HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
No Result
View All Result

Home Basketball

The Makur Maker experiment at HBCUs is far from being decided

Kendrick Marshall by Kendrick Marshall
December 3, 2020
0
Makur Maker, Howard University

Photo: Howard University Athletics

1.5k
VIEWS

You might also like

Web series will give viewers a taste of Howard women’s hoops culture

Future matchups announced for Big Apple football classic

Grambling State wide receiver transfers to SWAC West school

An interesting analysis of Makur Maker’s decision to hoop at Howard amid the program announcing the 5-star athlete would be shut down indefinitely because of a groin injury after two on-court appearances contained an assumption historically black colleges are not necessarily equipped to nurture talented athletes compared to Power 5 schools.

The people who knew the least were the loudest ones in the room. And the HBCU alums that were happy about Maker’s decision were doing it out of the pride we have for our alma maters.

But, what people — of all colors — didn’t take into account in the discussion about top-tier Black athletes choosing HBCUs over Power 5 schools is that it’s inherently selfish at its core.

Because if you wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, or astronaut, you would likely choose a school that has a history, system, and culture of producing doctors, lawyers, or astronauts. Going somewhere that doesn’t specialize in that wouldn’t be the best decision for your future.

So then why do people want 5-star athletes to go to schools where they specialize in the student and person you will become, instead of the athletic asset others only see you as?

While Carron J. Phillips, the author of these words, is correct that whatever school an athlete decides to attend is motivated by individual interests, to go as far as to suggest that HBCUs shouldn’t necessarily be a choice for blue-chip athletes because schools lack the historic credentials to develop them is misguided.

This argument ignores the role integration had on black college programs across the country over time. During a period from 1960 to 1972, as many as 30 basketball players representing HBCUs were selected in the NBA Draft. Fast-forward more than a half-century, and only one HBCU player since 2012– Kyle O’Quinn of Norfolk State — has been taken in any round in the last eight drafts.


Related Content:

  • Five-star Howard recruit Makur Maker makes his college debut against Belmont
  • ‘Inspire others to take HBCUs seriously’: Makur Maker explains in ESPN interview why he chose Howard
  • Five-star recruit Makur Maker announces historic commitment to Howard

There was a point in time when Winston-Salem State, Grambling State, and predominately black institutions produced first-and second-round NBA talent. But those athletes — thanks to the globalization of basketball — have been replaced by players from foreign nations or high schoolers before the league necessitated that those eligible spend at least one year elsewhere first. Teams are now willing to take a flyer on a player from Serbia than Savannah State.

To further illustrate this reality, LaMelo Ball — taken third in the 2020 NBA Draft — became a lottery pick playing not at Duke, North Carolina, or even North Carolina Central but in Wollongong, New South Wales in Australia.

Are the Illawarra Hawks ideally more specialized at developing young basketball players than American colleges and universities?

Ball would have likely been a lottery pick whether he played in Australia or in the United States. Zion Williamson would have gone No. 1 overall whether he was under the guidance of Coach K or Kenny Blakeney.

Maker, if he is as good as advertised, probably will not be hurt by playing at a school that failed to make the NCAA Tournament in years. Maker’s first collegiate game being televised on ESPN 3 instead of ESPN national, respectfully isn’t the difference-maker for some NBA team deciding, or not, to make an investment.

It’s far too early to cast doubt on the Maker experience after only a week. There is still much time for the outcome to be decided.



Tags: GramblingHowardNorfolk StateNorth Carolina CentralWinston Salem State
Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.

Next Post
Deion Sanders Thanksgiving photo

Deion Sanders goes sans masks in social media post. It says everything about how complicated navigating pandemic is

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

  • Bubba McDowell explains how Deion Sanders committed to Prairie View football camp
  • Grambling State wide receiver transfers to SWAC West school
  • Newly hired coordinator of MEAC officials under NBA investigation for possible burner account
  • All-SWAC guard lands at Jackson State from transfer portal
  • From ball hawks to hard hitters, these are the HBCU defensive backs to watch in 2023
  • Who are the top football coaches in the SWAC? We ranked them
  • Week 0 Celebration Bowl rematch to be played on ABC
  • Kickoff time for Tennessee State at Notre Dame has been announced. Here’s when and how to watch
  • JJ Redick throws shade at Winston-Salem State in attempted clapback at Stephen A. Smith
  • The 2023 National Battle of the Bands lineup is out. See which schools are competing this year

RSS HBCU Sports Forums

  • Biden to cancel up to $10k in federal student loan debt for certain borrowers and up to $20k for Pell Grant recipients
  • Can Tim Scott really relate and have a message for the black community?
  • Lighten the Mood 11th Edition
  • 2023 HBCU Homecoming Schedule
  • 2023 Football Schedules
  • Texas Southern's sole Presidential Finalist
  • 2022-23 SWAC Commissioner's Cup
  • Florida is crazy land
  • Roland Garros 2023
  • XFL Thread 2022-2023
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COMMENT POLICY
  • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
 CONTACT US

© 2023 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE

© 2023 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

X