Title image via Hampton Athletics
Courtesy of Hampton Athletics
With the success on the court during Coach Joyner’s tenure, numerous student-athletes have received opportunities to continue their playing careers. Currently, 11 former Pirates are playing professionally overseas.
Former Hampton standout Trevond Barnes is off to a great start this season for the Portuguese side Immortal Desportivo Clube. Barnes has started every game this season averaging over 30 minutes per game. In the season opener, the Lafayette, Ala. native, contributed nine points and six rebounds in Immortal’s victory. Barnes in his team’s last time out, produced a double-double scoring a season-high 16 points and grabbing 11 boards.
HU’s Jerry Carter began his first season with Condores de Cundinamarca out of the professional league in Columbia. Carter started off the 2023-24 campaign with a solid showing recording 12 points along with seizing four rebounds. The 6’4 guard against Bucaros finished the contest with a season-high 16 points while shooting 2-3 from beyond the arc. With strong back-to-back performances, the Woodbridge, Va. native, is seeing an increased role at Condores.
Reginald Johnson who won two MEAC Tournament titles for the Pirates signed to Romanian side Ploiesti CSM. Johnson got the start for Ploiesti in his first contest with his new team. Johnson has been in double-figures in both games this season. The Chicago, Ill. native, sits towards the top of Liga Nationala for assists per game averaging five a contest.
Recent Hampton graduate Dajour Dickens signed to Iskra Svit who competes in the top professional league in Slovakian the Nike SBL. Johnson, in the early portion of the season, is averaging 5.3 points per game and grabbing 5.4 rebounds a contest.
After spending the 2022-23 campaign in the Russia-Superleague for University Surgut, Jevon Presley signed with Mexican side Obregon. With joining Obregon before the end of the season, Presley only appeared in three games. During the final contest of the season against Tijuana, he had a solid showing scoring eight points in 14 minutes of action.
HU’s Amir Smith has begun his first season with Medipolis Science City Jena. Smith spent the previous season with Swedish side Jamtland. So far with Jena, Smith has not seen any action this season. In his professional career, Smith consistently sits toward the top of the league for free throw percentage.
Charlotte, N.C. native, Lysander Bracey enters his second season with Caceres in the second-tier professional league. After a career-high 28-point performance last season, Bracey earned himself a spot in the starting lineup.
A 2020 Hampton graduate, Jermaine Marrow completed his first season with Da Nang Dragons out of the Vietnam Basketball Association. Marrow ended the 2023 campaign with consecutive 30-point-plus performances. In the Dragon’s final game of the season, the Newport News, Va. native, went off for 34 points and 13 rebounds. Before arriving in Da Nang, Marrow played in Denmark for Svendborg.
Mario Hakett Jr., Najee Garvin, and Danny Agbelese are all awaiting for their respective seasons to start. Hakett Jr. this summer signed a deal with Team Boston from Eurobasket S. League. Garvin is set to begin his first season with Portuguese side Ginasio. The 2022 Hampton graduate has spent stints with professional teams in Luxemburg and North Macedonia. The 6’8 center Agbelese is set to begin his second season with Pirates from the Venezuelan SFB league.
The Pirates are less than a month away from the 2023-24 campaign starting. Hampton’s first contest of the season is against rivals Howard University at Burr Gymnasium on November 6th.
