was the sole small college representative in the 2025 NBA draft. A 6’5″ guard from New York, he attended high school in Connecticut and then started his collegiate career at Florida Southwestern College in 2021. Rowe only appeared in 8 games during his freshman season and averaged 8.1 points per game. He appeared in 27 games during his sophomore season but his scoring average dropped to 3.9 points per game. Rowe had a dream and did the right thing when he transferred to Morehouse College in Atlanta, the famed historically black institute that has been the alma mater for Martin Luther King Jr. and Spike Lee. He entered the team’s starting line-up as a junior with an average of 6.9 points per game. During his final season, Rowe moved to being the team’s sixth man and averaged a career-best 8.4 points per game. He declared for the NBA draft at the season’s conclusion and went undrafted.

2024: Carlos Nichols from Southern Crescent Tech Community College

The ultimate in 2024 was Carlos Nichols out of Southern Crescent Tech College in Georgia. The 6’5″ guard from Atlanta had last played college basketball in 2020–21 at Southern Crescent Tech when he averaged 13.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Nichols did not play during the 2021–22 season and then competed in 3×3 basketball. He found enough success in that to qualify for the United States national team that competed at the 2023 Red Bull Half Court World Finals in Serbia where his team reached the quarter-finals. With what should have been one year of collegiate eligibility remaining, Nichols declared for the 2024 draft and went undrafted.

2023: Tyler Willoughby from Voorhees / Tyrese Wineglass from Southwestern Adventist

I had to split my attention for 2023 for two players who came from tiny schools: Tyler Willoughby out of Voorhees and Tyrese Wineglass from Southwestern Adventist. They also happen to be two Tys who have surnames starting with “Wi” coming out of rural schools. Willoughby was a 6’3″ guard from Atlanta who started his collegiate career in 2019 with two seasons at Chattahoochee Valley Community College and then one season at Middle Georgia State University. He finished his career at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina, which has a student population of 500. Willoughby averaged a career-best 16.6 points per game and knew it was his time for the draft. His aspiration was only surpassed by fellow Georgian Wineglass who had last played at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas, in the 2020–21 season. Wineglass appeared in only two scoreless games that season and then never played a collegiate basketball game again. He had averaged 13.6 points per game when he last played regularly during the 2019–20 season. Both Willoughby and Wineglass were undrafted.

2022: Khristien White from Southwestern Christian

My choice for 2022 goes to Khristien White out of Southwestern Christian University. White was a 6’3″ guard who started his career on the junior varsity team at Concordia University Texas in the 2015–16 season. He missed the next season and then made two appearances for their varsity team in the 2017–18 season with an average of 2.5 points per game. White enrolled at Prairie View A&M for the 2018–19 season but did not play. He re-emerged at Southwestern Christian in 2019 and played three seasons there with an average of about 12 points per game. By the time he declared for the 2022 draft, he had seven years in college but with only four seasons played and one season left of eligibility. White was undrafted.

2021: Jadyn Michael from Colorado Christian

2021 was an unbelievable year for small college NBA aspirants; they were also almost all legitimate high-level collegiate players who averaged double figures in scoring. The greatest aspiration of all though was displayed by Jadyn Michael from Colorado Christian. The 6’4″ guard was a local whose father also played basketball for the school. Michael had a decent freshman season with 3.6 points per game in 20 appearances but only appeared in 2 games averaging 5.0 points during his sophomore season. Michael was a shooting guard in the truest sense and was credited for only 1 assist in his 22 appearances. That was enough for him to declare for the draft where he went undrafted.

2020: Dakari Johnson from Cape Fear CC

Only two players from non-Division I declared early for the 2020 draft and one of them was a legitimate NBA prospect who turned down an opportunity to play at Louisville to go professional. Jay Scrubb from John A. Logan was only kept from initially playing at Division I due to academic troubles and had enough potential to get selected with the 55th pick by the Brooklyn Nets. He played for three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic and averaged 4.0 points in his 24 games. Such heights were not matched by his fellow small college contender in Dakari Johnson from Cape Fear CC. From Raeford, North Carolina, he stayed in the state to play for Cape Fear CC in Wilmington and had an excellent freshman season with an average of 24.1 points per game. Johnson declared for the draft where he went undrafted but maintained his collegiate eligibility so he could enrol at the Division I level with Campbell. He sat out the 2020–21 season and then only appeared in one scoreless game during the 2021–22 season before his collegiate career ended. An odd ending for someone who showed that he had potential.

2019: Austin Robinson from Kentucky Christian

2019 was another heavy year for small college entrants but I went for Austin Robinson who attended Kentucky Christian with its student population of 500. The 6’2″ guard from Lawrenceville, Georgia, was the standout player during his one season at Kentucky Christian and averaged 15.6 points per game in 20 appearances. He declared and went undrafted.

2018: Tashawn Berry from DCB

2018 saw the ambition of Tashawn Berry from Dakota College at Bottineau. The 6’3″ forward from Saint Paul, Minnesota, played two seasons from 2015 to 2017. If Dakota’s statistics are correct, Berry somehow averaged 4.4 points per game in 4.9 minutes played in 38 total games. This gives him some ridiculous per-36 statistics which are all the more impressive considering he shot 28.9% from three-point range and 38.5% from the free throw line. He sat out the 2017–18 season and then declared where he went undrafted.

2017: Clandell Cetoute from Thiel

2017 had a few interesting players enter. There was Antone Warren from Antelope Valley who was the top center of his junior college class class but decided to turn professional. There was Tony Farmer who was a top-100 high school recruit in 2012 until his career was derailed when he imprisoned for kidnapping, assault and robbery; he re-emerged at Lee from 2015 to 2017 where he played well and declared despite having any chance of making the NBA being long gone. I have gone with the immaculately named Clandell Cetoute from Thiel. The 6’8″ forward averaged 9.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game in only 25.3 minutes played during the 2016–17 season. He chose to forego his final season and went undrafted.

2016: Lamous Brown from USU Eastern

The best story of 2016 goes to Lamous Brown from USU Eastern. The 7’0″ center from Chicago enrolled at John A. Logan midway through the 2014–15 season and did not play. Brown transferred to USU Eastern for 2015–16 but left without playing a game. He declared for the 2016 draft despite not playing for his two collegiate seasons and went undrafted. Brown returned to college at Feather River CC for the 2016–17 season and played the first collegiate basketball of his career with an average of 10.4 points per game. He transferred to Shaw for the final season of his eligibility and averaged 3.5 points per game. Brown: four colleges, two seasons, undrafted.

2015: Deonta Stocks from West Georgia

Luis Montero declared out of South Plains (Texas) for the 2015 NBA draft after his amateur career was upended by his first college, Westchester CC, suspending their program because of an academic scandal. He was undrafted but ended up making the Portland Trail Blazers’ roster for his rookie season and appeared in 12 games. His success story is countered by the odyssey of Deonta Stocks who had last played at West Georgia when he declared in 2015. The 6’1″ guard from Lithonia, Georgia, had started his collegiate career eight years earlier when he enrolled at Daytona State CC in 2007 but was ruled as academically ineligible. Stocks transferred to Trinity Valley CC in 2008 but did not play. He was out of college from 2009 to 2012 and then returned to Daytona State CC where he was again academically ineligible for the 2012–13 season. Stocks finally made his collegiate debut after he transferred to West Georgia in 2013 and immediately capitalised with an average of 20.6 points per game. He returned for the 2014–15 season and averaged 22.7 points per game. I presume Stocks declared for the draft to finally get out of the college system after spending so long there; he went undrafted.

2014: William Alston from CC of Baltimore County

The greatest longshot in 2014 was William Alston from CC of Baltimore County. The 6’5″ power forward had last played during his freshman season in 2010–11 when he averaged 4.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Alston transferred to Reynolds CC in 2011 but did not play. He was then out of college from 2012 until he declared for the 2014 draft where he went undrafted.

2013: Kiwi Gardner from Midland College

Kiwi Gardner was a 5’7″ guard from Oakland, California, who committed to play at the Division I level for Providence in 2011 but never gained eligibility to play. He started the 2012–13 season at Southern Idaho CC but transferred midseason to join Midland where he averaged 8.3 points in 9 games played. An undersized guard who hardly played at the NJCAA level was a major ambition to hit the draft and Gardner went undrafted despite later playing in the G League.

2012: Erik Austin from Jackson CC / Xavier Jones from Missouri State–West Plains JC

I had to split 2012 between two incredible ambitions. Erik Austin was a 6’3″ shooting guard who played for his hometown Jackson CC during the 2010–11 season and averaged 1.0 point per game in eight appearances. Xavier Jones was a 5’11” point guard who spent one season at Missouri State–West Plains JC in the 2008–09 season and then never played another collegiate game again. Their hopes were unmatched yet paralleled by only each other. They were both undrafted.

2011: Dan Kelm from Viterbo

Dan Kelm from Viterbo was the random entrant who was the recipient of media attention when he declared after his sophomore season in 2011. The 6’0″ shooting guard averaged 1.0 point per game during his two seasons at Viterbo. He decided to enter for the fun of it after knowing how easy the process was. Kelm was undrafted.

2010: John Sloan from Huntingdon

What was a 20-year streak almost ended in 2010 but was miraculously saved by the ambition of John Sloan from Huntingdon. His status as the sole long shot meant that he gained a substantial amount of media attention which was a contrast from many of the other players profiled here. The 5’11” point guard averaged 2.6 points per game in his three seasons at Huntingdon. Sloan playing time gradually decreased while his study time increased and he decided that his collegiate playing days were over. Huntingdon had to issue a press release clarifying that Sloan’s entrance was a joke and all media enquiries should go directly to Sloan. He was undrafted.

2009: Ronald Ogoke from Paul Quinn

Ronald Ogoke was a 7’0″ center who averaged about 2 points per game across three collegiate seasons. He started his career at Southwestern Christian JC in 2005–06, making three appearances and averaging 2.3 points per game. Ogoke played the entire 2006–07 season and averaged 0.9 points per game. He transferred to Paul Quinn where he debuted in 2008–09 and averaged a career-best 3.8 points per game. Ogoke decided his collegiate career was over and declared but went undrafted.

2008: Keith Brumbaugh from Hillsborough JC

Out of every player profiled in this article, Keith Brumbaugh might have had the most talent. He was chosen as the best player in his home state of Florida as a high school senior in 2005 and declared for that year’s draft until he decided to withdraw. He was poised to attend Oklahoma State until his plans were derailed by legal and academic problems. Brumbaugh left without playing a game and enrolled at Chipola JC the following season; he again left without playing because of more legal problems. He finally cleaned up his act to make his collegiate debut at Hillsborough JC during the 2007–08 season when he averaged a staggering 34.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Teams were unable to look over his off-court behaviour – which included incarceration – and Brumbaugh was undrafted. He did make the NBA Development League but continued to experience legal troubles throughout his life; he was arrested 21 times from 2006 to 2015.

2007: Robert Earl Johnson from Clinton JC

The early 2000s saw an abundance of small town college aspirants in draft consideration but the streak almost ended here with only two entrants. One of those was Robert Earl Johnson – full name – out of Clinton JC. He averaged 11.0 points per game during his freshman season and then declared. 2007 was a stacked year for freshman talent declaring early and The Hartford Courant decided to cover all nine freshman entrants in their scouting report; their description for Johnson is simply “Who is Robert Earl Johnson? Could go through the night without hearing name called.” No scouts chose to answer the question and the succeeding statement came true.

2006: Matt Mitchell from Southern–New Orleans

I was interested in Dave Johnson – the 6’8″ power forward from Clinton JC who declared after his sophomore season where he averaged 2.1 points per game – but his common name meant researching was a considerable task. I instead focused on Matt Mitchell, the 6’0″ point guard who spent time at five colleges in four seasons. He began his career with Fresno State in 2001–02 where he was awarded by his team as “Surprise of the Year” with his solid play. The Fresno State exodus in 2002 because of rule violations led to the beginning of Mitchell’s odyssey: Southern Nevada CC and South Alabama in 2002–03 where he did not play, Skyline CC in 2003–04, Southern–New Orleans in 2004–05 and then spent a season of eligibility without a team in 2005–06. Mitchell declared in 2006 and went undrafted.

2005: Julius Lamptey from Garden City CC

Julius Lamptey was a big prospect as a high schooler in his native Oklahoma City – big as in he stood 7’0″ and weighed over 300 pounds. He had intended to attend Arkansas after his graduation in 2002 but was academically ineligible. Lamptey tried to qualify for his local Oklahoma State in 2004 after a year of exam preparation but again was ineligible. He instead played at Garden City CC during the 2004–05 season and averaged 6.8 points per game. Lamptey declared at the end of the season when he should have been a junior at a Division I prospect; instead, he became an undrafted player out of the NJCAA.

2004: Chris Acker from Chaminade

Chris Acker, the 6’1″ point guard from Chaminade, knew he was not getting drafted. He was the subject of an entire Honolulu Star-Advertiser article about when he announced that he was declaring after a junior season where he averaged 5.0 points per game. Acker wanted to play basketball professionally so gave up his collegiate dreams early and declared. He was undrafted but played overseas and then returned to the United States to pursue a coaching career. Acker is presently the head coach at Long Beach State. Sometimes it works out to dream big.

2003: Rod Edwards from Ouachita Baptist

Early entrants are usually found amongst prospects but 2003 saw a veteran declare. Rod Edwards was a 6’1″ point guard out of Ouachita Baptist who had started his collegiate career in 1995 at Vincennes JC. He had lived a four-year collegiate career twice by the time he entered in 2003 but only spent three seasons playing during that period: 1995–96 at Vincennes JC, 1999–2000 at Henderson State and 2002–03 at Ouachita Baptist. Edwards could play – he averaged 23.0 points per game at Ouachita Baptist – but nobody was considering an eight-year collegiate prospect when he declared and went undrafted.

2002: Rashid Hardwick from Eastern Oklahoma State JC

Rashid Hardwick was a 7’2″ center from New York who should have been a tantalising prospect collegiately and professionally. He encountered some legal problems prior to his collegiate career beginning in 2000 and spent the season at Eastern Oklahoma State JC with an average of 2.2 points per game. Yes, a 7’2″ center who rarely saw the court. He was without a team during the 2001–02 season and then declared but went undrafted. Hardwick, later known as Rashid Byrd, could have found an alternate profession by roleplaying his basketball career; he appeared as an extra in the films Semi-Pro and Bring Your ‘A’ Game. He instead used his charming nature and exaggerated fame to force women into sex acts for 15 years. Byrd was sentenced to 90 years imprisonment for sexual assault in 2024.

2001: Preston Bennett from Grayson CC

I would be remiss not to mention the success story of Jamario Moon who declared after one season at Meridian CC in 1999–2000, went undrafted, played basketball across the world and still managed to play five seasons in the NBA. I chose Preston Bennett from Grayson CC only because there was so little information on him. The 6’6″ forward was a Division I prospect averaging 27.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game during his senior season at Spanish River High School in Florida when he was kicked off the team in 1998 for spitting at a referee. That seemingly brought an end to any Division I opportunities and he next emerged at Grayson CC in 2000–01 but did not play. Bennett declared for the 2001 draft despite seemingly not appearing in an organised basketball game for three years and went undrafted.

2000: Steve Eldridge from Henderson State

Steve Eldridge had been on his own basketball odyssey before he entered the 2000 draft out of Henderson State. The 6’11” center was poised to play for Texas out of high school but did not qualify academically. He sat out the 1995–96 season at Tyler JC but debuted the following season with 28 games and 7.5 points per game. Eldridge moved to Kings River CC for the 1997–98 season but did not play. He was set to finally make his Division I debut with Fresno State in 1998 but again did not qualify academically. Eldridge was relegated to Henderson State where he posted an almost identical 7.6 points per game in 32 games. Deciding the collegiate dream was over, Eldridge declared but went undrafted.

1999: Gene Shipley from San Jose CC

I could have written about Kendrick Johnson (listed as Kendric Johnson) from West Hills JC who last played college basketball in 1994 but declared this year. I could have written about Dwayne “Dee” Franklin who played two games for Oregon State in 1993–94, disappeared for four years and then declared after a season at Shaw in 1998–99. Instead, I have to write about Gene Shipley from San Jose CC. The 6’9″ forward was the subject of an article by his local Philadelphia Daily News about his improbability of making the league. Shipley played at three high schools in the Philadelphia area but missed his entire senior season because of a wrist injury in 1997; he also never earned a diploma. Shipley was still eligible to play collegiately in California so he went to San Jose CC and appeared in eight games with an average of 16.0 points but dropped out after three months. He declared for the draft which was met by his collegiate coach, Percy Carr in this way: “I worry about kids like this. It’s frightening. My whole life has been helping kids, but so many just keep looking for the shortcuts. And usually, they’re shortcuts to nowhere.” Carr was right: Shipley’s shortcut led nowhere and he was undrafted.

1998: Marcus Bullard from Auburn Montgomery

The Marcus Bullard of a different world would have been automatically eligible for the 1998 draft out of a storied career at Mississippi State and had potential to be drafted. The Marcus Bullard of the world in which we live instead declared as an early entrant in the 1998 draft after multiple legal problems, imprisonment and removal from two collegiate teams. Bullard was a high school senior on his way to Mississippi State when he was arrested for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was placed on probation which saved his collegiate career and he played two seasons at Mississippi State from 1994 to 1996, including averaging 12.1 points per game during his sophomore season as his team reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. Only a few months later, he was arrested for violating his probation after he pistol whipped a fellow student and imprisoned for a year. Bullard returned to play at Auburn Montgomery where he averaged 26.6 points per game. A criminal history and poor reputation would have essentially blacklisted Bullard from the league and he went undrafted after declaring.

1997: Elgie McCoy from Kutztown

1997 had a couple of small college success stories with both Stephen Jackson from Butler CC being drafted 42nd and C.J. Bruton from Indian Hills CC being drafted at 52. Their careers were different – Jackson with 14 seasons in the NBA and Bruton who starred in his native Australia – but they were still drafted after having some form of pre-draft hype. The same could not be said for Elgie McCoy from Kutztown. The 6’9″ power forward from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, played scarcely during his rookie season at Sheridan JC in 1993–94 and then transferred to Kutztown where he played from 1995 to 1997. He declared for the draft after posting career-bests of 8.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. McCoy was the subject of an entire article by The Star-Ledger which detailed the implausibility of him being selected. The indomitable Marty Blake, the NBA’s chief scout (still giving scathing draft assessments), said that McCoy could not cut it at Kutztown nor could he in the NBA and had no idea what McCoy was thinking. His Kutztown coach pleaded McCoy to not declare yet did so anyway because he believed that he could “be a player of impact in this league.” It was a fascinating look that so many of these entrants – amidst those who do it as a joke or for notoriety – genuinely believed that they had what it took and it was merely their circumstances holding them back from what they could achieve. McCoy was undrafted and never played in the NBA.

1996: Willie Jackson from Lawson CC

I could have gone for Eric Gingold, the 7’4″ center who hardly played at Williams for three seasons but became a legitimate draft contender purely because of his height and rumoured potential. I could have also gone for Madut “Dut” Mayar (listed as Dut Mayar Madut), the 7’4″ center from Sudan via Frank Phillips who was a complete unknown after averaging 1.5 points in 10 games during his last season of play in 1994–95. I instead went for Willie Jackson who was listed as being from Lawson CC but had been on some odyssey for seven years by the time he declared. The 6’7″ power forward from Century, Florida, began his collegiate career with two seasons at Faulkner State CC from 1989 to 1991. He transferred to Livingstone in 1991 but did not play and was then out of college from 1992 to 1995. Jackson enrolled at Lawson CC for the 1995–96 season but did not play as he was ineligible. He has no statistics available and had last played five years previously which made him the most ambitious entrant of 1996; Jackson was undrafted.

1995: Martin Lewis from Seward County CC

I had to highlight Martin Lewis from Seward County CC in 1995. The 6’5″ shooting guard had signed to play with Colorado State in 1993 but did not have the grades to qualify. He instead began his collegiate career at Butler County CC where he averaged 17.5 points per game during the 1993–94 season. Lewis transferred to Seward County CC in his hometown of Liberal, Kansas, where two of his older brothers, Anthony Ray and Walter Jenkins, had played previously. He emerged as one of the best junior college players in the state with an average of 22.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 1994–95. Lewis committed to play for Oklahoma State but also declared for the draft where he was a surprise pick (at least to the Oklahoma State staff) at 50 by the Golden State Warriors. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors where he played 25 games across two seasons for an average of 3.6 points per game.

1994: Thomas Hamilton from Wabash Valley CC

1994 was the year for the non-Division I centers but 7’2″ Thomas Hamilton from Wabash Valley CC has the most interesting story of the bunch. He helped lead his Chicago high school team to a championship in 1993 and committed to stay in his home state to play collegiately for Illinois but was denied admission. Hamilton was accepted at Pittsburgh but withdrew without playing a game. He then enrolled at Wabash Valley CC for the remainder of the 1993–94 season but did not appear in a game. Hamilton was lampooned in local newspaper articles about his laziness and unhealthy habits. He was seen by some as a potential first round pick purely for his unusual skillset for a big man (a 3-point shooting touch for a 7’2″ center in 1994!) yet went undrafted. Hamilton eventually made the NBA by signing with the Boston Celtics in 1995 without playing a game in college. Hamilton made 33 appearances with the Celtics in 1995–96 and the Houston Rockets in 1999–2000 with an average of 3.2 points per game.

1993: Kevin Thomas from Beaver County CC

Kevin Thomas out of Beaver County CC was an employee in the credit department of Sears when he applied for early entrance in 1993. The 6’6″ center had last played in college two seasons earlier before he dropped out, found a regular job and tried to play as much basketball as he could elsewhere. Thomas was the second consecutive early applicant from Beaver County CC (Troy King applied the year before and was undrafted) which caused Marty Blake, NBA scouting director, to remark: “It seems to be each year a guy at Beaver-Whatever-It-Is gets in the draft who has one little ability – or two – no chance in heck of going anyplace better. If the guy couldn’t play at Beaver Falls, then the kid is kidding himself.” The Orlando Magic even wrote to Thomas suggesting that he try a lesser league. Thomas was undrafted.

1992: Jeff Theiler from La Verne

Entering the NBA draft is serious business — unless you are Jeff Theiler from La Verne who was entered into the 1992 NBA draft despite not being of his own desire. Theiler’s teammates applied for his entrance as a joke. He played in 11 games during the 1991–92 season and averaged 1.3 points. When contacted by a reporter enquring about his circumstances before the draft, an embarrassed school secretary said that Theiler “has very few stats.” Theiler was undrafted. A 1996 draft retrospective by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette described Theiler as an assistant coach at Cal State Hayward.

1991: Raoul Hutchens from Whittier / Ty Moseler from Waukesha County Tech

1991 had two non-Division I entrants. One was Ty Moseler from Waukesha County Tech who averaged 12 points and 11 assists per game but had his college coach reflect on his professional prospects in this way: “He’s pulling somebody’s leg. He’s a good junior college player, but he’s not a Division I player and you’ve got to be a great Division I player to make it in the NBA.” Such advice could have applied to his fellow entrant Raoul Hutchens from Whittier who played there from 1988 to 1991. The 6’2″ shooting guard averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game during his final season before declaring. His college coach, Dave Jacobs, was interviewed and explained Hutchens’ circumstance: “He’s going to law school. It was a lark. He never thought it would go this far. He was flattered in the beginning that he got a letter back from the NBA and that commissioner David Stern called him about it. But now he’s embarrassed.” Unsurprisingly, both Hutchens and Moseler were undrafted. A 1996 draft retrospective by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted Hutchens was successful in his other pursuit and became a lawyer in San Francisco; Moseler’s status was unknown.

1990: Kenny Miller from Barton County CC / Kenny Williams from Elizabeth City State

Something must have been in the water at Barton County CC for 6’9″ forwards named Kenny in 1990. The two non-Division I entrants that year were Kenny Miller from Barton County CC and Kenny Williams from Elizabeth City State who were both 6’9″ power forwards. Miller had previously attended where he lost two seasons to academic ineligibility but in the middle managed to record 14.7 points and 13.6 rebounds per game during the 1987–88 season. He transferred to Barton County CC for the 1989–90 season but did not play and then declared. Had Miller transferred to Barton County CC one season earlier, he would have played alongside Williams who was there during the 1988–89 season and averaged 20.5 points per game. He transferred to Elizabeth City State in his hometown of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, for the 1989–90 season but did not play. Williams had previously been a high school star who was selected as a Parade first-team All-American but was unable to reach his desired North Carolina Tar Heels because of academic deficiencies. Miller went undrafted but Williams was selected as the 46th pick by the Indiana Pacers with whom he spent four seasons in the NBA.

1989: Alex Soyebo from Northland Pioneer JC

1988 saw only early entrants from Division I schools so the streak begins in 1989 thanks to the ambition of Martin Den Hengst from Sheridan, Shawn Kemp from Trinity CC, Maurice Selvin from Puget Sound and Alex Soyebo from Northland JC. A variety of interesting stories here: the Dutch Den Hengst was supposed to play at New Hampshire in 1986 but sat out and only ended up playing one collegiate season at Sheridan, Kemp sat out his one season at Trinity and was drafted 17th overall on his way to an All-Star career, and Selvin was a former Air Force veteran who returned to Puget Sound to average 21.7 points per game across his two seasons. There stories are joined by my highlight of Olukorede “Alex” Soyebo, the 6’7″ forward from Lagos, Nigeria. He was to start his collegiate career at Norfolk State but redshirted his freshman season in 1985–86 and left without playing a game the following season. Soyebo was at South College in Georgia during the 1987–88 season but was academically ineligible. He finally gained his eligibility at Northland Pioneer JC for 24 games and averaged 4.7 points with 6.0 rebounds. Soyebo’s draft entrance was met by Marty Blake, the NBA’s chief scout, with this response: “I don’t know a damn thing about him, which is unusual. I’ve got junior college specialists – they’ve never heard of him.” The NBA teams decided they also knew nothing and Soyebo was undrafted.