The second annual circuit of two Chris Paul HBCU events, the Boost Mobile HBCU Tip-Off and the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge was announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Four Historically Black Colleges and Universities will compete in the Boost Mobile HBCU Tip-Off on November 15 and 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Clark Atlanta University, Virginia Union University, Johnson C. Smith University, and Xavier University of Louisiana will compete in the two-day double header.
Four HBCUs will compete in the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge on December 17 and 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Texas Southern University, and North Carolina A&T State University will compete in the two-day double header.
“Chris Paul has been a committed supporter of HBCUs and has diligently worked to create opportunities for the student-athletes at these institutions,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame is excited to build on last year’s success, and we look forward to watching both of these tournaments in an exciting two weekends of basketball.”
Paul, a philanthropist and entrepreneur, has long been a supporter of historically black colleges and universities. Paul was a logical fit for Boost Mobile, whose purpose is to deliver inexpensive wireless coverage to all areas. He was just named to President Joe Biden’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Advisory Board. Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball and Why Not Us: FAMU Football on ESPN+ were executive produced by Paul. In addition, Paul teamed with Harvard Business School to deliver its Entertainment, Media, and Sports program to a number of historically black colleges and universities in order to create a pipeline for students interested in jobs in those fields. He started HBCU voting initiatives to encourage students to vote in the recent election, and he teamed up with Sour Patch Kids and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to launch The Mischief for Change Scholarship, a college scholarship fund with a $1 million commitment over the next five years for students attending historically black colleges and universities. Paul is a student at Winston-Salem State University, where he is pursuing a degree.
“We are so excited for the second year of our HBCU Challenge. It is great to work with our partners to give these student athletes a national stage they may not otherwise have,” said Paul. “I hope these events gives these players an experience that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. I sincerely appreciate the collaboration of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Mohegan Sun and MGM. We love Boost Mobile as a partner because of their commitment to HBCU schools and athletes in partnership with this event.”
“At Boost Mobile, we’re always looking to align with individuals and brands that are truly making a difference for under-represented communities. This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate our love for basketball, and aligning with Chris Paul and giving HBCU student-athletes a national stage is something we are proud to a part of,” said Andrea Henderson, vice president of brand marketing, Boost Mobile. “I cannot wait to see the looks on the student-athletes faces when they get the chance to compete on this national stage. That to me will be worth it all.”
The Boost Mobile Tip-Off and the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge, both hosted by Chris Paul, are two of the Hall of Fame’s collegiate events, which are growing in an effort to promote basketball outside of the museum’s doors. The Chris Paul Family Foundation and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame cooperated on these two events.
Ticket information, game times and television broadcast details will be released at a later date. For more information, please visit www.hoophall.com.
