TSR Sports: Fiver-star senior Makur Maker announced he is committing to Howard University, making him the highest-ranked college basketball prospect to commit to a historically black college or university since 2007.
Although Maker had plenty of schools to choose from, including UCLA, Kentucky, and Memphis, he decided to commit to Howard to inspire others to attend HBCU’s.
“I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard and others started to dream ‘what if,'” he wrote on Twitter. “I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow. I hope to inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I am committing to Howard U and coach Kenny Blakeney.”
Maker visited Howard last fall will his guardian, Ed Smith, who says Howard felt like home to the young star.
“A lot of people are comfortable with familiarity. Kids could say, ‘I would feel welcome that I’m not just an athlete — I’m part of a community,” Smith told ESPN. “On the visit to Howard, that was the man difference. Just for me on the outside looking in, he’s part of the fabric. You’re not just the athlete for the Black athlete.”
Maker has also entered his name into the NBA draft, and if he’s selected, he will be the first five-star prospect to commit to an HBCU and be selected since Kyle O’Quinn in 2012
