By Rashad Miller
In October, the Texas Legends announced that they would host a preseason game on Nov. 4 at Paul Quinn College for their first Thrivent HBCU Classic. The game was a part of Paul Quinn’s homecoming weekend which also featured Paul Quinn’s women’s basketball team hosting Texas Wesleyan prior to the historic game. The Legends would go on to defeat the Austin Spurs, 123-99. After the game, I spoke with some of the people that made it possible and what it meant to be a part of this historic event.
Paul Quinn College President Dr. Michael Sorrell is the college’s longest serving President and has helped rebuild and reimagine the image of the college. I asked him how this tremendous opportunity was bestowed upon the college. “We are incredibly excited and pleased and appreciative of the partnership that we have had with the Legends for years. So, this isn’t the byproduct of ‘oh, let’s do something right now’. This is the byproduct of a long and strong relationship between the two organizations, and we are thrilled. We are honored to be the first HBCU to host any type of NBA [affiliated] game. That’s powerful.” I would also ask if he had a chance to spectate and enjoy the game for himself in the midst of all the homecoming activities. “You know, I enjoy all of [homecoming weekend] because I get to spend time with people that I know and love. I [also] get to watch great basketball. This is a win for me any day of the week.”
I was also able to catch up with Texas Legends President Malcolm Farmer whose hands-on approach was one of the key factors that brought the Dallas Mavericks affiliate to Paul Quinn. He would exclaim, “the importance of us being here is you got to show up in life and the ability for us to be the first ever NBA affiliated game at an HBCU was an opportunity for us. It made a ton of sense for us. It made a ton of sense for Paul Quinn. So, it made sense for everybody. This is what sports is all about. You know, the score at the end of the game is important [to the Legends organization], but it’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is being able to build bridges, connect communities, and bring people together, and that’s what today is all about. I’ve known Dr. Sorrell for 15 plus years. He’s a great man. He’s doing a heck of a job down here and we’re excited to keep this thing and to keep doing it annually.”
Legends head coach Jordan Sears enjoyed being at the campus and leading his team to victory by saying, “[It] was a lot of fun. It was a cool occasion. Obviously with homecoming the game before, just really good for our guys to get out here and play. I told them, ‘it’s been a long offseason, so just to get out here and play’ and then to play on this court and this environment was really cool.”
Dallas Mavericks two-way player Dexter Dennis was elated about the victory but also, the opportunity to build with his team in the preseason. “We’ve been going to training camp for a little bit now. A lot of new things [have] been thrown at us, a new group of guys. [The] chemistry [has] to get a little bit better, but I felt like it was good to go out there and compete against [the Austin Spurs]. Seeing some of our work come to light, but [we] still got a few things to work on. his experience at PCQ, “I thought it was great. I actually enjoyed it. I thought it was a nice crowd. I didn’t really expect [it] to be like that, you know what I mean? The G League, I’ve heard different things from different people. To come in here, see the crowd, see the community, the people out here supporting it was dope. I enjoyed it.”
One Legends player and Oak Cliff native, Mike Miles Jr. would express the joy of “playing in front of a lot of familiar people [at] the college that I grew up three minutes from. Honestly, right around the corner. So, it’s good being here, [and this is] what it’s all about.”
The NBA G League regular season began on Nov. 10 and currently the Texas Legends hold a record of 2-5 at the time of this article. The Legends have seven more games before they head off to Orlando to participate in the G League Winter Showcase. The Winter Showcase is a scouting event where NBA general managers and executives can watch over two hundred players play with their respective teams to not only compete for the Showcase Cup, but in the hope to find players to sign to 10-day contracts and give them the opportunity to play on basketball’s biggest stage. This is the first year the event will be held in Orlando since the G League announced its four-year deal with Hyatt.
Follow Rashad Miller on all social media @theuncoolurban for more sports content as well as his Youtube channel under the same name.