Temple’s Derrian Ford: ‘​I ​feel ​like ​we’re ​absolutely ​gonna ​be ​special’

On March 11, 2026, the Temple Owls’ season ended when they fell to Florida Atlantic in the first round of the American Conference tournament.

At the time, both Derrian Ford and those following Temple believed his collegiate career was over; however, a favorable ruling in a lawsuit involving more than 30 college athletes paved the way for another year of eligibility.

“​After ​the ​last ​game ​in ​Birmingham, ​I ​thought ​my ​collegiate ​career ​was ​over,” Ford said at Temple Basketball Media Day. “So, ​just ​want ​to ​get ​ready ​for ​the ​next ​step, ​and ​that’s ​to ​play ​somewhere ​professionally, ​and ​like ​I ​said, ​that ​didn’t ​happen, and ​then ​you ​start ​seeing ​the ​news ​about ​being ​able ​to ​potentially ​turn ​back ​to ​college,  ​a ​senior, ​that ​can ​get ​another ​year, ​and ​when ​that ​happened,  ​my ​first ​thought ​was ​Temple.”

Last season, Ford averaged a team-leading, career-high 18.1 points per game and earned third-team All-American Conference honors.

Ford, a preseason second-team All-American Conference selection for 2026–27, enjoys playing in Temple head coach Adam Fisher’s system, which he believes gives him plenty of freedom.

“I’m ​very ​confident,” Ford said. ​ “The ​coaches let ​you ​be ​you, ​a ​lot ​of ​freedom. ​You ​just ​have ​to ​put ​the ​work ​in; ​nothing’s ​given. ​When ​I ​came ​here ​last ​season, ​there ​wasn’t ​any ​talks ​about ​me ​starting ​or ​how ​many ​minutes ​I ​was ​going ​to ​play. ​He [Fisher] ​just ​told ​me ​to ​come ​in ​and ​put ​in ​some ​work, ​and ​then ​you’ll ​see ​where ​you ​fall, ​and ​I ​was ​able ​to ​get ​on ​the ​court.”

The Owls, who were 15-8 after 23 games in the 2025-26 season, had a six-game losing streak that derailed the season. Temple finished 16-16 and will look much different in 2026-27. Temple will have 10 new players, including USC transfer Jordan Marsh, and five returning players, led by Ford and fellow senior Gavin Griffiths.

Despite all the new players, Ford says the adjustment has been easy.

“Well, ​in ​this ​team ​particularly, ​this ​been ​an ​easy ​adjustment,” he said. ​”This ​is ​a ​very ​unselfish ​team, ​and ​we ​have ​a ​lot ​of ​great ​players ​who ​play ​hard, and we ​all ​want ​that ​one ​thing, ​that’s ​to ​win, and if we keep that same mindset, it will happen.”

The Magnolia, Arkansas, native will now be playing in the same city as LeBron James, who joined the 76ers in the offseason, and Ford hopes James will make his way to a game at the Liacouras Center.

“Yeah, ​​for ​sure,” Ford said. “​Hopefully, ​he’ll ​sit ​right ​here ​in ​this ​chair ​that ​I’m ​sitting ​in, and ​then ​after ​the ​game ​I ​can ​speak ​to ​him. ​​That’ll ​be ​good ​just ​to ​pick ​his ​brain.”

Ford returned to North Broad Street believing the Owls could have a special season.

“​I ​feel ​like ​we’re ​absolutely ​gonna ​be ​special,” he said. ​”This ​team ​is ​amazing. ​We ​got ​a ​lot ​of ​depth.”