Melo: Mikey Williams could 'change history' by attending HBCU

Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony wants to see highly touted recruit Mikey Williams attend a historically black college or university.

The third-ranked recruit on the 2023 ESPN 25 recently floated the possibility on social media and has garnered support from a number of NBAers, including the 17-year veteran.

"All it takes is one person to change history," Anthony said Tuesday on Instagram Live. "So, I think it's a better chance of this new generation to go to an HBCU and be accepted and bring something different to an HBCU as opposed to what was happening (when I enrolled at Syracuse) in 2002.

"So, do I think that a kid like Mikey Williams should consider an HBCU? I think he should based off the power that he has within himself. If he do that, it changes college sports because you have a young black kid who is at the top of his game who decided to go to a black university. That's totally different."

Williams' mother attended an HBCU and shared the idea with her son from a young age. Now, the 15-year-old has a growing platform and wants to make good use of it.

"With my social media following and influence I feel that I have a chance to change sports forever," Williams told Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks. "A lot of athletes are so star struck by big-name schools and coaches that they forget they control their own narrative."

Four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace and Robert Covington are among the notable players who chose the HBCU route.