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

25. Jared Sam

A 6’9 center from Baton Rouge, Sam stayed in his home state of Louisiana, playing his entire college career at Southern. Sam arrived in 2014 and became a major piece in the Jaguars’ frontcourt, joining the starting lineup very early in his freshman year. He had quite the total impact on the program by the end of his career, with some really nice numbers as an upperclassman.

Sam had decent production as a freshman on a team that finished 3rd in the SWAC. He was just under double-digit scoring as a sophomore before taking a big step forward, averaging 13.6 points and 7.4 rebounds a game as a junior. Prior to that, he helped lead Southern to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, though they fell in the First Four. His final two seasons were decent years for the Jaguars, with Sam averaging 16.2 points and 8.8 rebounds as a senior.

He made the Big Dance as a sophomore, was Second Team All-SWAC as a junior, and earned the First Team honor as a senior. Sam was a steady hand in the Jaguars’ lineup and actually led the SWAC in field goals and rebounds in that final collegiate campaign. Southern was above .500 in conference play in each of his four seasons and he had very solid accomplishments, both at an individual level and with this program.