{"id":760871,"date":"2026-06-26T05:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T05:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/760871\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T05:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T05:11:13","slug":"hbcu-basketball-stars-aaron-nkrumah-bryce-harris-sign-nba-deals-after-2026-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/760871\/","title":{"rendered":"HBCU Basketball Stars Aaron Nkrumah, Bryce Harris Sign NBA Deals After 2026 Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite not being called in the 2026 NBA Draft, two HBCU <\/a>basketball <\/a>stars signed contracts to play this summer. Tennessee State\u2019s Aaron Nkrumah and Howard\u2019s <\/a>Bryce Harris landed deals by Thursday morning, with both finding a place in an NBA organization and having a chance to prove that the pathway from an HBCU to the league is as open as ever.<\/p>\n

TENNESSEE STATE\u2019S G NKRUMAH HEADS TO DENVER<\/p>\n

The TSU Tigers\u2019 guard Aaron Nkrumah signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to ClutchPoints NBA reporter Brett Siegel. He will compete for one of Denver\u2019s two open two-way roster spots after standing out throughout the pre-draft process.<\/p>\n

An Exhibit-10 is a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal that covers training camp and the preseason and can convert into a two-way contract. If Denver waives Nkrumah and he reports to its G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, and plays for at least 60 days, he could earn a bonus worth up to $91,000.<\/p>\n

\"Bryce<\/p>\n

Bryce Harris (Howard) and Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State) signed NBA deals. | NBA<\/p>\n

Although Nkrumah did not play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, he received an invitation to the NBA G League Elite Camp. The Tennessee State star responded with 31 points and three 3-pointers across two scrimmages. After proving his talent, the league granted him a spot at the NBA Draft Combine, competing against many of the brightest collegiate and international players of this year\u2019s class. ESPN ranked Nkrumah No. 47 <\/a>on its pre-draft board.<\/p>\n

Tennessee State wing Aaron Nkrumah has signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Denver Nuggets, per @BrettSiegelNBA<\/a>. \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n

Nkrumah averaged 17.7 points per game this past season and was named the 2025-26 OVC Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com\/BWG66UHHCT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) June 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.9 steals while shooting 43.8% from the field. He led the league in scoring and steals and carried Tennessee State to a 23-10 record and a share of the OVC regular-season title. The Tigers captured the program\u2019s first OVC Tournament championship since 1994 and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 32 years.<\/p>\n

Nkrumah is a 6-foot-6 playmaking guard from Worcester, Massachusetts. He took an unbeaten path to the NBA via Tennessee State. Before joining the Tigers, he was a Division III standout at Worcester State and then spent his final two seasons turning Tennessee State into a winner.<\/p>\n

He joins a Tigers NBA lineage that includes Hall of Famer Dick Barnett and All-Star Anthony Mason. Also, being undrafted mirrors Robert Covington\u2019s path, who reached the league the same way in 2013.<\/p>\n

HARRIS AGREES TO DEAL WITH OKC<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Howard University\u2019s floor general, Bryce Harris, found a landing spot, agreeing to a Summer League deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to 247Sports reporter Dushawn London<\/a>. The Bison guard had a pre-draft workout with Oklahoma City earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Howard guard Bryce Harris has signed a Summer League deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, source tells @247Sports<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mn0jMOe4Rs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) June 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Harris, the 2026 MEAC Player of the Year, had a great career at Howard under head coach Kenneth Blakeney. All five of his collegiate seasons were in Washington, D.C., with the Bison from 2021 through 2026.<\/p>\n

As a graduate guard this past season, he averaged 17.3 points on 47.9% shooting, along with 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 35 games, adding 39% accuracy from 3-point range. He helped Howard reach the NCAA Tournament<\/a> three times. This season, the Bison lost to Michigan, which would go on to win the NCAA National Championship.<\/p>\n

Harris has been clear about why he stayed. \u201cHoward embraced me first as a young player,\u201d Harris said. \u201cBut also as a young student, from the program to the yard, as we would like to call it, with our student body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Nkrumah and Harris head to Las Vegas in July for an opportunity to make their case in the NBA Summer League, giving HBCU basketball a look on a national stage this offseason.<\/p>\n

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