Tag: Howard University

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry on why he thinks Howard golf can be a ‘North Star’

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said he thinks Howard golf can be a ‘North Star’ on the latest No Laying Up podcast episode.

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Golf isn’t just a hobby for Stephen Curry.

The star for the Golden State Warriors started playing when he was 8 or 9 years old. His father, Dell, also played in the NBA, and golf was his summertime hobby. By the age of 11, Stephen was playing full rounds and even played a little high school golf for three years before beginning his journey as one of the best shooters in basketball history.

“It’s one of the things I look forward to most when I’m not on the court,” said the Golden State Warriors star on the latest episode of the No Laying Up podcast.

The two-time MVP of the NBA talked about his love of the game and threw some shade Charles Barkley’s way ahead of their participation in The Match: Champions for Change. But what really stood out were his comments about his role in bringing NCAA Division I golf to Howard.

More: Howard moves golf programs forward with hiring of head coach

“I think a lot of people get wrapped up in seeing what the product on TV … but the world of golf and business of golf, there’s so many opportunities and ways to create a meaningful career,” said Curry. “It’s just about that awareness and that access and people being able to lean in. So Howard golf is a great start in that direction.”

So, why Howard? Curry wanted to find a creative way, unique to him, to grow the game of golf. He knows talent resides in minority communities, but he also knows they don’t have the resources or access to capitalize on that talent. Curry’s goal is to provide more access to the game, and he thinks golf at Howard can be a “North Star.”

“Any time that you can support an HBCU, there’s a lot of conversations about how impactful those universities are,” explained Curry. “It all kind of checked a lot of boxes in terms of where I could really meaningfully make an impact. And I think the sky’s the limit for what this can truly mean.”

Makur Maker says LaMelo Ball impacted decision to commit to Howard

After committing to Howard University in a landmark decision, Makur Maker revealed how LaMelo Ball impacted his choice to attend an HBCU.

Makur Maker, the younger brother of Thon Maker and a top-20 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, made a landmark decision last week by committing to Howard University. Maker becomes the first top recruit to play at a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in over three decades.

Interestingly, Maker has followed LaMelo Ball’s path since the moment he left for the NBL. Maker himself considered following Ball and RJ Hampton to Australia as he kept all options open during his recruitment.

In the wake of his commitment, Maker noted that Ball’s decision to compete in Australia played a part in his decision.

“I figured if LaMelo Ball could go to Australia, play in facilities like that, and still be considered a top NBA prospect, why not Howard?”

Maker’s decision is yet another example of prospects not taking the traditional route to the NBA. On top of Ball and Hampton last season, Jalen Green created his own path through the NBA G League next season along with Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd.

The biggest factor in this, though, is that Ball was able to not only maintain his status as a prospect but increase his draft stock while playing in the NBL. Fellow prospects seeing that likely played a role in their decision-making in recent months leading to all the unique paths taken.

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Cam Newton’s younger brother is transferring to Auburn

The Tigers have a Newton again.

The Auburn Tigers have themselves a new Newton on board 10 years after Cam led the Auburn Tigers to a BCS National Championship out of nowhere.

This time, it’s his brother Caylin. In the midst of a rough final season as the Bison quarterback, he announced he’d be transferring once the season was over. Newton only played in four games for the Bison in the 2019-20 season. He graduated from Howard but still has two years of eligibility left.

The newly minted Tigers’ quarterback announced his final transfer decision on Friday night via Twitter.

Newton finished his Howard career with 58 total touchdowns and 32 interceptions. Certainly, he isn’t his brother, but Auburn sure will take him.

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Howard University moves golf programs forward with hiring of head coach Samuel Puryear

Howard University took a step forward for its golf programs by announcing the hiring of Samuel Puryear Jr. as head men’s and women’s coach.

NBA player Stephen Curry, a well-known golf nut, has brought to life golf programs at Howard University, an NCAA Division I school in Washington, D.C. Curry announced in August he was committed to funding men’s and women’s teams at the university for six years beginning with the 2020-21 academic year.

On Thursday, Howard took the next step by announcing the hiring of Samuel Puryear Jr. as head men’s and women’s golf coach. Puryear’s 12-year coaching career includes Stanford University, Michigan State University and Queens University of Charlotte. A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Puryear played collegiate at Tennessee State University under Coach Catana Sparks (the first woman to coach a men’s Division I golf team, a story on which the movie “From the Rough” was later based).

Samuel Puryear Jr.

Puryear became the first African-American head coach at a Power 5 school when he was hired at Michigan State in 2008. To date, his coaching career has produced one national championship, one Big Ten Championship, two Coach of the Year honors, two Conference Carolina titles and two South Atlantic Conference championships.

“I would like to thank Stephen Curry, Dr. Wayne Frederick and Mr. Kery Davis for creating and providing this unique opportunity. I am excited to be involved and on the ground floor with a culturally, historically significant university that has positioned itself with positively shaping and molding some of our countries most talented and brightest student-athletes,” Puryear said. “Mr. Curry’s vision will impact this program and resonate through the world of golf for many years to come.”

Howard previously sponsored golf on the NCAA Division II level. The university currently sponsors 21 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s varsity sports.

The resources that Curry provided have been strategically allocated for talent scouting and training, with the goal to have a competitive team in place in time to compete in its inaugural season.

“Partnering with NBA Champion Stephen Curry to support Howard University’s first NCAA Division 1 golf program brings critical resources to the table to support our vision to enhance our athletics program and use sport to expand the cultural experience of our students,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “The selection of Coach Sam Puryear is the next step in this historic journey to take golf at Howard to the highest level. His experience training student athletes to perform on the greens, in the classroom and on the PGA Tour will serve him well as he creates a foundation of excellence to pursue championship-level play in the Bison community.”

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