BALTIMORE, Md. (June 16, 2026)--Morgan State women's basketball graduate guard Ja'la Bannerman has been invited to play in the fourth annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) All-Star Dream Classic in Harlem, N.Y.
 
The basketball event will feature 40 of the best HBCU men's and women's players in the world and takes place this summer on Saturday, August 8, 2026 on the historic court of Holcombe Rucker Park.
 
Bannerman will become the second Lady Bear to participate in the event and the third to receive an invite, joining 2023 invites Charlene Shepherd, who played in the inaugural game and Taylor Addison, who had to decline due to work commitment. 
 
With 2023 marking the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, luminaries and music legends were a part of the festive occasion, making the inaugural HBCU All-Star Dream Classic a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
 
"I was excited, felt blessed and grateful to be able to play in front of a huge crowd," said Bannerman on her thoughts when she first received the invite. "I've never played or been to Rucker Park before. It's an honor and a privilege to be chosen to play at Rucker Park. I'm doing something a lot of girls wish they were doing."
 
The event will feature men's and women's all-star games featuring recent HBCU players who are now eligible for NBA, WNBA, ABA, Big 3, European and other Professional league opportunities.
 
The women's game will tip-off at 4:30 pm, followed by the men at 6:30 pm.
  
A native of Baltimore, Bannerman spent the final two seasons of her collegiate career playing at Morgan State, after beginning her career at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she was named to the All-MEAC Rookie team as a freshman.
 
A Preseason All-MEAC first team selection prior to this past season, Bannerman started 10 of the 23 games she played, finishing the season averaging a team-leading 11.4 points per game. She connected on a team-high 84 field goals and finished second on the team in three-point baskets, knocking down 32 treys from beyond the arc.  
 
Bannerman's signature game would come on the road against Central Florida (12/14), where she scored a game- and career-high 32 points. She shot 10-of-19 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from three-point range and connected on all six of her free throw attempts, while adding a rebound and a steal in just under 35 minutes of action.
 
Limited to just two points at halftime, Bannerman would score 11 points in the third quarter, before erupting to score all 19 of Morgan's fourth quarter points.
 
Bannerman concluded her career with a combined 945 points, 161 rebounds, 103 steals, 89 assists and 11 blocks.
 
In addition to showcasing incredibly talented athletes, Divine 9 step show and cheerleader performances, HBCU and high school band performances, streetball demonstrations, scholarships, DJ/MC "Live" music performances and fan contests will highlight the full experience of HBCU.
 
"I'm most looking forward to making new connections, visiting Rucker Park and just having a great time," said Bannerman.
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.