I’m an HBCU product, through and through (Thee I Love).
I love HBCUs. The pros, the cons, the ups, the downs. I love it all. Admittedly, when I first entered an HBCU, coming from a vast majority white high school, I was slightly pessimistic. Even though I grew up around the HBCU experience, with my father being a tenured professor at Jackson State University, for whatever reason, I wasn’t sold. Maybe I was brainwashed by Caucasian education, I don’t know.
But that doesn’t matter, now. Because I know wusup. I know that HBCUs are the mecca for young black excellence. Not to take anything away from black people who went to PWIs (I have a Masters of Law from a PWI), but that HBCU experience is an experience that can’t be replicated nor duplicated.
Everything from the stresses of your refund check not showing up when they’re suppose to; to Fried Chicken Wednesday (or Tuesday or Thursday…depending on the school you attended) at the caf; to learning about the intricate details of OUR history in classrooms full of professors who look like you (and some who don’t, but they cool, too); to the experience of kicking it on the yard with your peers; to creating bonds that will last a life time.
And now 5 star basketball recruit, Makur Maker will experience the same joy/frustration/love every person who has gone to an HBCU experiences. Maker chose the Howard Bison over UCLA, although Kentucky and Memphis were also on his final list of four schools.
Maker No. 16 in the ESPN 100 for 2020. He is also the first five-star prospect to commit to an HBCU in the modern era, and if selected in the NBA draft, he would be the first HBCU product since Kyle O’Quinn (Norfolk State) in 2012. But over the past couple of months, HBCUs have become more assertive in recruiting top-tier high school talent, especially in the 2021 and 2022 classes, thanks in large part to the year 2020, which is apparently Black Appreciation Year.
I’ve always thought it would be improbable for top black college athletes to join forces at an HBCU in football only because the amount players needed, the training facilities, money, TV contracts, etc.
But basketball, unlike football, doesn’t require the same training nor development with most, if not all, of the top recruits/one and done guys. ALL you really need is a gym and a ball to hoop. Can y’all imagine how lit it would be if the top 7 or 8 black bball recruits went to an HBCU to play for one year at somewhere like Hampton or Howard on some black pride shit?
How much money that HBCU would make in that one year, alone?
Well, Makur Maker is taking the first step in answering my question and the question of many others who were lucky enough to attend an HBCU. Strive for greatness, young man.
Leslie McLemore writes about a lot of different shit for Black With No Chaser. He is also the Takeaway Kang and is the father of two beautiful girls, one of which gets on every nerve he has. The other one is sweet. So, you know, balance.
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