John Calipari endows McLendon MLI Future Leader Position at NCCU

Last week, Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari announced he would be working with the John McLendon Foundation to launch the Minority Leadership Initiative, which provides minorities with more career opportunities in college athletics.

Today, the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation announced that Calipari has endowed a McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative Future Leader position at North Carolina Central University, where the McLendon Foundation’s namesake, John B. McLendon, coached from 1941–52

“North Carolina Central University is where Coach McLendon got his first opportunity at the collegiate level,” Calipari said in a press release. “I’m grateful to be able to honor his legacy by helping provide that same opportunity to a Future Leader on NCCU’s campus.”

In addition, NCCU men’s basketball coach and CIAA Hall of Fame inductee LeVelle Moton will serve as an Ambassador, providing mentorship to the campus’s Future Leader.

“Coach Cal and I have been good friends for years. Not only is he a man of integrity, but a man of action,” said Moton. “I’m grateful for his friendship and his quest to provoke necessary change while continuing the legacy of John McLendon.”

During his 12 years at North Carolina Central, McLendon led the Eagles to eight CIAA championships. McLendon also helped organize “The Secret Game” vs. Duke University, which is regarded as the first college basketball game where black and white players competed on the same court.

More information regarding the MLI can be found here.