NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL ATHLETICS

North Carolina Central basketball is the backdrop for an ESPN documentary series as well as best-selling author John Grisham’s debut novel.

North Carolina Central men’s basketball is on a hot streak.

No, I’m not talking games, although the Eagles are 3-0 after finally getting back on the hardwood. But this is bigger – much bigger.

First, best-selling author John Grisham is publishing his first basketball novel titled “Sooley” in April. It’s about 17-year-old Samuel Sooleymon, a native of South Sudan who comes to the United States to play in a basketball tournament. While away, war breaks out in his home country, leaving him stranded.

His only hope of return and saving his family is to snag an athletic scholarship at – wait for it – NCCU. While enrolled, he hopes to become good enough to catch the NBA’s eye.
But before “Sooley” is released, the basketball team will have appeared on ESPN+ in an eight-episode documentary series called “Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball.” The docuseries is produced by Roadside Entertainment, NBA star Chris Paul, who was recently enrolled at Winston-Salem State, and WSSU alumnus Stephen A. Smith, under the umbrella of ESPN+ and The Undefeated, a website dedicated to the intersection of race and culture.

“’Why Not Us’ will spotlight the importance and uniqueness of HBCUs by chronicling the NCCU men’s basketball team and the challenges they encounter throughout a season in my home state of North Carolina,” said Paul, whose production company is called Ohh Dipp!!! Productions. “HBCUs face challenges to compete at the same level as PWIs (predominately white institutions) due to lack of funding, resources and awareness. Despite the obstacles they face, “Why Not Us” shines a light on these amazing Black student-athletes who attend HBCUs, and how these historically significant schools continue to enrich not only the Black community but our nation as a whole.”

It’s no surprise that the Eagles were chosen. Coach LeVelle Moton knows every player that’s ever been born. And the respect factor swings both ways. Moton and Paul are close friends.
The docuseries follows the team and staff during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. But it’s not just about basketball – how boring that would be.

Viewers will get an in-depth look into the psyche of students and student-athletes at an HBCU. How, despite having to make do with less, they still manage to thrive and succeed.
Paul interviewed several famous HBCU graduates: filmmaker Spike Lee (Morehouse), actress Taraji P. Henson (Howard), fashion designer and Fear of God founder Jerry Lorenzo (Florida A&M), and others.

“As a graduate of an HBCU, any issue that allows us to illuminate the great challenges that HBCUs perpetually face, yet overcome day after day, is something that is going to garner my interest,” said Smith, whose production company is called Mr. SAS Inc. “After asking my coach, the late, great Clarence ‘Big House’ Gaines, what I could do for him in return for all he’s done for me, his answer was very simple: ‘Do all you can for this university, for any HBCU. Don’t let the world try and forget about it.’

“This project is a step in that direction. It’s not just a project or a piece of work. It’s a mission. And I’m incredibly delighted and grateful that Chris Paul and ESPN asked me to come on board to make this happen.”

The docuseries begins Feb. 17 exclusively on ESPN+, which is a paid streaming service separate from ESPN.

Bonitta Best is sports editor at The Triangle Tribune in Durham.

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