Another HBCU star receives NBA opportunity

Langston University guard Orlando Thomas is the latest standout to secure his shot on the NBA stage, joining the Detroit Pistons’ Summer League roster, as first reported by Mia Barry of Andscape.

“HBCU @LangstonLionMBB guard Orlando Thomas has been added to the Pistons’ summer league team, sources told @andscape. The @NAIA second team All-American averaged 15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals and shot 42.3% from deep while leading his team to the 2026 NAIA title game,” Berry posted to her X account.

Thomas’s Summer League opportunity comes on the heels of a historic season at Langston. The dynamic guard earned NAIA Second Team All-American honors while guiding the Lions all the way to the 2026 NAIA National Championship game. During their remarkable postseason run, Thomas was the engine of the offense, averaging 15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. He was also highly efficient from beyond the arc, shooting a stellar 42.3 percent from three-point range.

With this opportunity, Thomas joins a prominent group of small-college and HBCU prospects fighting for spots in the league this offseason. Among them are Howard University’s Bryce Harris, who recently signed a Summer League deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder after leading the Bison to three NCAA Tournament appearances over a five-year career, and Tennessee State star Aaron Nkrumah, who officially joined the Denver Nuggets’ Summer League squad after signing an Exhibit 10 contract.

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Summer League is set to kick into high gear later on this week, and all three HBCU prospects look to make history as the latest former black college stars to secure a spot in the NBA.