The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels In Pro Basketball
5/28/2010 | Men's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - Over the years, Ole Miss has produced a heap of hoops talent, and many former Rebels are still lacing up their sneakers in basketball leagues around the world.
Ole Miss fans will soon have one more professional player to cheer for in Terrico White, who is expected to be picked in the upcoming 2010 NBA Draft (June 24).
Thirteen Ole Miss players have been selected in an NBA (or ABA) draft, most recently Justin Reed in 2004. The school's highest draft pick was Gerald Glass, who went in the first round (20th overall) to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1990.
More than 45 players have gone from Ole Miss to the professional ranks, including the NBA, ABA, overseas leagues and American minor leagues. A handful of former Rebel hoopsters even went on to professional careers in other sports (e.g., All-Americans Don Kessinger and Joe Gibbon in baseball and recent Rebels Jermey Parnell and Greg Hardy in football).
There are currently at least 13 former Rebels competing professionally around the world, as listed in the chart below. Most European leagues are either into their playoffs or have just concluded their season.
| Player | Team/Country in 2009-10 | Season Highlights | Notable Players in League |
| Todd Abernethy | Estonia | league champions | |
| Derrick Allen | Germany | 14.8 ppg (leads team) | Rasheem Barrett (Auburn), Derrick Byars (Vanderbilt), Ronald DuPree (LSU, NBA), Lee Humphrey (Florida), Casey Jacobsen (Stanford, NBA), Drew Neitzel (Michigan St.), Quantez Robertson (Auburn), Ramar Smith (Tennessee), Rashad Wright (Georgia), Vincent Yarbrough (Tennessee, NBA) |
| Dwayne Curtis | Turkey | 18.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg (both lead team) | Lonny Baxter (Maryland, NBA), Jermareo Davidson (Alabama), Ricky Davis (Iowa, NBA), Shan Foster (Vanderbilt), Tarence Kinsey (South Carolina, NBA), Tyler Smith (Tennessee) |
| Bam Doyne | Hungary | 21.4 ppg (2nd in league), 2nd team All-Hungary | Winsome Frazier (Mississippi St.), Darius Rice (Miami, nephew of Jerry Rice) |
| Tommie Eddie | Portugal | 15.3 ppg | Zam Fredrick (South Carolina) |
| Aaron Harper | Bulgaria | 22.7 ppg (leads league), 1st team All-Bulgaria, Guard & Import of the Year | |
| David Huertas | France & Puerto Rico | 16.1 ppg (France), 16.7 ppg (P.R.) | France: Julius Hodge (NC State, NBA), A.D. Vassallo (Va. Tech), Ramel Bradley (Kentucky), Trey Johnson (Jackson St.), Scooter McFadgon (Tennessee), Drew Neitzel (Michigan St.), David Noel (UNC), Kareem Reid (Arkansas), Mykal Riley (Alabama) Puerto Rico: Walter Hodge (Florida), Marcus Fizer (Iowa St., NBA), DerMarr Johnson (Cincinnati, NBA), Dan Langhi (Vanderbilt, NBA), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown, NBA), Robert Traylor (Michigan, NBA), Bonzi Wells (Ball St., NBA), Major Wingate (Tennessee), A.D. Vassallo (Va. Tech) |
| John Jackson | Dominican Republic | ||
| Justin Johnson | Newport Beach Surf (WCPBL) | ||
| Ansu Sesay | France | See Huertas above | |
| Jason Smith | Romania | 17.1 ppg (leads team) | |
| Kenny Williams | Germany | See Allen above | |
| LaTaryl Williams | United Kingdom | U.K. All-Defensive team |
