Doobie Doo
Veteran
We rank ’em: The Top 25 HBCU athletes of all time
Althea Gibson, Jerry Rice and Earl the Pearl, Sweetness represent the best of HBCU athleticism
BY DONALD HUNTMarch 20, 2018
ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN MCCABE
Some of our greatest athletes have come from historically black colleges and universities. These male and female athletes honed their skills at HBCUs in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.
These 25 HBCU athletes, many of them among the greatest athletes of all time, have carved out a special niche in their sports.
Charles OakleyVirginia Union
Forward Charles Oakley led Virginia Union to the 1985 CIAA championship. The Panthers had a 31-1 overall record that year, with Oakley averaging 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game. Oakley was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. He scored 2,379 points and grabbed 1,642 rebounds in his college career.
In 1985, he was the first-round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he was quickly traded to the Chicago Bulls. Oakley played for the Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets in his 18 NBA seasons.
John TaylorDelaware State
John Taylor was named to All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams from 1983-85. At wide receiver, Taylor had great speed and the ability to make catches in heavy traffic. He was a good punt returner too. He had 100 receptions for 2,426 yards and 33 touchdowns with the Hornets. In 1985, he was named the MEAC Player of the Year.
Taylor was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1986. He had a 10-year career with the 49ers. A member of three Super Bowl championship teams, Taylor had a memorable performance in Super Bowl XXII, where he caught the winning touchdown pass to beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
Shannon SharpeSavannah State
Tight end Shannon Sharpe was a three-time All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection and a three-time Black College All-American. In 1987, Sharpe was a seventh-round pick of the Denver Broncos. He played nine seasons for the Broncos, including two Super Bowl champion teams. The three-time Pro Bowler played two seasons (2000-01) with the Baltimore Ravens, helping them win a Super Bowl as well. After that, he came back to play for Denver until 2003. Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has 815 catches for 10,060 yards and 69 touchdowns.
Rick MahornHampton University
Rick Mahorn was a three-time NAIA All-American, averaging 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game during his college career. The 6-foot-10 center played 18 seasons in the NBA. In 1989, he helped the Detroit Pistons win the NBA championship. Mahorn was known as one of the baddest Pistons’ “Bad Boys.” He was infamous for his ability to wreak havoc on the court and his physical tenacity.
Johnny SampleMaryland State (Now Maryland, Eastern Shore)
Johnny Sample led Maryland State to an overall 28-1-1 record and helped the Hawks capture two CIAA championships.
In 1957, Sample, a defensive back, was named to the Little All-American team and to the All-CIAA team. He was the first black college player to play in the College All-Star Game. He played 11 seasons of professional football for the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and New York Jets. He is the only football player to win NFL, AFL and Super Bowl championships. The five-time All-Pro selection played from 1958 to 1969.
Yolanda LaneyCheyney University
Yolanda Laney helped to put women’s HBCU basketball on the national map. Laney played guard for Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer at Cheyney State. She and teammate Valerie Walker led the 1982 Lady Wolves to their first-ever NCAA women’s basketball championship game. Cheyney lost to Louisiana Tech, 76-62, in the national title game. In 1984, Laney was named to the Kodak All-American team as a guard.
Steve McNairAlcorn State
Steve McNair could do it all at quarterback. A three-time first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference standout, McNair carried the Braves to a 8-3 record in 1993 while amassing 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. He set career FCS records with 14,496 passing yards along with the division mark for total offensive yards with 16,283 yards.
In 1995, he was taken with the third selection overall by the Houston Oilers in the NFL draft. McNair played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. In 1999, he led the Titans to the Super Bowl.
Willis ReedGrambling State
Center Willis Reed led Grambling State to three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships as well as a 1961 NAIA crown. He averaged 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds a game his senior year. Reed tallied 2,280 points and 1,851 rebounds in his college career. The 6-foot-10, 240-pounder went on to have a great NBA career with the New York Knicks, including an NBA championship in 1970.
Cleo HillWinston-Salem State
Guard Cleo Hill had a great outside shot, and he could get to the basket, too. Hill was the first big-time player to play for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines. As a senior guard, he averaged 26.7 points a game for the Rams. He completed his college career with 2,488 points. In 1961, he was a first-round pick of the St. Louis Hawks.
Aeneas WilliamsSouthern University
Aeneas Williams didn’t play football at Southern until his junior year. Although he got a late start, he emerged as a marvelous defensive player. He played cornerback and free safety, and in 1991 he was drafted by the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals in the third round. Williams played for the Cardinals from 1991-2000. He was traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2001, leading them to an appearance in the Super Bowl that year. He played for 14 years in the NFL and finished with 55 interceptions. In 2014, Williams was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Althea Gibson, Jerry Rice and Earl the Pearl, Sweetness represent the best of HBCU athleticism
BY DONALD HUNTMarch 20, 2018
ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN MCCABE
Some of our greatest athletes have come from historically black colleges and universities. These male and female athletes honed their skills at HBCUs in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.
These 25 HBCU athletes, many of them among the greatest athletes of all time, have carved out a special niche in their sports.
Charles OakleyVirginia Union
Forward Charles Oakley led Virginia Union to the 1985 CIAA championship. The Panthers had a 31-1 overall record that year, with Oakley averaging 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game. Oakley was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. He scored 2,379 points and grabbed 1,642 rebounds in his college career.
In 1985, he was the first-round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he was quickly traded to the Chicago Bulls. Oakley played for the Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets in his 18 NBA seasons.
John TaylorDelaware State
John Taylor was named to All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams from 1983-85. At wide receiver, Taylor had great speed and the ability to make catches in heavy traffic. He was a good punt returner too. He had 100 receptions for 2,426 yards and 33 touchdowns with the Hornets. In 1985, he was named the MEAC Player of the Year.
Taylor was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1986. He had a 10-year career with the 49ers. A member of three Super Bowl championship teams, Taylor had a memorable performance in Super Bowl XXII, where he caught the winning touchdown pass to beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
Shannon SharpeSavannah State
Tight end Shannon Sharpe was a three-time All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection and a three-time Black College All-American. In 1987, Sharpe was a seventh-round pick of the Denver Broncos. He played nine seasons for the Broncos, including two Super Bowl champion teams. The three-time Pro Bowler played two seasons (2000-01) with the Baltimore Ravens, helping them win a Super Bowl as well. After that, he came back to play for Denver until 2003. Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has 815 catches for 10,060 yards and 69 touchdowns.
Rick MahornHampton University
Rick Mahorn was a three-time NAIA All-American, averaging 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game during his college career. The 6-foot-10 center played 18 seasons in the NBA. In 1989, he helped the Detroit Pistons win the NBA championship. Mahorn was known as one of the baddest Pistons’ “Bad Boys.” He was infamous for his ability to wreak havoc on the court and his physical tenacity.
Johnny SampleMaryland State (Now Maryland, Eastern Shore)
Johnny Sample led Maryland State to an overall 28-1-1 record and helped the Hawks capture two CIAA championships.
In 1957, Sample, a defensive back, was named to the Little All-American team and to the All-CIAA team. He was the first black college player to play in the College All-Star Game. He played 11 seasons of professional football for the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and New York Jets. He is the only football player to win NFL, AFL and Super Bowl championships. The five-time All-Pro selection played from 1958 to 1969.
Yolanda LaneyCheyney University
Yolanda Laney helped to put women’s HBCU basketball on the national map. Laney played guard for Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer at Cheyney State. She and teammate Valerie Walker led the 1982 Lady Wolves to their first-ever NCAA women’s basketball championship game. Cheyney lost to Louisiana Tech, 76-62, in the national title game. In 1984, Laney was named to the Kodak All-American team as a guard.
Steve McNairAlcorn State
Steve McNair could do it all at quarterback. A three-time first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference standout, McNair carried the Braves to a 8-3 record in 1993 while amassing 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. He set career FCS records with 14,496 passing yards along with the division mark for total offensive yards with 16,283 yards.
In 1995, he was taken with the third selection overall by the Houston Oilers in the NFL draft. McNair played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. In 1999, he led the Titans to the Super Bowl.
Willis ReedGrambling State
Center Willis Reed led Grambling State to three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships as well as a 1961 NAIA crown. He averaged 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds a game his senior year. Reed tallied 2,280 points and 1,851 rebounds in his college career. The 6-foot-10, 240-pounder went on to have a great NBA career with the New York Knicks, including an NBA championship in 1970.
Cleo HillWinston-Salem State
Guard Cleo Hill had a great outside shot, and he could get to the basket, too. Hill was the first big-time player to play for Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines. As a senior guard, he averaged 26.7 points a game for the Rams. He completed his college career with 2,488 points. In 1961, he was a first-round pick of the St. Louis Hawks.
Aeneas WilliamsSouthern University
Aeneas Williams didn’t play football at Southern until his junior year. Although he got a late start, he emerged as a marvelous defensive player. He played cornerback and free safety, and in 1991 he was drafted by the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals in the third round. Williams played for the Cardinals from 1991-2000. He was traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2001, leading them to an appearance in the Super Bowl that year. He played for 14 years in the NFL and finished with 55 interceptions. In 2014, Williams was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
black.jesus*
