Former Winston-Salem State guard sees the opportunity in NBA HBCU Classic spotlight
Winston-Salem State University, the reigning Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball champion, will face off against CIAA rival Virginia Union University in the third annual NBA HBCU Classic on Saturday during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
The Classic is designed to provide national exposure for historically Black colleges and universities, and Winston-Salem State and Virginia Union are the first Division II schools chosen to participate in the game.
Former Winston-Salem State guard Javonte Cooke, who currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, believes an opportunity to compete in the nationally televised game would’ve been monumental toward pursuing his dreams of playing professional basketball.
“The game [NBA HBCU Classic] definitely could have sped that process up and maybe put me in front of some different eyes earlier,” Cooke told Andscape.
Cooke, who helped lead Winston-Salem State to the CIAA Southern Division title in 2022, was bypassed in the 2022 NBA draft but earned a spot on the Iowa Wolves, looking to join Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington, a Tennessee State University product, as the only active player in the NBA from an HBCU.
In his second year in the G League, Cooke is averaging 15.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists per game, doubling his scoring average from his rookie year.
“It’s been a blessing. I have made some big jumps this year personally and statistically, so I feel good about it,” Cooke said. “If I had to tell anybody what they need coming into the G League, it’s mental fortitude, like, no matter where you come from you’re gonna have to be strong mentally.
“It’s gonna test you physically, emotionally, of course, but you got to have a strong enough mental to just keep going and keep chasing a dream even though it may look ugly. You got to keep going.”
Winston-Salem State head men’s basketball coach Cleo Hill Jr. believes his former player’s journey is inspiring to players on the Rams’ current roster.
“If you don’t go to a Division I school, sometimes you can see your dreams kind of fade,” Hill said. “But when you see somebody that played on the same court that you played on, in the same uniform, the same locker room, it gives you hope. It makes the guys work harder, and it keeps that dream alive of possibly playing professional basketball.
“We’re definitely proud of it, that we had someone playing in the G League and doing well. … A lot of programs can’t say that.”
Cooke, who is one of three former HBCU players currently playing in the G League, said he applies lessons he learned from Hill in his professional career.
“Just be a dog. That’s really what Cleo is about,” Cooke said. “You got to be a dog, man. No matter where you go, just know that you are a dog and that nobody can mess with you.”
Several members of Hill’s current roster played with Cooke, including senior guard Jaylen Alston, who is averaging 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season. Playing in the NBA has been one of Alston’s goals since he began playing basketball at 5 years old.
“I have been watching and just rooting for [Cooke] and hope he keeps going further and earns an opportunity to get moved up to someone’s NBA team,” Alston said. “I’ve considered that route. It’s nothing wrong with going through the G League and getting your feet wet and being able to learn and develop.”
Cooke won’t be able to attend the Classic but will watch his alma mater from home – and he has high expectations.
“I expect [WSSU] to show the grittiness of HBCU basketball, CIAA basketball, Division II basketball,” Cooke said. “This [isn’t] no drop-off league. We’re some dogs, so I expect they will show that.”
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home arena of the Indiana Pacers, will be the biggest arena either team has competed in this season since participating in Chris Paul’s HBCU Tip Off in November 2023, held at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. That also was the last time the two teams faced off, with Winston-Salem State defeating Virginia Union 65-56.
“Most Division II schools don’t really experience this type of opportunity, nor do they get it, especially at HBCU level,” Alston said. “The challenge is to just stay focused, make sure we don’t get too caught up in the moment and just stay at a consistent level.”
More than just bragging rights are at stake for the teams in the Classic: The result will impact conference standings.
Virginia Union (11-16, 6-8 CIAA) currently sits in second place in the conference’s Northern Division, while Winston-Salem State (16-8, 10-5 CIAA) currently sits in the middle of the conference’s Southern Division standings. A win on Saturday will help improve the Rams’ conference seeding ahead of the CIAA Tournament, which will begin on Feb. 26. The top seed in the tournament historically earns a day of rest during the weeklong event.
The NBA and league partners will donate $100,000 each to Virginia Union and Winston-Salem State, and Under Armour will dress both universities in custom HBCU uniforms and shoes. The league also will select 11 HBCU students to join the NBA as interns for the weekend, providing hands-on development training.
“Some of my guys that want to get into coaching, we’re hoping that this game on a national stage will help them in a variety of areas,” Hill said. “The networking piece is going to be huge for the student-athletes. … We are hoping whether it’s basketball or something in the 9-to-5 world, there’ll be companies there [to hire them].”
Winston-Salem State players are eager to show the national audience the intensity of the rivalry between the two schools.
“Playing Virginia Union, just know it’s gonna be a game that shows physicality, along with mental toughness,” Alston said. “This game, it’s not like a checkers game. This [is] a game of chess. This rivalry game is definitely a great choice by the NBA, so we’re gonna step up to the plate and show how CIAA basketball is played.”