The basketball teams at these HBCUs will specifically go head-to-head as part of next year’s NBA HBCU Classic, which is going down at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Notably, former NBA stars Bob Love and Willis Reed — who respectively graduated from Southern and Grambling State — have been named honorary captains for the upcoming NBA HBCU Classic event.

“My pathway from Southern to the NBA has opened countless doors for me,” Love said in a press release shared with BlavityU. “I am proud to support the NBA in using the game of basketball to celebrate the rich history of HBCUs and drive opportunity for the next generation of leaders both on and off the court.”

“I credit my career in part to my time at Grambling State,” Reed noted within the same press release. “The HBCU Classic will provide what is to most a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on the NBA stage and serve as a platform for those interested in the business side of the game to gain industry insight and make lasting connections.”

The NBA HBCU Classic first started earlier this year, when Morgan State University and Howard University went head-to-head at Cleveland State University. We should also add that both institutions received $100K donations as well.

Now, the NBA is coming back to spotlight another set of HBCU basketball programs for the second-annual event.

The match-up is going down on Feb. 18, so be sure to mark your calendars now; additionally, tickets will go on sale sometime in December, and the game will be simulcasted on TNT and ESPN2.

You can learn more information about the 2023 NBA HBCU Classic and other NBA All-Star Weekend events here.