Twilight was approaching for my Oldest Players in College Basketball research. A list that previously featured cult heroes like Seth Towns and DeJuan Clayton was quietly fading away.
Barring a few stragglers, the 2024–25 season was the last season with a significant number of players utilizing their extra season of COVID eligibility.
But the unpredictable and often perplexing world of college basketball eligibility ensured that there would be sufficient intrigue for this list not only to continue but to thrive.
This most recent offseason was nothing short of a whirlwind. Former European pros beginning their NCAA careers were already older than many current seniors. G-League players sauntered back into the very competition they passed up several years before. Familiar names like Chad Baker-Mazara and eventually Tyon Grant-Foster earned the right to lace up their shoes for one more year.
What was a headache for many quickly became an exciting time for fans of college basketball players with atypical backgrounds.
The irony is that none of these stories made the cut for the Oldest Division I Men’s Basketball Players in 2025-26. But those who have followed my research over the last few years will know that the players who earn a spot on this distinguished list tend to stay out of the headlines.
These guys toiled in Division II, Junior College, and NAIA, fighting through injuries, COVID-shortened seasons, and real-world challenges. Several spent multiple years away from the game altogether. But the common thread that connects the players on this list is that they followed untraditional paths to achieve their dream of playing Division I college basketball. You can be damn sure that they achieved that goal.
Oldest DI College Basketball Players 25–26
Ramel Bethea, Green Bay
Born: July 27, 1996
First Year in College: 2024–25
Number of Schools: 2 (MiraCosta College, Green Bay)
2024–25 Stats (MiraCosta): 12.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 0.8 APG, 4.6 BPG
Even by this list’s unique standards, Ramel Bethea’s college basketball journey is quite extraordinary. Bethea graduated from high school in 2014, but instead of heading to college, the Maryland native worked at a grocery store stocking produce.
After four years as a stocker, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He stayed in the military for the next half-decade, working in the engine room on airships while reaching the rank of Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class.
The sailor grew five inches after high school, reaching 6–9. At the urging of friends, Bethea gave basketball a shot. While Bethea did not play basketball in high school, his length and athleticism earned him a spot on the Naval team at the 2022 U.S. Armed Forces Basketball Championships in San Diego. His performances at the tournament drew attention from local junior colleges.
The father of a young son, Bethea enrolled at nearby MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA, and immediately flourished on the court. With his seven-foot wingspan, he led the Spartans in scoring while blocking an astounding 4.6 shots per game.
His performances helped him earn First Team All-Conference honors in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference and garnered Division I interest from St. Bonaventure, Texas A&M, Louisiana Tech, and others.
Despite eligibility concerns, Bethea signed with Green Bay, where UWGB head coach Doug Gottlieb believes the big man could have a huge impact this year.
“His ceiling is Obi Toppin,” Gottlieb said. “He has that rare combination — a unique story, a unique physical build, and the discipline of having served in the Navy. And he’s just a great human being. His whole personality and presence are infectious.” Gottlieb adds: “You can’t teach a 7’4” wingspan — and he’s got timing.”
Bethea appreciated the program’s confidence in him and noted that Coach Gottlieb’s attention to detail was a key factor in the recruitment process. “At the end of the day,” Bethea said, “[Gottlieb] preached it to me and his coaching staff preached it to me, they are going to take care of me. They understand that you are an older guy who needs experience and teach the right way to play basketball. They did all that. They checked all the boxes.”
Brett White II, Oakland
Born: February 17, 1998
First Year in College: 2020–21
Number of Schools: 3 (Kellogg Community College, Rochester Christian University, Oakland)
2024–25 Stats (Rochester Christian): 21.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 38.6 3P%
Did Oakland find its next Jack Gohlke? Brett White II is a 40.5% three-point shooter on a high volume across four seasons of JuCo and NAIA ball. In three of those years, he averaged better than 20 PPG.
But White’s transfer to Oakland in the spring attracted no fanfare. He did not even grab minor headlines like 29-year-old Ramel Bethea joining Green Bay or 26-year-old Canadian guard Nginyu Ngala signing with the Kansas Jayhawks.
For White, his newsworthy moments came nearly a decade ago, when he was a DI prospect at Battle Creek Central High School in Michigan. The guard was an all-conference player with interest from Michigan State and Illinois before things went south.
“My senior year, I was going through some personal stuff,” White said. “Lost myself a little bit, lost the love of basketball a lot, and I didn’t know where I wanted to go from there. I dropped out of school at one point, got back in, but by then, I had lost my scholarship chances. Once I lost those scholarships, I was depressed and just found myself in a hole.”
White still had a DII scholarship offer from Grand Valley State. But his mindset was DI or nothing.
Following high school, he started working in construction. His hoop dreams were a distant memory. Then came an epiphany. “I was working and I liked the money, but I was sitting there one day and said to myself, ‘What am I doing?’,” White said. “Basketball was the love of my life, and I didn’t know why I wasn’t playing.”
He returned to the game at age 23, reaching out to Gary Sprague, head coach of the local Kellogg Community College men’s basketball program in Battle Creek. White averaged better than 20 PPG in his two seasons at KCC while earning NJCAA All-Region recognition.
White continued his college career at the NAIA school Rochester Christian, where he maintained his elite offensive production. Last year, he was a WHAC First Team All-Conference selection, averaging 21 PPG while shooting an efficient 46.3% from the field.
It was at Rochester Christian that White first gained the attention of Oakland head coach Greg Kampe. Kampe’s Golden Grizzlies faced White and Rochester in an October 2024 exhibition game. White led all scorers with 31 points, nailing five of nine three-point attempts in a respectable 87–74 loss for the non-DI program.
At the end of the season, Kampe received a phone call from Rochester head coach Klint Pleasant, who said he had a player with one year of eligibility left and DI dreams to fulfill. Once Kampe realized the player was White — the guy who dropped 30-plus points on Oakland in the exhibition game — he was immediately interested.
“We did some research into him,” Kampe said, “he is an older kid who’s mature, he’s been there. Klint told me he’s a great teammate. So those were the first things we looked at, and we really liked. He can really shoot it. He’s really good at coming off screens and scoring the basketball.”
Kampe signed the 27-year-old for his scoring ability and veteran demeanor, but the Oakland coach has already been impressed by other areas of the transfer’s game.
“What I didn’t know,” Kampe said, “is how long and athletic he is. He’s a guy who really fits well into our zone. He can get steals and cause havoc through his length. But my favorite part about Brett is the way he rebounds the ball.”
“I’m really excited about him; he’s got one year left in his career, he’s got a chance to make a real impact for us, and everybody who loves Oakland basketball knows how much I love shooters.”
Corey Sands, Chicago State
Born: January 5, 1999
First Year in College: 2018–19
Number of Schools: 3 (Weatherford College, Talladega College, Chicago State)
2024–25 Stats (Talladega): 13.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 38.0 3P%
Chicago State will likely be near the bottom of the NEC again this year, but not due to a lack of experience. The Cougars’ roster features five sixth-year players and is fifth among 365 DI teams in Bart Torvik’s Projected Effective Experience metric.
Leading the Cougars squad in terms of age and intrigue is 26-year-old guard Corey Sands. Sands is a native of the Bahamas who played his first collegiate season with Weatherford College (a JuCo in Texas) in 2018–19.
As a high schooler, Sands led the CC Sweeting Senior High boys basketball team to the National High School Championship in the Bahamas. CC Sweeting repeated as champs in 2016, with Sands earning MVP honors in the title game.
Sands continued his basketball career stateside, spending a prep year at Redemption Christian Academy in Northfield, Massachusetts, before heading to Weatherford in 2018. His debut college season was a successful one, as Sands averaged 7.8 PPG while being the only Coyote player to appear in all 29 games.
The next three years for Sands are less clear. His social media activity shows that he went back to the Bahamas, where he started a basketball training business called Sandsoo Skills Academy.
But competitive basketball still beckoned. With three years of eligibility remaining, Sands returned to the U.S. and suited up for NAIA program Talladega College. The 6–3 guard was a consistent sharp-shooting presence in his three seasons with the Tornadoes, starting 67 games and hitting 150 three pointers at a clip of nearly 40%.
His outside scoring caught the attention of newly-appointed Chicago State coach Landon Bussie, who looked to rebuild a sparse CSU roster — where Sands figures to play a key role.
Nginyu Ngala, Kansas
Born: April 3, 1999
First Year in College: 2020–21
Number of Schools: 3 (Dalhousie University (Canada), Laurentian University (Canada), Kansas)
2024–25 Stats (Laurentian): 14.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
For four years, Nginyu Ngala was a highly successful college basketball player in Canada. During his three years at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and one season at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, Ngala averaged 14.8 PPG, earning all-conference honors at both spots.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Ngala had a tough decision to make: come stateside and take a DI offer from the likes of Robert Morris or UNLV, or head overseas and begin his professional career. Then came a life-changing pitch from Kansas head coach Bill Self, who had one scholarship spot remaining at his blue blood program for the 2025–26 season.
“We had one roster spot remaining, and we thought we addressed a need in that now we have a backup point guard who we feel is very capable with his maturity and skillset to play minutes on our team,” Self said. “Nginyu is quick, he can shoot, and he should be a great example, not only on the court, but also in the locker room.”
For Ngala, the choice was easy. “I couldn’t pass up on the offer (of) being a Kansas Jayhawk and playing for Bill Self,” Ngala said.
In Ngala, Self gets the rare veteran presence of a 26-year-old player already nicknamed “Granddad” by his new teammates. Ngala began college in 2020, but in Quebec, students often attend a CEGEP (Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel) after high school. These public institutions act as a preparatory school between high school and college. Ngala, a 2017 high school graduate, spent three seasons at Vanier Prep before moving on to Dalhousie. The Tigers play in U Sports, the Canadian equivalent of NCAA DI.
He now faces the challenge of being a 5–10 guard in the Big 12. The Canadian follows in the footsteps of David Coit, a 5–11 Northern Illinois transfer who carved out a role for Kansas last season. Coit played 15 minutes per game as a backup point guard, averaging 5.1 PPG.
But Ngala approaches this year with confidence — the kind you would expect from a 26-year-old with nothing to lose. “It’s been a bumpy road,” Ngala said, “but I couldn’t have been in a better situation, how it played out now with one year of eligibility left.”
Simeon German, The Citadel
Born: April 24, 1999
First Year in College: 2018–19
Number of Schools: 4 (Chipola College, Gulf Coast State College, University of South Carolina Aiken, The Citadel)
2024–25 Stats (USC Aiken): 7.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 0.4 APG, 1.8 BPG
One of three eighth-year players in Division I men’s college basketball this season, Simeon German played his first season of college basketball at Chipola College —a junior college located in the Florida panhandle — in 2018–19.
It would be another three years before he appeared in an NCAA game, this time for another Florida JuCo program, Gulf Coast State, in 2021. He quickly became an interior force for the Commodores, leading them in rebounding and blocks in both of his seasons there.
After the 2022–23 season, the Nigerian native transferred to Division II, joining USC Aiken. German continued to be a defensive equalizer, averaging nearly two blocks per game at Aiken and earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Peach Belt Conference. The big man’s offensive game also showed noticeable growth, with his field goal percentage improving to 63.7% in 2024–25 from 52% the previous season.
Seven years after his first college basketball season, the former Nigerian international at the U16 level can now see his DI dreams play out at The Citadel, as one of last year’s oldest players at the DII level becomes the fifth-oldest player in DI men’s college basketball.
His interior defense should transition well to the Southern Conference and help a Citadel team that was 344th in defensive efficiency and 347th in two-point defense (per KenPom).
Curt Lewis, Southern Mississippi
Born: May 19, 1999
First Year in College: 2019–20
Number of Schools: 5 (Eastern Kentucky, John A. Logan College, Missouri, East Tennessee State, Southern Mississippi)
2024–25 Stats (East Tennessee State): 4.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 4.9% steal rate
With high-major interest following two solid years at Eastern Kentucky, Curt Lewis looked like a possible mid-major breakout star. Instead, he chose a surprising route: junior college.
Yet the guard flourished at the JuCo level. He shot 48.3% from deep to go with strong rebounding and assist numbers. For his efforts, Lewis was named the NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Player of the Year in 2022–23 as he led John A. Logan to an NJCAA DI National Championship crown.
It appeared that Lewis’ decision had paid off, as he earned a scholarship at Missouri. But the JuCo transfer struggled to see the floor in the SEC, averaging fewer than 10 minutes per game while starting just twice for the Tigers. Lewis transferred to East Tennessee State during the 2024–25 campaign as he looked to rediscover his scoring magic. This time, a groin injury limited him to eight games.
As Lewis makes the fifth and likely final stop of his extended college journey, he joins a Southern Miss team with a history of signing veteran transfers, as the Golden Eagles’ top two scorers a year ago — Denijay Harris and Neftali Alvarez — both landed on last year’s Oldest Players in College Basketball list.
USM will need his rebounding and length to help improve on a disappointing 11–22 campaign.
Olajuwon Ibrahim, Florida International
Born: May 26, 1999
First Year in College: 2022–23
Number of Schools: 3 (Seminole State College, Southeastern Iowa Community College, Florida International)
2023–24 Stats (Southeastern Iowa CC): 11.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 3.0 BPG
A 26-year-old junior in his fourth season of college basketball. Even for this list, Olajuwon Ibrahim’s story is noteworthy. The Nigerian big man represented his country at the 2015 U16 African Championships — where he was teammates with current Citadel forward and fellow oldie Simeon German. Ibrahim had an impressive tournament, averaging 11.8 PPG and 7.9 RPG. Three years later, he trained with the Nigerian Men’s National Team.
Ibrahim’s timeline between his international career and his arrival in the United States is difficult to pin down. His Instagram page depicts grainy photos of training sessions in local gyms and games on outdoor courts. He played for the Lagos Warriors in the Continental Basketball League and the Dodan Warriors in the Elite Basketball League, both defunct African leagues.
After years of honing his game, Ibrahim began his college career at Seminole State in 2022 as a 23-year-old freshman. The 6–10 forward averaged three blocks per game in 2023–24 while earning First Team All-Region and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the ICCAC. He also averaged 11 PPG while hitting two-thirds of his field goal attempts.
Ibrahim then signed with C-USA bottom-feeders Florida International as an intriguing athlete with significant defensive upside and big-time aspirations.
“This is a dream come true, being able to play at the DI level,” Ibrahim said. “My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA, and hopefully this is the next step on my journey toward that.”
Injuries cut short his first year at FIU after just eight minutes played. The Nigerian big man will look to get healthy and make a bigger impact in his second DI campaign as he retains two years of eligibility.
