Although an HBCU player was once again bypassed in the NBA Draft, there will be a presence in the NBA Summer League.
Norfolk State All-MEAC center Kris Bankston has signed on to participate in NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Transferring to Norfolk State from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Bankston played two seasons with the Spartans.
This includes the 2022 season in which the Spartans won the MEAC regular season and tournament championship for the second straight season.
Congrats to Kris Bankston(Norfolk State) on signing to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves (@timberwolves) in the NBA Summer League pic.twitter.com/OZu9kEWtlw
— HBCU PASS (@HbcuPass) June 25, 2023
Bankston averaged 12.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 63 games with Norfolk State. He was named to the All-MEAC Second Team in 2021 and First Team in 2022. He also was selected to the All-MEAC Defensive team each year.
Following the 2023 season, the Spartans continued to showcase his talents in the HBCU All-Star Game and the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
This year’s NBA Draft was the 11th in a row that did not feature an HBCU selection. The most recent player taken Norfolk State center Kyle O’Quinn in 2012.
Last year’s NBA Summer League saw four different HBCU players participate, with each player going on to play overseas and the G-League, respectively.
