The NBA Draft is later this month and one HBCU star is looking to make an impression.
Former Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Bethune-Cookman star Joe French recently completed a pre-NBA Draft workout with the Orlando Magic.
French is an Orlando native played his high school ball at Master’s Academy before moving to Pro Pro Holmes Sports as a post-graduate prep student. He started his career at Bethune-Cookman, where he appeared in 30 games, starting 14 averaging 8.5 ppg for the 2019-2020 season. He was selected MEAC Rookie of The Week three times that season.
Bethune-Cookman sat out the 2020-2021 season, but French returned strong, averaging 15.8 points per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the 3-point line and 45.3 percent overall. His numbers dipped the following season to 10.8 points per game for 2022-2023.
Playing in all 31 games and starting each one, French averaged 15.1 points per game. He shot an impressive 3-point shooting percentage of 40.5%. Additionally, he was reliable from the free-throw line, making 82.9% of his attempts. His performance was a key factor in UAPB’s offensive strategy during the season – in and out of SWAC play.
French had several games where he scored 20 or more points, highlighting his offensive capabilities. On November 9, 2022, he scored 21 points against Champion Christian College. Just a few days later, on November 13, he put up 20 points against a strong Mississippi State team. French scored 22 points in a game against Cleveland State on November 18th. His highest-scoring game of the season came on January 23, 2023, against Grambling State, where he notched 28 points. He continued to perform well with 24 points against Arkansas Baptist on December 3, 2022. Additionally, he scored 20 points against Alabama State on February 11, 2023, and capped off his season with 23 points against Mississippi Valley State on February 25, 2023. These high-scoring games were critical in several of UAPB’s competitive matchups and underscored French’s role as a key player for the team.
French will now look to see if he can secure a solid look at the NBA level. Getting an NBA Draft workout is a solid start.