There aren’t many players who have risen from the Division II ranks to become stars in Division I college basketball.
In the past few years, though, the transfer portal has given the top D2 players an opportunity to make the jump to the next level. With that, a few players have found roles at the D1 level and excelled.
Duncan Robinson moved from Division III basketball to Michigan and has now become a solid role player in the NBA. Taelon Peter made the leap from Division II Arkansas Tech to Liberty, and a solid 2024-25 season with the Flames earned the sharpshooter a spot in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Even former March Madness star Jack Gohlke, who has spent time with mulitple G League teams and international organizations, jumped from Hillsdale College, a Division II program, to Oakland.
Last year, Bennett Stirtz impressed during his lone season at Drake after starring at Division II Northwest Missouri State. This year, the veteran point guard will play for Iowa and has the chance to be a lottery selection.
Stirtz isn’t the only former Division II basketball player vying for a spot in the upcoming NBA Draft, though.
Camron McDowell transferred from Northwest Missouri State to Tarleton State over the offseason, and has the chance to make a major impact for the Texans. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, McDowell is a talented scorer who has played at the Division I level previously.
A Griffin, GA, product, the fifth-year senior began his college career at Georgia before transferring to Jacksonville State. McDowell didn’t see much time on the court in one season at each school, but tallied 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in his lone start with the Gamecocks.
At Northwestern Oklahoma State, though, McDowell excelled.
In 2024-25, the talented wing was the second-leading scorer in Division II, averaging 27.3 points to go along with 4.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and around 2 steals per game. McDowell notched 44 points in 40 minutes of Southeastern Oklahoma, one of two 40 point outings for the former three-star recruit.
McDowell scored at least 20 points in 23 contests and at least 30 points 11 times for the Rangers last season, showcasing his consistency as a scorer. The former NWOSU star shot 51.3% from the field and 39% from 3-point range on around 7.6 attempts per game during his final year in Alva, OK.
While it is unlikely that McDowell achieves the same averages this season at Tarleton State, if 6-foot-5 wing is able to put up solid shooting numbers and hold up on defense, he will have the chance to earn a spot in the upcoming draft class.
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