Former A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year Henry to Go Pro

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Few basketball players from smaller schools entertain the idea of playing professional basketball after their four years of college eligibility.  For many, it’s a means to pay for school.  But for Mercer defensive star Calvin Henry, his goal has always been to play professional basketball. 

Coming out of Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, Henry earned all-city and all-state accolades after averaging 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in his final season for the Bears.  Henry then signed with Florida A&M and redshirted his first year before transferring to Miami-Dade College for a season.  It was former Mercer coach Mark Slonaker that got Henry to transfer to the Macon school to play with the Bears for the rest of his college eligibility. 

 In hindsight, it was a move that helped catapult the Bears to upset wins over Southern Cal, Alabama, and Auburn over the course of Henry’s career.  Henry averaged 10.4 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game in his final season at Mercer, but it was his jaw dropping ability to block shots that earned him the Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007-08. 

Unfortunately, a knee injury in a road game against Belmont cut his senior year short.  Tearing his MCL, Henry fought through rehab to make brief appearances in a handful of games near the season’s end, but he wasn’t the same player.

“Right now, I’m back to full speed and my knee is feeling pretty good,” said Henry.  He added, “My goal has always been to become a professional basketball player and now I’m in the process of picking an agent to sign with.”

The process of selecting an agent can be difficult.  “Coach Hoffman gave me the advice to pick someone that’s always truthful to me and that doesn’t give me the runaround.  Pick someone that will put me in a good situation,” said Henry. 

Henry’s sights are currently set overseas, preferably in England or South America.  If Henry signs with a pro team overseas, he’ll follow in the footsteps of former Mercer stars Scott Emerson, Andrew Brown, and Hrvoje Pervan. 

Each year, only a handful of college players get drafted into the NBA while others try to work their way up through the league’s minor league system, the NBDL.  Coincidentally, Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman’s last coaching stint was for the NBDL’s Rio Grande Valley’s Vipers.

“I’ve followed Josh Childress [Olympiacos – Greece] and Brandon Jennings [Lottomatica – Italy] in their careers overseas.  The money’s better over there and I’d love to travel for a few years,” said Henry.  His goals after playing?  He’s got a plan for that too adding, “I’d love to get into coaching…after I play as long as I can.”