A huge part of the allure of college basketball is the opportunity for players to display their talent on a national stage and go up against the best in the country.
That's what guard Dominick Mejia intended to do when he went to NC State in 2002, and he finally did last year when he lit up Duke for 25 points in a near-upset.
The only thing is, Mejia had to transfer out of the ACC to do it.
Now a senior at Drexel, Mejia has been one of the steadier contributors for the Dragons and figures to be their main offensive threat this season.
But before the New Jersey native relocated to Philadelphia, he was barely let into the Wolfpack's stadium, tallying under six minutes per game as a freshman before transferring midway through his sophomore year.
"We went to Duke, and I had to sit the bench," Mejia said. "Even when [the Blue Devils] came to N.C. State, I didn't really get to play against them, so I didn't get a shot.
"But after I came to Drexel, doors opened [and] during the NIT we wound up playing at Madison Square Garden and playing Duke."
After winding up at the school that he had visited first in high school, Mejia has relished the opportunity he has been given by coach Bruiser Flint to do what he does best - shoot the three.
Mejia drained three treys per game last season, shooting 37.3 percent from behind the arc. He set the tone for the Dragons' offense, leading the team with 15.3 points per game.
Mejia made just one of eight from downtown in Drexel's loss to Penn last year, and senior guard Ibrahim Jaaber, who has seen Mejia up close the past two seasons and works out with him in the offseason, has a foolproof way to stop him.
"We don't want to let him catch the ball," Jaaber said.
Flint is also well aware of Mejia's ability to make plays, but he may be just as impressed by the air that his veteran brings to the team off the court.
"He's a fun-loving kid, always a smile on his face, always a joy to be around," Flint said. "He's a good kid that way."
It's not hard to see why.
While transferring schools is often a difficult transition for players, Mejia has taken to his role at Drexel nicely, coming into his own as a player and as a leader.
But Mejia doesn't blame his old school for not putting him on the floor. He has realized that his journey through college basketball has been a growing experience - an experience that Drexel has been a big part of.
"I had a lot of maturing to do," Mejia said. "A door closed at NC State, and another one opened at Drexel. It's a great opportunity."
