Join Howard University, in partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA), for a special courtside chat on Wednesday, February 9 at 11:30 a.m. Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick and Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer, will discuss social justice, student opportunities and Howard’s participation in the first NBA HBCU classic. To watch the fireside chat, register here.

The courtside chat highlights Howard’s participation in the first-ever NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T that will be simulcast on TNT and ESPN2 on Saturday, February 19 at 2 p.m. EST as part of NBA All-Star 2022. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) matchup between the Howard University and Morgan State University men’s basketball teams will take place at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. As part of the NBA’s and AT&T’s respective ongoing commitments to HBCUs, they will donate $100,000 to each institution to support facility upgrades, academic resources, and health and wellness services.

Prior to the start of the game, award-winning actress, musical artist and TV personality Keke Palmer will perform the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” accompanied by the Howard University Showtime Marching Band. NBA All-Stars, members of the 75th Anniversary Team and celebrities will be in attendance to experience the HBCU celebration and support the student-athletes and institutions. Throughout the game, the Howard and Morgan State bands as well as their dance and cheer teams will engage fans with vibrant performances while AT&T and associate partners MTN DEW and Google will provide in-arena activities.

The Howard Bison and Morgan State Bears faced off earlier this season, when Howard defeated Morgan State 91-82. As part of their participation in NBA All-Star 2022, both teams will meet with NBA league and team executives as well as current and former NBA and WNBA players and engage in programs focused on professional development and networking.

NBA All-Star 2022 will also highlight the HBCU community with additional storytelling content, career development opportunities for students, special performances and financial contributions. Additionally, HBCU students are encouraged to apply for the first-ever NBA HBCU Fellowship Program. The application window for the fellowship will close on February 20, 2022, the day of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

After the inaugural NBA x HBCU Classic on Saturday, February 19, 2022, the Howard University Alumni Club of Cleveland invites alumni and friends to an alumni reception from 4-7 p.m. at Zanzibar Soul Fusion located at 627 Prospect Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Registration for the alumni reception is now open.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Aaliyah Butler; aaliyah.butler@howard.edu