Courtesy of Coppin State Athletic Communications
DETROIT, Mich. – Shortly after going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, former Coppin State men's basketball standout Anthony Tarke got the call and signed a free agent contract with the NBA's Detroit Pistons.
Tarke will be in uniform for the Pistons at the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nev., on Aug. 8-17. The Pistons will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, Aug. 8 to open their schedule live on ESPN2. Detroit will also tipoff against the Houston Rockets, (Aug. 10), New York Knicks (Aug. 13) and Los Angeles Lakers (Aug. 14) with all games being nationally televised.
Tarke is the first CSU player since Terquin Mott ('97) to sign a contract with an NBA Team as Mott played on the Boston Celtics summer league roster in 2002. Larry Stewart played five years in the NBA where he was an All-Rookie Team selection following the 1991-92 season. Joe Pace is still the only CSU player to be drafted by an NBA team, as he was a second-round selection by the Washington Bullets in the 1976 NBA Draft, and a fifth-round selection by the Phoenix Suns in 1975.
A native of Gaithersburg, Md., Tarke took the MEAC by storm in his lone season with the Eagles, becoming just the third player in conference history to be named both the league's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. While additionally being named First Team All-MEAC as well as an All-Defensive Team selection, Tarke was a First Team NABC All-District Selection and was honored as the BOXTOROW Co-Player of the Year.
Tarke also received several national accolades as he was the only player in NCAA Division I to average at least 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. The 6-foot-6 swingman was a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, which goes out annually to the top mid-major player in the Nation, as well as the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was later named a Mid-Major All-American and to the Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American Team.
Starting in all 22 games this past season, Tarke averaged 16.1 points and 8.2 rebounds along with 3.6 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.9 blocks while leading the MEAC in total points, rebounds, double-doubles, free throws made, free throw attempts and blocks. Reaching double figures in all but two games, Tarke finished with a pair of 30-plus point games and six contests with at least 20 points.
Making his CSU debut at 9th-ranked Duke, Tarke was arguably the best player on the court as he finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks. Tarke put up historic numbers in a victory over UNC Greensboro just weeks later, recording a career-high 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting to go with ten rebounds, eight assists, four blocks and four steals, becoming the first player since the 2010-11 season to put up such a stat-line. He later put up the Nation's only 5-by-5 game with a 13 point, 11 rebounds, eight assist, six steals and five block effort against Delaware State.