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 Oakley Virginia 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 Taylor Delaware 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 Sharpe Savannah 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 Mahorn Hampton 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 Sample Maryland 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.