Applications are now being accepted for the second annual NBA HBCU Fellowship, as the NBA and the NBA Foundation partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to share opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students as they move forward with their careers and lives.

Rising juniors, seniors and graduate students from HBCUs can apply today through Feb. 20 to intern with the league office or teams for a 10-week period this summer.

Candidates will be interviewed on a rolling basis and offers will be extended in early spring.

NBA President of Administration Kyle Cavanaugh said that the program underscores the league’s commitment to offering opportunities from differing races and cultural backgrounds.

“The NBA remains steadfast in continuing to develop and execute strategies that support increasing diversity across the enterprise,” Cavanaugh said.

The HBCU Fellowship, now in its second year, is an example of one such strategy.

The paid fellowship program with the NBA and teams is designed to provide career development around the business and operations of the game, as well as offer touchstones that reflect the culturally relevant experience of attending an HBCU.

Beyond talent recruitment, the hope is to foster community and connection, helping link fellows with other prominent Black executives within the NBA ecosystem.

Desirae Christie, a graduate student in the Graves School of Business at Morgan State University, and Jeffrey Graham II, a senior majoring in marketing at Hampton University, shared their thoughts on their experiences interning with the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings, respectively, last summer.

Christie, an Army veteran, said her time with the Nets “brought the power of image and change,” helping her continue to move forward in her career and serve as a model of success for other Black women.

She said she particularly enjoyed speaking with students at a Brooklyn elementary school as part of a partnership with PowerPlay, a local organization that helps girls achieve their dreams through sports, and discussing her motivations and efforts with children who could relate to her.

“The kids nowadays aren’t coming up with questions like ‘what’s your name?’ They want to know the real you,” Christie said. “In those moments, I knew exactly why I was meant to be where I was. It’s imperative that I continue to be a catalyst for educated black females.”

Desirae Christie worked with the Brooklyn Nets during her time as an HBCU fellow.

Over the course of her internship in the Nets’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department, Christie said she helped prepare for the Nets’ United Games, a series of NBA regular-season games with added initiatives to foster equity and unity in the borough. She also helped plan campaigns celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX and worked with employees across the organization.

Her manager, Kristen Braye, planned lunches with executive leaders throughout her time there, allowing her to sit down and build personal relationships with them, Christie said. 

Christie also noted that she met with HBCU graduates Robert Covington and Kyle O’Quinn over her time with the Nets — an experience that left her with “invaluable” advice for her future.

“This program allowed me to see what it takes to really play the game on and off the court, the right way,” Christie said. “I took every opportunity to marinate in those moments as my drive to solidify a career in sports grew more and more.”

Christie noted that a thought offered during orientation by Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter, a Black woman and minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, had resonated deeply with her: “As African American leaders, we are mandated to soar to new horizons and to create a destiny for others.”

“I wrote that down and recited it every morning of this program,” Christie said. “As the inaugural class of the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program, we were introduced as ‘the future of the league.’ I take full responsibility for accepting that challenge.”

Graham said his experience, which saw him work with a number of departments with the Kings, heightened his confidence in creating and producing digital content as he pursues a career in sports.

Graham noted that he particularly enjoyed working with rapper 50 Cent as he engaged in a partnership interview regarding his Le Chemin du Roi champagne. 

When he set up the lights and the camera, Graham said he caught a detailed glimpse of digital content at the professional level.

Jeffrey Graham said he gained not only career skills, but self-confidence.

Over the course of the internship, Graham said he connected with mentors and resources stemming from an HBCU background, allowing for organic rapport and communication, as well as peers from HBCUs across the country during orientation in New York City.

He said he was reminded of the level of exemplary talent among HBCU students, and came away with a greater appreciation of the ability to lead that can come from striving to create new platforms and opportunities in the midst of challenge.

“I understand regardless of where I come from, if I am equipped with the skills, capabilities, and humility to be successful in this field, my opportunities can be boundless,” Graham said.