Five Honorees Inducted into the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
Charlotte, NC – The NJCAA has announced five honorees to be inducted into the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Two student-athletes and three coaches have been honored in the 2026 class. Read below for more information on Cleanthony Early, Dontae' Jones, Doug Wagemester, Nolan Richardson, and Steve Forbes.
Cleanthony Early | Student-Athlete | Sullivan County (NY)
Cleanthony Early's induction into the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame honors his outstanding achievements and contributions to junior college basketball during his time at Sullivan County Community College. A two-time NJCAA Division III Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012, Early also earned NJCAA All-American honors and was named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York junior college player of the year in 2012. During his NJCAA career, he established himself as a dominant player and key contributor on the court.
Following his success at the junior college level, Early continued his basketball career at Wichita State University, where he played a vital role in leading the team to the 2013 NCAA Final Four—the program's first appearance since 1964. Averaging 13.9 points per game during that run, he later improved to 16.4 points per game as a senior, helping Wichita State achieve an undefeated regular season and a 35-1 record, marking the best season in Division I history at the time. Early was also selected 34th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, launching a professional career spanning the NBA, G League, and international leagues. His collegiate accolades include multiple All-American honors, Wooden Award finalist recognition, and membership in Wichita State's 1,000-Point Club.
Dontae' Jones | Student-Athlete | Northeast Mississippi
Dontae' Jones has been named to the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments at the NJCAA level and beyond. At Northeast Mississippi Community College, Jones helped the Tigers compile a 51-14 record over two seasons and led the team to its seventh all-time NJCAA Division I National Tournament appearance. He averaged a double-double in both seasons, posting 25.2 points and 11.2 rebounds as a freshman and 28.7 points and 13.3 rebounds as a sophomore, scoring 917 points in the 1994-95 season, the second-highest total in program history. He also earned All-Conference, All-Region 23, and NJCAA All-American honors.
Following his junior college career, Jones transferred to Mississippi State University, where he contributed to the Bulldogs' first SEC Tournament championship and NCAA Southeast Regional title in 1996. He averaged 15 points per game over the Southeast Regional, helping the team advance to the Elite Eight, and scored 16 points in Mississippi State's NCAA Final Four appearance that year. Across both NJCAA and NCAA competition, Jones played on teams that consistently reached postseason play and earned multiple individual honors, reflecting his sustained contributions at the collegiate level.
Doug Wagemester | Coach | Kirkwood (IA)
Doug Wagemester's career in junior college athletics spans more than a quarter‑century, highlighted by 15 seasons as head men's basketball coach at Kirkwood Community College and 26 total years of NJCAA service. During his tenure as head coach from 1998‑99 through 2012‑13, Wagemester compiled a 409‑107 overall record and a 179‑28 mark in conference play. His teams captured 12 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) regular‑season titles and made nine NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including three national runner‑up finishes. Under his leadership, six players earned NJCAA All‑American honors and the Eagles achieved multiple seasons with 30 or more wins. Wagemester was also recognized as the NJCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2009‑10 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
In addition to his coaching accomplishments, Wagemester served as Kirkwood's athletic director from 2007 through 2024, a period in which the college's six sports programs posted sustained competitive success. During his time as AD, Kirkwood teams earned 58 national tournament appearances, 58 region titles, 10 NJCAA national championships and five national runner‑up finishes and saw 97 student‑athletes achieve All‑American status. His combined roles as coach and administrator reflect long‑term involvement in NJCAA athletics and contribution to the development of the college's athletic programs.
Nolan Richardson | Coach | Western Texas
Nolan Richardson began his collegiate coaching career at Western Texas Junior College, where he led the team to a 37‑0 record and the NJCAA National Championship in 1980. His undefeated season remains one of the most notable accomplishments in junior college basketball, establishing Richardson as a coach capable of developing talent and building winning programs at the NJCAA level. Following his success in junior college, Richardson moved on to the University of Tulsa, where he guided the Golden Hurricane to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship in 1981.
Richardson later became head coach at the University of Arkansas, where he served from 1985 to 2002. During his tenure, he led the Razorbacks to 15 postseason appearances in 17 seasons, including three Final Four appearances. Arkansas won the NCAA Tournament national championship in 1994 and finished as national runner‑up in 1995. Over his collegiate head coaching career, Richardson became the only coach to win a junior college national title, an NIT championship, and an NCAA national championship. His contributions to the sport have been recognized with induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Steve Forbes | Coach | Southwestern (IA), Barton (KS), & Northwest Florida State
Steve Forbes began his coaching career in the junior college ranks, spending two seasons as an assistant and then head coach at Southwestern Community College where he compiled a 36‑27 record as head coach. In 1995 he took the head coaching job at Barton County Community College and over three seasons the Cougars went 68‑28, produced three All‑American players, twice finished with a national ranking, and recorded victories over 15 nationally ranked teams.
Forbes later returned to the NJCAA level in 2011 as head coach at Northwest Florida State College, where his teams posted a 62‑6 record across two seasons. He led the Raiders to consecutive 30 win seasons, and back-to-back NJCAA Division I National Runner-up finishes. Five of his players from Northwest Florida State went on to Division I programs. After his success at the junior college level, Forbes moved into NCAA Division I coaching, including assistant positions at several programs and head coaching roles at East Tennessee State and Wake Forest. His collegiate coaching career spans more than three decades and includes NCAA Tournament appearances, conference titles, and recognition for team performance at multiple levels of college basketball.
