Five-star recruit Makur Maker has made a groundbreaking decision by committing to Howard to play basketball. The 6-foot-11 center picked the Bison over Kentucky, UCLA and Memphis.
Maker was born in Kenya and raised in Australia before coming to the US. He also is the cousin of NBA player Thon Maker.
Maker is the top-rated player in the state of Arizona and 18th nationally, according to 247 Sports.
Maker visited Howard in October during Howard’s homecoming along with another five-star recruit Joshua Christopher. The visits turned head of many college basketball insiders. Christopher chose Arizona State, but Maker was impressed by the overall experience at the university and listed the Bison in his final four.
Maker’s guardian, Ed Smith, told ESPN Howard made Maker feel like he was more than an athlete.
“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,'” Ed Smith, Maker’s guardian, told ESPN recently. “On the visit at Howard, that was the main difference. Just for me on the outside looking in, he’s part of the fabric. You’re not just the athlete or the Black athlete.”
Maker’s decision is a win for not just Howard, but its conference Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and all historically black colleges and universities.
HBCU’s have been overlooked for years by top recruits in basketball and football. But, Maker’s decision could spark a trend of top Black recruits coming to the lesser-prominent but historic programs.
Since the death of George Floyd and a rise in unrest, protests and rallies against racism and racial injustice, there has been more attention of Black recruits considering HBCU’s over blue bloods.
Maker said he hopes his decision will inspire other top recruits like Mikey Williams (class of 2023). Williams hinted last month he seriously considering committing to an HBCU.
Williams was excited after Maker made his announcement of Howard.
Howard was 4-29 last season its first under Duke alum and DC native Kenny Blakeney. But, Blakeney is committed into turning Howard into a notable program. He used his local ties to setup a marquee matchup against Power 5 school Notre Dame at Howard on Martin Luther King Day. Blakeney is also a DeMatha alum along with Notre Dame’s head coach Mike Brey.
Landing Maker is certainly his biggest accomplishment thus far. Maker is a potential lottery pick in the NBA Draft. He could also be a one-and-done player and enter the draft after his freshman year. Still, his commitment and experience could go a long way into altering the landscape of the NCAA.
