They played at the strangest time in college basketball's history.
Not one of the 11 players below could have expected to still be playing college basketball in 2021-22 when they began as freshmen. But the "free year" offered by the NCAA as a result of the coronavirus pandemic's impact on a disjointed 2020-21 season meant all 11 could return for a fifth -- or in a couple of cases, sixth -- year of eligibility.
But it wasn't just the pandemic that altered the college basketball landscape over the past half-decade.
The introduction of the NCAA's one-time transfer rule and the explosion of the transfer portal meant staying at one school for an entire career -- much less one extended by an additional season -- became an increasingly rare decision. The 11 players below made such a decision, and they were the cream of the crop of 2021-22's unique "super senior" class that will take its final bows over the next few weeks. ESPN talked to the 11 all-conference-level, fifth- or sixth-year, single-school players about their unusual journeys, and what's next:
Jump to: Jamaree Bouyea, San Francisco | Collin Gillespie, Villanova | Grant Golden, Richmond (6th year) | Rocky Kreuser, North Dakota State | Hunter Maldonado, Wyoming | Sukhmail Mathon, Boston U. | Javante McCoy, Boston U. | George Papas, Monmouth | Ben Shungu, Vermont (6th year) | Fabian White Jr., Houston | Lucas Williamson, Loyola Chicago
Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, San Francisco Dons
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
If I could go back to my first year and look five years ahead I'd probably think I'd be playing basketball somewhere, whether it's in the NBA, the G League or overseas. But I definitely wouldn't think I'd still be at USF. With the COVID year I'm making the most of it.
Why'd you stay all five years?
I definitely had to take some time. For me it was a tough situation. My last year, we didn't have the best year as a team and we kind of fell off toward the end. Some of my teammates transferred and another one of my teammates and my roommate went back home to Estonia. So I had to weigh my options. I just sat down and talked to my mom and dad and we made a list of pros and cons. I knew that coming back was an option. I didn't want to transfer. But I knew I wanted to go back to USF once the professional options didn't work out. The decision to come back was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
I think I'll miss the days where you just come into practice every day with teammates that you spend most of your time with throughout the year, and just enjoying the guys' company and enjoying everyone's presence. Living, not stress-free, but stress-free in a way that you're a college student and you're still enjoying the college life. Next year I'll kind of have to be an adult and make different decisions and have a different lifestyle.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
The most difficult part was the pandemic. The most difficult part was not knowing the unknown. When COVID hit, you didn't know what to expect. There were a lot of things that were up in the air. There were a lot of things that got canceled or rescheduled. Working through all the unknowns. You could practice for a week and your game would get canceled the day before. It was like you were working for a goal and you didn't know if you were going to play these games, or working toward an outcome you didn't know would happen.
What's next for you?
I hope I'll be playing in the NBA. Hopefully by the end of this year I'm a draft pick. If not, I hope to be playing somewhere in the NBA and just making the most of my situation, whether it's being a two-way guy, whether it's being a draft pick, whether it's being undrafted. Just making the most of the situation and just working as hard as possible to get to that stage.
Next up for San Francisco: WCC quarterfinals, Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Collin Gillespie, Guard, Villanova Wildcats
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
Not this. I would not have expected this, for sure. But it was honestly a blessing in disguise for me with how my journey went, becoming injured at the end of last year. Just getting an extra year to get healthy and be around this program again was a blessing for me.
Why'd you stay all five years?
It was kind of simple for me. After [the season-ending knee injury] happened last year, I just knew that I wanted to get healthy and I wasn't really focused on anything else. I just wanted to come back and be at full strength again, be able to play how I played. And the best place to do that was here at Villanova with people who care about me and love me.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
It's so hard to pinpoint one thing. You're gonna miss everything, but I would say my teammates, being around these guys, the camaraderie of the group. It's just been fun every year. You have a new team, new personalities and a new identity for each team every year, but I'm going to miss those guys and just being around them every day.
What has been the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past years?
Probably the bubble. Last year, we weren't really able to see anybody. Couldn't see family or friends. That was really hard. It was so different just not having fans being able to come to games. That was the first time it had ever happened to me. That was definitely an interesting experience I'll never forget, for sure.
What's next for you?
I haven't thought about it much. Obviously, I want to continue to play, but right now, I'm just staying locked in and in the moment. I'm appreciating every second that I have here. Once it's all over, I'll be able to look back and appreciate it, and then look forward to whatever I'm going to do next. But I don't want to sell myself short of getting this experience for the last couple of months.
Next up for Villanova: vs. Providence, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Grant Golden, Forward, Richmond Spiders
When you stepped onto campus in 2016, what did you expect to be doing right now?
I had a little bit of a different freshman experience than everybody else -- collapsing on the floor and then getting that heart surgery and medical redshirting. I really didn't know what the future was going to hold for me.
Why'd you stay all six years?
It was certainly tough. All the way up until the end of last year, I'd pretty much decided I wasn't going to use the extra year. And then I broke my finger toward the end of last season and played the last couple of games with my broken finger. Obviously, COVID really took a toll on everybody last year in terms of being in and out of quarantine, games getting canceled. I just decided I wanted one more real chance at taking the court with this group of people and this group of coaches. It was definitely a tough decision. It sort of came down to a last-second thing.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
I think I'll miss the camaraderie with my guys, with my teammates. I've been with these guys for five years now. We've been through a lot. We've been through a lot of ups and a lot of downs. The first two years we were together, we really struggled. We lost 20-plus games both years. We pushed through that and stuck together. We came out and had the best record in school history our junior year. Taking the floor with them every night is what I'm going to miss the most.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past six years?
Honestly, I think the most difficult chapter was my redshirt freshman year, the first full year that I played. We lost 20-plus games and we were really young. We had two freshmen out there starting. It was also tough to play through a pandemic, and I don't think people understand unless they were actually in it. I spent over a month and a half last year in hotel rooms just off the different quarantines I had to do throughout the year. It was really tough and every team had to deal with it.
What's next for you?
Last year, I'd sort of decided I was moving on and going on to play professionally, and then last-second things changed and I decided to use my extra year and get my master's degree. But [playing pro basketball is] still the plan. I plan on signing with an agent after the season and moving forward with a professional career, whether that's here in the United States or overseas.
Next up for Richmond: vs. Dayton, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. ET
Rocky Kreuser, Forward, North Dakota State Bison
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
I came in working hard with the expectation to work my way into the rotation. In my fifth year, I thought I'd be out of here, out of Fargo, moving on to either my professional career or moving on outside of college. That's just not how it turned out and I was blessed with that fifth year.
Why'd you stay all five years?
It was a difficult decision whether to come back or move on professionally, but it wasn't a difficult decision on whether I was coming back to this school or another one. I knew when I was coming back that I wanted to be here at NDSU. This place is home away from home.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
Five years is a long time of building brotherhoods and creating lifelong friends and relationships with coaches. I think that's what I'm going to miss the most. The brotherhood here. The culture, the family aspect with my coaches and teammates. I don't know if it is that way anywhere else but I know that it's really, really special here.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
There were a lot of ups and downs in five years of college basketball. That first year was really, really difficult. But you know, it has to be playing through the pandemic. Playing with different rules. All the testing and things like that. Having to go through all the adversity of COVID protocols. Guys not knowing what was going to happen. Having to battle through that together. I think that has to be the most difficult part.
What's next for you?
I'm hoping I'll still be able to play basketball somewhere. I love playing the game, obviously. It's given so much to me, I hope I can give something back to it later on. But we still have some goals ahead of us as a team. And we're not done here yet.
Next up for North Dakota State: vs. Denver in Summit League tournament, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET
Hunter Maldonado, Guard, Wyoming Cowboys
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
Wyoming is the only Division I school in the state, so it's all eyes on you. Transitioning from a bigger city to everyone watching you was stressful, but I knew I wanted to play basketball as long as I could. I think my confidence wavered when I got hurt [injuring my back, knee and ankle during the 2018-19 season]. But being able to rebound from that and get to where I am now is huge for me.
Why'd you stay all five years?
I think, at the end of the day, with [head coach Jeff Linder] being my new coach last year, I liked the direction things were headed. Obviously, it's tough to come in [like he did]. We only won eight or nine games the year before he came in, so to turn around and win the Mountain West championship his first year ... I liked the direction where things were going. Why I stayed here was to win something here for Wyoming and the fans and the state, and I think we have a good opportunity to do that.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
Probably the people. Obviously, as you continue to move up in basketball it becomes more and more business-like. High school was very family-oriented. College is even more family-oriented. But as I reach whatever next level I plan on going to, it's going to be basically straight business. I think I'll miss that family, that people aspect most about it.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
Mentally, just understanding [what was going on] because obviously we did go through the pandemic. There were a lot more rules placed on us last year than this year. But having to stay in and basically isolate yourself for the betterment of the team and not do stuff even when you want to do stuff, just so you don't have to go on pause and get COVID and everyone has to sit out. I think, mentally, that aspect, finding a balance between isolation and being able to help the team out was the hardest thing.
What's next for you?
Obviously I'm going to continue to play basketball, whether it's here or overseas [Maldonado was awarded a medical redshirt for his truncated 2018-19 season and will be eligible to return to Wyoming for a sixth year in 2022-23]. Like I tell everybody, I think it only helps us to continue to do good so right now I'm focused on living in the moment.
Next up for Wyoming: at UNLV, Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. ET
Sukhmail Mathon, Forward, Boston University Terriers
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
At that time I honestly never expected this. I thought I'd be moving on to the next part of my life, whether that was playing professionally or getting a job.
Why'd you stay all five years?
A lot of [other schools] were talking to me. A lot of people were transferring. You know, for me it was an easy decision. I'd been here for four years. And I love my teammates. I love my coaches. And we have a great group of guys, and coming back for a fifth year it wasn't a hard decision because Boston University felt like home. A lot of people were transferring and a lot of people were talking in my ear that I could have another opportunity in another place, but at the end of the day I thought this was the best situation for me.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
Probably just the overall college experience. College is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I'll probably miss my teammates and all the laughs we've shared. I'm never going to forget the moments that I've had here.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
A lot of things were difficult [last year]. We didn't start practicing until late. We weren't able to come [to school early to train] in the summer. There were a lot of restrictions: practicing with masks and playing games with masks. It was quite a challenge for us, not being able to have a normal year. We didn't have a nonconference schedule. Going through that, it was definitely difficult.
What's next for you?
Right now, honestly, I hope to play professional basketball somewhere. I'm really passionate about basketball, but I haven't really thought about that too much. I'm just focused on getting back to the Patriot League championship and getting it done one more time and leaving the program on a high note and trying to be remembered as a winner.
Next up for Boston U.: vs. Loyola Maryland in Patriot League tournament, Thursday, 7 p.m. ET
Javante McCoy, Guard, Boston University Terriers
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
I sure didn't think I'd be playing the extra year. I just came in with high hopes of having a great career and didn't really know how that would go. I just kept the faith and I thought I'd probably be playing professionally right now. But with how things went, I ended up playing an extra year and getting to do my master's. That's definitely a dream that came true.
Why'd you stay all five years?
There were a lot of people in my ear saying I could do this or I could do that. But ultimately I just wanted to go to a place where I felt comfortable and I had relationships already. In my head it was pretty easy. I had a lot of love for the players here. My teammates, my coaches. I had a lot of trust in them. I had a lot of faith in the team, so for me it was pretty easy. But the outside noise ... that was the hardest thing.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
My teammates. Just having those experiences on the road, on campus, being around them. Being on the road with them and being in hotels with the team and going places with the team and going out to eat with the team. All those little moments, a lot of times you take those for granted.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
The pandemic was No. 1. There is a lot of stuff you have to take into account. We did have to play with masks. On top of that, you don't have to worry about, in a normal season, going out in public. You don't have to worry about trying to stay safe 24/7. That was the hardest thing, especially as the season came to the end. You didn't want to catch COVID because if you did you were out for a month. That was something that everybody was struggling with. That was definitely the hardest battle.
What's next for you?
Playing at the highest level I can. Continuing to build. Continuing to get better and play the game I love at the highest level and doing it for some money.
Next up for Boston U.: vs. Loyola Maryland in Patriot League tournament, Thursday, 7 p.m. ET
George Papas, Guard, Monmouth Hawks
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
Obviously it was a complete mystery. The original plan was for me to redshirt, and I ended up not redshirting [my freshman year] because my coach left the decision up to me and I had a really good fall that year, so I decided to play. I guess I [thought I] would be here for this year because I was supposed to redshirt. I was a freshman, a walk-on at the time, the bottom of the depth chart, so I guess I really would still be here. It's kind of funny how things work out.
Why'd you stay all five years?
It wasn't easy. I tell everyone this: I didn't believe we actually had a fifth year when the NCAA came out and said last year doesn't count toward eligibility. I was like, "Yeah OK. They're going to go back and say never mind." I treated last year as if it was my last year on campus. Then when I got to campus, those conversations [about an extra year] started happening. And that's when I realized that it was real. I had to weigh what I wanted with my life at the time. What did I want with school? I was graduating. I had a lot of agents in Greece calling me [Papas has dual Greek/U.S. citizenship and his brother, Tommy, plays professionally there], giving me some options.
Coach King Rice left the door open for the four seniors we had last year to return. He said we could enter the transfer portal and there wouldn't be any grudges. I entered the portal with Coach Rice's full blessing, and he was going to help me out. We had a plan for what I was looking for. The first call I received was Wake Forest and I was kind of shocked. The next day, I get a call and it's the University of Georgia. I asked the coach: "Georgia, as in the SEC?" I was probably in the portal for a month or two receiving calls. But I basically told all the coaches the same thing: I had a really good situation at Monmouth and I had a really good situation with Coach Rice.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
Probably just Monmouth in general. I made a home here. Coach Rice was the only Division I coach to offer me. I'll probably just miss what I built here. I know I wouldn't get this feeling anywhere else.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
I've gone through a lot here. Coming on as a walk-on, to start. That wasn't the hardest part, though, because I've been proving people wrong my whole life. The very next year, we started the season 0-12. I was 3-for-33 in nonconference games. I couldn't hit a shot to save my life. We ended up going to the championship of the MAAC and then the very next year we have a really good team. The conference tournament hits and we're about to play our first game and the whole world gets shut down. And the very next year we're getting tested three or four times a week. We got shut down four times. We didn't play our first game until late December. It was a lot of stuff we had to go through. Our mental toughness helped us get through it. That stuff in 50 or 100 years, people are going to be reading about that in textbooks.
What's next for you?
Personally, the goal is to be in the basketball world as long as I can. Obviously, it's my dream to play in the NBA. I have my Greek passport so that could help me a lot playing in Europe. My brother plays there right now. But the main focus is to just finish this season strong.
Next up for Monmouth: vs. Quinnipiac, Thursday, 7 p.m. ET
Ben Shungu, Guard, Vermont Catamounts
When you stepped onto campus in 2016, what did you expect to be doing right now?
My goal was to win a championship every year I was here. Being the best version of myself coming out of Vermont and each year I think I've done a good job striving toward that goal. I really did not think I'd be playing now, though. Obviously I knew I was gonna get a fifth year (in 2020-21) because I redshirted my first year, but then COVID happened and the rest is history. It kind of just played out how it was supposed to play out. But I did not expect a sixth year. Now we're here.
Why'd you stay all six years?
It definitely wasn't an easy decision just because five years is a long time and six years is definitely a long time. I was definitely curious about potentially going somewhere else. After spending time with my family and close friends and talking about my future and what I want to do, I wanted to be here. I just thought the best thing would be to be here.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
College basketball is an incredible experience so whenever you can get a chance to be able to be a part of it, it's legendary. It's incredible. I think just the relationships I've gained and created and being around this team, the guys, the coaches on a day-to-day basis. And then competing every day. Those are the things that will never leave you.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past six years?
Not winning the championship my second year here, and obviously last year throughout the pandemic -- I think those were the most difficult times I've had. But I think everything happens for a reason.
What's next for you?
Definitely hoping to continue to pursue my basketball career. I haven't really thought much about it yet. As of right now, I'm just focused on the season and winning a conference championship. That's my focus right now.
Next up for Vermont: at Maine, Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET
Fabian White Jr., Forward, Houston Cougars
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
I thought I'd be out of college by now but everybody has a different path. Injuries and all that. Just somewhere playing professionally, playing basketball for money -- more money than I'm making now, at least.
Why'd you stay all five years?
That was easy. When I tore my ACL [before the 2020-21 season] that was the summer of my senior year, so I only played [13] games last year and that was just because the season didn't count. So I was like, I might as well play and knock some rust off and play with some of my teammates before they left. It was an easy decision. I hadn't really started making my imprint on college basketball until this year. This year might be my biggest impact. I just felt like when I tore my ACL it was automatic that I should come back [to Houston].
What are you going to miss most about your school?
My teammates. Most of my old teammates that went professional, they said they miss the locker room. They miss being around their teammates too because once you go professional it's a business and they're not really worried about making that close of a connection with each other. They're just worried about where their paycheck is coming from. I'm probably going to miss the connection I have with my brothers, a genuine connection.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
The only really hard thing was staying mentally ready throughout the season and just getting through that "hell week," that conditioning month and all that running you have to do before the season. When I first got here I had never lifted a weight, so weights were hard for me. There's a lot of stuff that goes into it.
What's next for you?
Most dream to get drafted. So, playing in the NBA. That's the main goal right now.
Next up for Houston: vs. Cincinnati, Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Lucas Williamson, Guard, Loyola Chicago Ramblers
When you stepped onto campus in 2017, what did you expect to be doing right now?
I don't even think 17-year-old, 18-year-old me thought that far ahead. I came into college hoping for the best, hoping to win a championship, because that's what I'm about. I wanted to be in the Big Dance. And I wanted to be a contributor. I wanted to be on the floor. What would 18-year-old me think that I would be doing right now? Probably this.
Why'd you stay all five years?
That decision was actually kind of tough because coming off a good year last year, I think everybody wants to end on a good note, and making it to the Sweet 16 is no small feat. I was like, "Do I want to move on or do I want to test the pro waters?" I wasn't too interested in transferring. So I didn't take that option seriously. It was more like, "Am I ready for something else? Am I ready to move on?" I've already been to a Final Four, been to a Sweet 16, played in the NIT. I've done a lot. I graduated. Is it time for me to move on and see something new?
So I probably took the longest out of all the super seniors that came back to make this decision, just because that's kind of who I am. I'm an overthinker. I lay out every single possibility. It ultimately came down to wanting to be around the guys for another year. I remember that first workout when I decided I was coming back, when I was like, yeah, I made the right decision to stay because I really do love these guys.
What are you going to miss most about your school?
I was watching Man in the Arena, with Tom Brady, and in that documentary they talk about all his different successes. And at the end he says the things that matter most to him are the relationships, the people he's met, the people he was on the journey with. And I related to that 1,000 percent. Yes, I've won a lot of games. I've seen a lot of things. I've been a lot of places. But the thing I will miss most is just being a part of a locker room. Just walking into a locker room every day and saying, "What's up guys?" Chilling before practice. Talking about anything and everything.
What was the hardest thing about being a college student/basketball player over these past five years?
That pandemic year was rough, especially in conference play, playing back-to-backs. The most difficult thing honestly for me and my career was probably when I first got to college: just that college is played at a different speed than high school. [There are] a lot more little things you have to pay attention to and I was so far [behind] the curve. In all my five years here I have not seen anyone who was so slow to pick up the college basketball style of play more than myself. It took me well into my freshman year for things to start clicking for me.
And then my sophomore year I broke my hand twice within like eight weeks. That was by far the hardest part of my career. Period. That was one of the lowest points of my life. Coming off a Final Four year, there are so many expectations put on you by fans, coaching staff, by whatever. You go out there and you start to play some of your best basketball. You break your hand. You sit out six weeks. You come back a little rusty. You're starting to feel like yourself and then you break your hand again. You choose to have surgery and you miss the rest of the conference season and you just never have a rhythm. That was definitely the hardest thing.
What's next for you?
Obviously I want to play basketball for as long as I can. I love the game and this is what I've envisioned myself doing ever since I was a little kid, so I definitely want to play out that dream as long as I can. After that I have no idea.
Next up for Loyola Chicago: vs. Bradley in Missouri Valley tournament, Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET