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

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SWAC Basketball Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Iverson Molinar (1) handles the ball while defended by Jackson State Tigers guard Tristan Jarrett Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Tristan Jarrett

A 6’4 wing from Brownsville, Tennessee, Jarrett had his best collegiate success at Texas Southern, but that’s not where his journey started. He arrived at Kennesaw State as a freshman but left the program after just twelve games. He’d play his next season at Three Rivers College but was kicked out of the program. Jarrett joined the Tigers in 2019 and was a valuable piece for their next two seasons, finding some stability.

During his junior year, he averaged 16.8 points, helping the Tigers to a 4th place finish in the pandemic-shortened season. He had a couple of 30-point performances in nonconference play and played well in the SWAC Tournament before it was cancelled by the pandemic. In his senior season, Jarrett was even more important, putting up 21.1 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. He helped lead the Tigers to an 11-0 mark in conference play and scored 35 points in the team’s SWAC Tournament loss to Texas Southern in his final collegiate game.

He wasn’t free of controversy during his time with the Tigers, but Jarrett really could play, earning SWAC Player of the Year honors as a senior. He was the leading force in that regular season championship and scored a ton of points, leading the league in that category as a junior. He’s another phenomenal athlete who found his footing once he arrived in the SWAC, it’s just a shame that his Jackson State squad team fell just short of the Big Dance.