Basketball On A Professional Team?
Sophia Edwards Last Chance U: Basketball showcased the talent of the 2019-20 ELAC Huskies. Two years later, many are still playing, and some have made it pro.
The 2019-20 East Los Angeles College (ELAC) men's basketball team, who featured in Last Chance U: Basketball,was full of potential professional players, but not all of them have made it to the big leagues yet. Head coach John Mosley brought his charismatic style of leadership to the ELAC Huskies to help change the lives of young men who dream of making it to the NBA. But like Netflix's other Last Chance U seasons, the first basketball series highlighted how difficult it is to become a professional athlete.The ELAC Huskies had an impressive 2019-20 season and were on their way to the state finals until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the championships. As well as missing out on an opportunity to win the championship, the ELAC Huskies players didn't get to showcase their talent to Division I college scouts who would be at the finals. Still, the Last Chance U: Basketball documentary series raised the profile of the players and led to several members of the Huskies going on to bigger and better things in the world of basketball.
Several Last Chance U: Basketball Players Are On Professional Teams
Two Last Chance U: Basketball alumni have made it onto professional teams in Colombia: Joe Hampton and Deshaun Higher. After the 2019-20 season, Joe Hampton left the ELAC Huskies to join the Division I college team Long Beach State, where he played for two years. Following some time off to recover from a broken wrist, Hampton moved to Colombia, where he played professionally for the Piratas De Bogota in the 2022 season, averaging 15.8 points per game. In November 2022, after being eliminated from the Colombian playoffs, Last Chance U: Basketball’s music loving Joe Hampton thanked the Bogota franchise for the opportunity, suggesting he has recently left the team.
Deshaun Highler also left the Huskies after the 2019-20 season and moved to the Division I team at Sacramento State. After 2 years with the Hornets, averaging 4.7 points per game, Highler opted into the NCAA transfer portal but did not land another college team. Instead, Deshaun Highler made the move to Colombia in October 2022 where he has been playing professionally for the Cimarrones Del Choco. Highler came up against his old ELAC teammate Joe Hampton on October 13, 2022, when Cimarrones defeated Bogota.
Could Any Last Chance U: Basketball Players Get Drafted Into The NBA?
Other Last Chance U athletes have made it professional, but with only a handful of the 2019-20 Huskies still playing Division 1 basketball and most of them now over 21 years old, it’s unlikely they'll be drafted to the NBA. The explosive KJ Allen has the best chance, but now entering his second season with Texas Tech, the dunking forward struggles for game time, which will dampen his NBA Draft prospects. Shot blocker Malik Muhammad had a good chance of making it, particularly after a productive year at Central Michigan, but following a move to Southern Utah Muhammad’s minutes were stifled, and he is currently without a college team.
Like Last Chance U season 2's Dakota Allen, for many viewers of Last Chance U: Basketball, Joe Hampton was the 2019-20 ELAC Huskies' best player. Turning 25 years old in January 2023, Hampton won't be drafted to an NBA team because of his age, but given his undeniable skill set and time in Colombia, there is a good chance he could be picked up by an NBA G League team, or get an opportunity at more established international leagues, like Europe and China. Last Chance U: Basketball showcased the talent of the ELAC Huskies' young basketball players, but demonstrates how tough it is to become a professional athlete.
