Makur Maker announced Friday morning that he has committed to playing college basketball at Howard in the hopes of pushing more top recruits to attend HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities).
The five-star center out of Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) chose Howard over UCLA, Kentucky and Memphis. Maker is the highest-ranked prospect (No. 16) to commit to an HBCU since the creation of ESPN's recruiting database in 2007.
"I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other [sic] started to dream 'what if,'" Maker wrote on Twitter. "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."
Williams, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2023, is also considering HBCUs. He acknowledged Maker's decision Friday on Twitter, saying "We will make a change!!! Thank you bro!!"
We will make a change!!! Thankyou bro!! @MakurMaker 🖤 #HBCU pic.twitter.com/gQ3QrUdEJ9
— Mikey Williams (@619PRESIDENTIAL) July 3, 2020
On your side my boy let’s shock the world!!! @MakurMaker https://t.co/XJ4JrgFmTH
— Mikey Williams (@619PRESIDENTIAL) July 3, 2020
Maker declared for the 2020 NBA Draft back in April but said he would be keeping his options open as the basketball landscape changed amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"I was planning on getting some workouts with some teams; I still do not know how that is going to go," Maker told 247Sports' Evan Daniels. "But with [the coronavirus] everything has changed everyone's plans. I was hoping to come to Hoop Summit and kill everybody and the Iverson Classic also. ...
"The NBA G League reached out and approached my coach, but if it's not the NBA then I'm going to go to college because I'm young and still want to learn more."
Makur Maker, the cousin of Pistons big man Thon Maker, is set to join a Bison team that finished 4-29 overall last season, including 1-15 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.