Ahead of Chris Paul’s docuseries, Makur Maker commits to HBCU Howard

Makur Maker became one of the few elite prospects to commit to and HBCU, and did so days after Chris Paul’s docuseries was announced.

Makur Maker, an elite high school prospect who initially declared for the NBA Draft, has taken a step to try to spark a movement.

Maker announced his commitment to Howard University, a historically Black university, early Friday morning.

Few top prospects go the route of an HBCU; only two active NBA players attended one. Maker hopes his decision encourages more athletes to follow him.

“I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other started to dream “what if,” he wrote in a post to Twitter. “I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow.”

This comes on the heels of an announcement that Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul is helping produce a docuseries about the recruiting struggles HBCUs go through.

“HBCUs historically have been at a competitive disadvantage with their basketball programs facing many challenges with funding, recruitment, misperceptions, and exposure,” Paul said in a statement to Deadline.

“With the current racial awakening in our country prompting young athletes to look at where they play, it’s now more important than ever to shine a light on HBCUs and showcase their value in sports and society.”

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Maker is a five-star center on 247Sports’ rankings. He has modern feel to his game, showing the ability to serve as a playmaker at the top of the arc with decent handles and passing, particularly for a player listed at 6-foot-11, but must add bulk to his 235-pound build to match up against the bigs in the NBA.

He was granted eligibility for the 2020 NBA Draft after appealing the league last year, but has elected to attend Howard instead.

Maker hopes more elite athletes will follow him down the HBCU route soon. He specifically called for Mikey Williams in his tweet.

Williams is a five-star 2023 guard on ESPN’s rankings (247Sports hasn’t posted incoming sophomore rankings as of Thursday). He has become well-known among high school basketball enthusiasts online for his dunking prowess and scoring ability, and he scored 77 points in one game as a freshman.

Williams quote-tweeted Maker’s announcement with “let’s shock the world,” and also posted a screenshot of Maker’s Instagram post to Twitter.