Michael B. Jordan Partners with Non-Profit to Start Up HBCU Tournament in Hometown
COURTESY OF COACH
By: Baigen Seawell
Actor and philanthropist Michael B. Jordan has partnered up with Hoop Dreams to organize an HBCU basketball tournament in December of 2021.
The Newark, New Jersey native chose to launch the event after the turbulent year that has just recently passed. With the growing desire for young prospects to go back to their roots by attending and participating in programs fostered to build up Black athletes, the desire to appreciate the culture and vitality that exists at these programs has become more prevalent.
Examples of the HBCU Exodus include Deion Sanders making his move to Jackson State University as the head coach; followed by his son Shilo, who is the highest recruit to sign to the Tigers in school history. Makur Maker also decided to take his talents to Howard University, and a slew of other athletes have transferred into these historically rich programs.
These examples partnered with the now present appreciation for HBCUs pushed to build a partnership between the Black Panther actor and CEO of Hoop Dreams, Jessica Estrada.
The Hoop Dreams Classic will showcase men’s basketball for the first year, but will look to expand to women’s in the coming launches. The tournament will also host bands and other external events to keep fans entertained.
Jordan told HBCU Sports in a report that “As a Newark native, I am committed to bringing change to the community and am honored to be able to present The Hoop Dreams Classic as a way to celebrate the value of community, education, and Black college experiences. Through our shared love of basketball, I look forward to bringing the communal spirit of HBCUs to the city that helped shape me into the man I am today.”
But where can this go, and how can this assist Black communities? In numerous ways.
How this Helps Prospects and Communities
With the growing interest in attending HBCUs, young students in Newark and surrounding areas will gain early exposure to the culture and experience gained at HBCUs. This, partnered with the showcase of athletic talent, will build interest for the incoming generations, which in turn keeps a level playing field and opens the pool of decisions for young prospects.
In the long run, these prospects will be able to choose a school that can not only help build their athletic careers, but their academic careers as well. With the financial support secured from a big celebrity and native of the city, Michael B. Jordan will be able to bring more eyes and dollars to the city of Newark, youth facilities and schools that house this talent.
Estrada mentioned in a press release that “After seeing firsthand the lack of resources and information available to basketball players, I was determined to make Hoop Dreams the vehicle that could provide the tools these kids need to be successful in life beyond the game.” Estrada added that the vision for the communities are matched and would create a large impact.
The pipeline that streams from an event with the accessibility of Hoop Dreams, partnering up with the household name of a superstar like Michael B. Jordan will directly impact the exposure and appreciation given to HBCUs on the recruiting scale. This, along with the long term positives for prospects such as financial support, broadening options to build academic success and career development create what HBCUs are known and given praise for.
While the first Hoop Dreams Classic is a year out, the excitement to bring an event of this scale to the Brick City already has New Jerseyans eager for what it will do for their city.
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