3^rd Annual Top 50 Camp To Be Held At The Atlanta University Center

NEW YORK, NY, July 18, 2019 -- The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the Southwestern Athletic Conference (“SWAC”) and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (“SIAC”) are pleased to announce their continued partnership in hosting the 3rd annual Top 50 Basketball Camp. The Camp will take place July 25-27 on the campus of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Twenty-five of the best players from each conference will be featured at the camp in a model similar to the NBPA’s Top 100 Camp. Players will receive on-court skill instruction from current and retired NBA players as well as participate in leadership and life skills development sessions off the court.

“We are proud to continue this partnership with SWAC and SIAC for a 3rd year,” said NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts. “The NBPA Top 50 Camp provides a unique experience to these student-athletes while exposing our players to professional opportunities within the HBCU community. We look forward to another great year.”

The camp also aims to develop coaching and talent pipelines for current and retired NBA players who are interested in exploring a career in intercollegiate athletics.

“The Southwestern Athletic Conference along with our membership is once again extremely excited to be apart of the NBPA Top 50 Camp,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. “This camp benefits our student-athletes in a variety of ways from a developmental standpoint and we look forward to participating in this year’s event.”

In addition to skill development and on-court drills, the camp will also include highly-competitive scrimmages and games, giving campers the opportunity to showcase their talent against the best players from their neighboring conference.

“Three years ago, the NBPA, led by Michele Roberts, partnered with the SIAC and SWAC to provide leadership and skill instruction for our student-athletes as well as professional development opportunities for former NBA players. Three years later, the Top 50 Camp has not only exceeded our most optimistic expectations, but has in my judgement, also led to more former NBA players being provided employment opportunities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (“HBCUs”) and throughout the broad intercollegiate landscape,” said SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore.

SWAC and SIAC participants will include:

• Tobi Ewuosho (Alabama State)
• Leon Freeman-Daniels (Alabama State)
• Jacoby Ross (Alabama State)
• Tyrell Williams (Albany State)
• De’Shaw Andrews (Alcorn)
• Alonzo Campbell (Alcorn)
• Maurice Howard (Alcorn)
• Deshawn Graham (Benedict)
• Malik Fisher (Central State)
• Tom Johnson (Central State)
• Dreon Lewis (Central State)
• Shelvick Henry (Clark-Atlanta)
• Jalen Mitchell (Clark-Atlanta)
• Shawn Foxbrennen (Fort Valley State)
• Jaylon McMillan (Fort Valley State)
• Prince Moss (Grambling State)
• Lemmie Howard (Jacksonville State)
• Jayveous McKinnis (Jacksonville State)       
• Kendarius Ash (Lane)
• Tyrone Banks Jr. (LeMoyne-Owen)
• Devin Booker (LeMoyne-Owen)
• Toriano Stokes (LeMoyne-Owen)
• Jalen Watson-Gayle (Miles)
• Ejeh Emmanuel (Mississippi Valley State)
• Dante Scott (Mississippi Valley State)
• Olisa Akonobi (Morehouse)
• Robert Andrews (Morehouse)
• Xavier Brewer (Morehouse)  
• Chibueze Ebinum (Morehouse)
• Michael Olmert (Morehouse)
• Cameron Gaines (Paine)
• Charles Moore (Paine)
• Gerard Andrus (Prairie View A&M)
• Chancellor Ellis (Prairie View A&M)
• Antione Lister (Prairie View A&M)                     
• Jaylen Saddler (Southern)
• Ashante Shivers (Southern)
• Dwight Harris (Spring Hill)             
• Marquell Carter (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)

Media members interested in covering the camp can apply for credentials here and should contact Elle Hagedorn (elle.hagedorn@nbpa.com), Andrew Roberts (a.roberts@swac.org) or Tyler Williams (williams@thesiac.com) with any additional questions.

ABOUT THE NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities.

In addition, the NBPA provides a forum for players to participate in union activities -- from executive leadership roles, to team representative positions, global community outreach initiatives. The NBPA offers each NBA player the opportunity to get involved in the democratic institution that was created for, continues to exist for and is run by them.

ABOUT THE SWAC

The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a Division I athletic conference located in Birmingham, Alabama, consisting of 10 first-class universities (Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Grambling State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, Texas Southern University and the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff). Founded in 1920, The SWAC sponsors eighteen sports, eight for men and ten for women.  For more information, visit www.swac.org.

ABOUT THE SIAC

The SIAC is an NCAA athletic conference headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and includes fourteen member institutions (Albany State University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Paine College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University). The SIAC sponsors six women’s sports and seven men’s sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com.

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