HBCU basketball stars declare for the WNBA draft

07/04/2024 00:49

Following another electric season of HBCU college basketball, multiple star players have entered their name in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Jackson State’s Angel Jackson, Savannah State’s Amari Heard, and Virginia Union’s Ny Langley are all up for consideration for the draft on April 15. They are also hoping to change the narrative around HBCU players in the WNBA. Since its inception, only six HBCU athletes have been selected in the WNBA Draft. There was a 20-year drought beginning in 2002 and ending with Jackson State’s Ameshya Williams-Holliday in 2022, the first pick in the third round.

WNBA has released a list of names of players that have formally filed for inclusion as candidates for the WNBA Draft 2024, scheduled for April 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET). @Winsidrpic.twitter.com/tVIVM5JG6y

— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) April 4, 2024

Angel Jackson has been in the national spotlight since her high school days as a McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic participant. Jackson, a California native, attended the University of Southern California for the first three years of her collegiate career. In 2022, the former five-star recruit transferred to Jackson State. 

Jackson projects to be an elite rim protector and shot blocker at the professional level. In the 2022-23 season, she averaged 2.5 blocks per game, a statistic that improved to 2.9 last season. In 2023-24, she started and played in all 33 of Jackson State’s games and played an average of 25.2 minutes per game. She also recorded 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. The 6’6″ forward recorded three or more blocks 16 times last season, and had multiple games with six blocks. Jackson earned All-SWAC Second Team honors and was the conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Ny Langley of Virginia Union is unique from the other women on this list as she received an invite to participate in the WNBA Combine. The First Team All-CIAA senior averaged 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists throughout her three-year career at Virginia Union. She’s started in almost every game she’s played in and helped lead VUU to a 17-12 record last season. The Panthers finished 9-8 in the CIAA and lost in the opening round of the tournament. They fell to Shaw University, 65-64, in an overtime thriller to kick off the CIAA Tournament. Langley had five games with more than 20 points, including a near 30-point performance against Augusta. In that game, Langley finished with 27 points and made nine of her 12 shot attempts.

“It is an honor and much deserved opportunity for Ny Langley to be chosen to participate in the combine,” said Virginia Union head coach Tierra Terry. “She has always had aspiration for playing professionally, so we are excited that she has the opportunity to showcase her talent. It is always big for the CIAA and HBCU’s when one player can represent the conference in a combine at that level. We wish her good luck as she represents VUU!”

Lastly, Savannah State’s Amari Heard rounds out the list of HBCU participants in the WNBA Draft. Heard, a First Team All-SIAC graduate student, powered Savannah State to a 20-6 record overall and a 15-4 record in conference. Her last season was easily the best of her career as she averaged 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. Heard took on a more primary role with Savannah State as a full-time starter beginning in 2022, jumping to double-digit starts in the past two seasons.

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