SoCon Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Aug 25, 2023

Mar 23, 2019; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Wofford Terriers guard Fletcher Magee (3) leads his team in a huddle before their game against the Kentucky Wildcatsin the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

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SoCon Basketball East Tennessee State Buccaneers guard Desonta Bradford (11) and guard A.J. Merriweather Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

13. Desonta Bradford

A 6’4 combo guard from Humbolt, Tennessee, Bradford found certain success at East Tennessee State, not having to go far to find a home in college basketball. He was originally part of Murry Bartow’s program before developing into a starter and star after Steve Forbes was hired in 2015 before his sophomore season.

A bench piece in his first two seasons, he played his role well when he got the opportunity and was part of the Buccaneer’s 24-win season and major bounceback during his sophomore year. He emerged as a double-digit scorer as a junior and helped lead East Tennessee to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. As a senior, he’d average 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, with the program claiming another 25-win season.

For that senior season, a third straight 20-win season for the Buccaneers, Bradford was named SoCon Player of the Year and finally earned All-SoCon honors. He was one of the top scorers and led the conference in steals, becoming an impactful weapon all over the court for his program. Bradford’s frontcourt excellence helped pave the way for East Tennessee State’s breakthrough in the late 2010’s and his contributions certainly haven’t been forgotten in Johnson City.