NBA X HBCU Stream Will Feature Student Journalists Miles Johnson and Zoria McClerklin
Morehouse College senior Miles Johnson and Spelman College junior Zoria McClerklin will host the NBA X HBCU Stream of the Miami Heat vs. New Orleans Pelicans game at 7 PM CT on Jan. 18.
Lately, Johnson has been visible on the recent NBA MLK Day broadcast between the Atlanta Hawks' 121-113 victory over the Miami Heat. He was the young sideline reporter interviewing head coach Nate McMillan and shadowing longtime TNT reporter Chris Haynes.
Miles, Morehouse's Maroon Tiger editor, expressed his gratitude for hosting tonight's event. "This is actually my third time being a part of the NBA X HBCU Stream," Johnson said. "It's an honor now to lead the broadcast and do it with my Spelman sister Zoria McClerklin."
Johnson told me the NBA producers and director allowed himself and McClerklin to have total input on the broadcast's content and production. "We are doing it via software similar to Zoom to allow us to broadcast the game. We have a pre-soundcheck in a couple of hours, then we'll be online."
In recent years, the National Basketball Association has given aspiring reporters and writers from HBCUs the necessary visibility during games. Miles credited former Morehouse College graduate Corey Guy for adding him to his first NBA X HBCU streaming broadcasts. Guy was the first Sekou Smith Memorial Intern developed after the passing of the former Turner Sports NBA writer and HBCU alum, Sekou Smith.
Johnson credited his professors, Reggie Miller, Chris Haynes, and his fellow Morehouse brother Keion Grissom for the "opportunity and the hope for it to become an annual event."
Kudos to the NBA for allowing HBCU students like McClerkin and Miles to receive exposure and allowing them to prove their talents in covering professional basketball. It's an invaluable and inspiring lesson for future HBCU sports journalists.
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