Top Basketball Recruit Commits To Howard University To ‘Make The HBCU Movement Real’

TOPLINE

Makur Maker, one of the nation’s top-ranked prospects, announced Friday that he has committed to play college basketball at Howard University, over more established programs such as UCLA or Kentucky, stating a desire “to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow.”

KEY FACTS

Key Background:

Maker was born in Kenya to South Sudanese parents in 2000, emigrated to Perth, Australia, in 2001 before moving to California in 2015. Last season, he attended Hillcrest Academy in Phoenix. Maker’s cousin, Thon Maker, was drafted No. 10 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft and currently plays for the Detroit Pistons. “I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other started to dream ‘what if,'” Maker wrote on Twitter Friday morning. “I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow. I hope I inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I am committing to Howard U & coach Kenny Blakeney.” Mikey Williams, who plays on the same AAU as LeBron James Jr., is widely considered the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2023. Williams has recently stated publicly that he is considering committing to an HBCU.

Tangent:

Maker will face a significant challenge this upcoming season, as he joins a team with limited talent currently on the roster. The Howard Bison struggled mightily in 2019-20, finishing with a 4-29 record, including a 1-15 mark in MEAC play. Howard has not made the NCAA Tournament since 1992 and has not had a winning season since 2001-02.

Further Reading:

Five-star college basketball recruit Makur Maker commits to Howard over UCLA (ESPN)

5-Star C Prospect Makur Maker Commits to Howard over UCLA, Kentucky, More (Bleacher Report)