[2] With a 17–1 record,[2] Northington was leading the team in scoring and rebounding when he was ruled academically ineligible in February 1968 because of his semester grades.

[1] Northington became friends with Bernard Boozer who was being hired by Alabama State University to become head coach of the Hornets basketball team.

[7] He was automatically eligible for the 1971 NBA draft because he had graduated from high school four years earlier and was selected in the second round by the New York Knicks.

[7] Northington was also selected in the third round of the American Basketball Association (ABA) draft by the Carolina Cougars but claimed that they were "talking so crazy that [he] didn't want anything to do with them.

[7] Boozer noted that it was a decline from his previous season which Northington attributed to putting on weight in preparation for his attempt at turning professional.

[9][10] Northington said that he enjoyed playing for the Hornets team but was not fond of the student fanbase who he believed "just came out because they didn't have anything else to do at that particular time" and "could talk about [him] and Lawrence [Lilly]" like they "were some kind of circus freaks.

[7] Northington said that the Lakers "acted like they didn't have nothing to give" because of other players asking for pay rises and he was not able to negotiate on a contract.

[7] Northington did not make it to rookie camp and ultimately never played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

[7] Northington returned to the United States in September 1978 and started working as a radio broadcaster for the Hornets in February 1979.