A Historic Milestone for UNA
Taye Fields, the standout guard who led the University of North Alabama Lions to their first regular‑season conference championship in 2025, has agreed to a Summer League contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, marking the first NBA agreement for a UNA player since Otis Boddie in 1980.
Fields capped his college career with a string of accolades, including the 2024‑25 Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Year, second‑team all‑conference honors and a place among the nation’s top rebounders. He finished the season averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while ranking second in the ASUN and 32nd nationally with 300 rebounds.
After graduating, Fields headed to Austria, signing with the Hefte Helfen Bulls of the Basketball Superliga. In his rookie season he quickly became a defensive anchor, earning both the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP honors while posting 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
UNA Head Coach Tony Pujol praised Fields’s journey, saying the player “embodies the work ethic and talent that our program strives to develop” and that his move to the NBA “represents a historic milestone for the university and its basketball legacy.”
The 76ers will evaluate Fields during the upcoming Summer League, where he hopes to translate his defensive prowess and rebounding instincts into a role that could eventually lead to a two‑way contract or a spot on an NBA roster.