PHOENIX – Chris Paul sporting athletic wear from HBCUs is a familiar site. His advocacy for Historically Black Colleges and Universities continued recently at Footprint Center where he hosted the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge.
“I’m so excited for the chance to give these players the opportunity to experience something not usually available to HBCU student-athletes and compete on a national stage,” Paul said in a news release.
Hampton, Norfolk State, Morgan State and Grambling State faced off in a round robin format at the Suns’ arena with Paul in attendance. The first day’s slate of games were carried on ESPN2 and ESPNU.
The overall goal was to increase the visibility of HBCUs by hosting them in an NBA arena and on national television.
Chris Paul explains that his love for HBCUs comes from the fact that his whole family went to them. #HBCUWeek (Via @FirstTake) pic.twitter.com/TNVDPO7nSb
— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) September 25, 2020
Norfolk State went 2-0 during the HBCU Challenge, while Morgan State and Grambling State split their games. Hampton lost both games it played.
This competition followed the Chris Paul HBCU Tip Off at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Nov. 22-23, featuring Morehouse College, Virginia Union, West Virginia State and Winston-Salem State.
Paul recently said he was taking a class at Winston-Salem State to study for a bachelor’s degree in communications. Both of his parents attended school there.