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Makur Maker – Pacific Academy – 2020 Flyin to the Hoop
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A few months ago, it seemed unlikely that Makur Maker would ever play college basketball. Now he is about to make history in college basketball. The Class of 2020 five-star center vowed to play for Howard University on Friday, making him the highest-rated player to commit to an HBCU in the 247Sports era.
Maker chose Howard over Kentucky, Memphis and UCLA, making the announcement on Twitter early Friday morning.
“I need to make the HBCU movement real for others to follow me,” Maker wrote. “I hope to inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I commit to Howard U and coach Kenny Blakeney #MakerMob.”
Williams is a highly-rated class of 2023 prospects who are also considering HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). He responded to Maker’s engagement announcement by tweeting, “On your side, boy, are we going to surprise the world!”
Maker could be a transformative player for Howard, who is coming off a four-win season with first-year coach Kenneth Blakeney, a former Duke team captain who is tasked with changing the program’s trajectory. The Bison has not finished with a winning record since the 2001-02 season.
Landing Maker should help. At 6-foot-11, he’s just as comfortable shooting 3-pointers or easing the offense from the top of the key as he receives an entry pass on the post and knocks a defender back. Maker’s cousin, Thon Maker, is a center for the Pistons with a similar construction.
As recently as late April, Makur Maker planned to enter this year’s NBA Draft. ESPN reported that they received permission to be eligible for the draft as they only had two credits left to graduate from high school in 2019.
But with the COVID-19 pandemic eliminating any new chance for Maker to be seen in person by scouts at events like combination or team training, going to college will give you a chance to develop your player profile and increase your stock. draft. In the process, he’s ready to make history and pioneer the trend for other prospects who previously couldn’t have considered the HBCU route.
