After a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Top 50 Camp will 

return to The Atlanta University Center from July 28th to July 30th

NEW YORK, NY, July 26, 2022 -- The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (“SIAC”), and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (“SWAC”) are pleased to announce their continued partnership in hosting the Top 50 Basketball Camp. After a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Top 50 Camp will take place from July 28th to July 30th on the campus of Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. 

First developed in 2017, the Top 50 Camp features a group of the best players from the SIAC and SWAC, respectively. Modeled after the NBPA’s Top 100 Camp, players at the Top 50 Camp will receive on-court skill instruction from current and retired NBA players and participate in leadership and personal development sessions off the court. The Top 50 Camp will also allow players to showcase their talent against the best of their neighboring conference through highly competitive scrimmages and games. 

“The Top 50 Camp has proven to be an amazing environment for the NBPA to deepen its connection with the HBCU community,” said Purvis Short, NBPA Chief of Player Programs. “After a two-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are very excited to resume our partnership with the SIAC and SWAC to provide an all-encompassing experience for these HBCU athletes that will help prepare them for success on and off the court.”

At the Top 50 Camp, current and retired NBA players interested in pursuing a career in intercollegiate athletics will have an opportunity to coach on-court activities and lead in player development exercises. Through this structure, the Top 50 Camp is designed to cultivate and create coaching and talent pipelines for current and retired NBA players interested in careers in intercollegiate athletics. 

“We are extremely pleased to continue this partnership with the NBPA by providing critically important professional development opportunities to our student-athletes and both current and former NBA players,” said Gregory Moore, Commissioner of the SIAC. “The success of this initiative cannot simply be measured by the number of student-athletes positively impacted at the SWAC and SIAC, but by the increased number of former professional athletes that have been afforded coaching opportunities throughout intercollegiate athletics.”

“The Southwestern Athletic Conference is extremely excited to continue to partner with the NBPA TOP 50 Camp,” said Dr. Charles McClelland, Commissioner of the SWAC. “This partnership serves as a unique opportunity for our student-athletes to participate in athletic and professional development initiatives that will positively impact them in a wide variety of ways. Some of the top names in basketball serve as the mentors and coaches for this great event and the overall high level of knowledge and expertise shared with our student-athletes creates truly impactful and memorable experiences for all of those involved.” 

TOP 50 Camp Participants (Subject to change)

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)

• Beril Kabamba - Spring Hill College 

• Billy Thomas - Morehouse College 

• Devyn Payne - Fisk University 

• Elijah Horton - Miles College

• Ethan Jones - Fisk University

• Jaleel Simmons - Albany State 

• Jalon Andrews - Kentucky State 

• Jamon Reed - Fisk University  

• Jordan Simpson - Albany State 

• Kerry Richardson - Morehouse College

• Keshon Tabb - Rust College 

• KJ Doucet - Fort Valley State 

• Malik Parker - Albany State 

• Marcus Scott - Savannah State 

• Mario Davis - Fisk University 

• Montrell Jacobs - Kentucky State 

• Mykayle Carter - Miles College 

• Pierre Mitchell - Fort Valley State 

• Robert Kendrick - Fort Valley State 

• Shamon Mosley - Kentucky State 

• Steven Lyles - Spring Hill College 

• Truitt Spencer - Miles College 

• Willie Jackson - Central State 

Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)

• Alex Alexander - Alabama State

• Bryson Etienne - Southern University

• Cameron Christon - Grambling State 

• Cameron Tucker - Alabama A&M 

• Dailin Smith - Alabama A&M 

• Dominic Brewton - Alcorn State 

• Dontrell McQuarter - Alcorn State 

• Gabe Watson - Jackson State 

• Galen Alexander - Texas Southern 

• Garrett Hicks - Alabama A&M

• George Ivory III - Mississippi Valley State   

• Jordan O’Neal - Alabama State 

• John Walker III - Texas Southern

• Joirdon Karl Nicholas - Texas Southern 

• Kadar Waller - Mississippi Valley State  

• Ken Evans Jr. - Jackson State 

• Kylen Milton - Arkansas Pine-Bluff 

• Oddyst Walker - Alcorn State 

• Robert Lewis - Arkansas Pine-Bluff 

• Samuel Da Cruz - Arkansas Pine-Bluff 

• Shaun Doss Jr. - Arkansas Pine-Bluff 

• Shawndarius Cowart - Grambling State

• Terry Collins - Mississippi Valley State    

• TJ Madlock - Alabama State 

• Tra’Michael Moton - Grambling State

• Trace Young - Jackson State 

• William Douglas - Prairie View  

 Media members interested in covering the camp are asked to contact: NBPA Communications (communications@nbpa.com), Tyler A. Williams (williams@thesiac.com), and Andrew Roberts (a.roberts@swac.org). 

ABOUT THE NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association 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. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the for-profit subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities, and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

ABOUT THE SIAC

The SIAC is an NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors seven men's and six women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com. 

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.