COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Five-star player picks HBCU school
Five-star basketball prospect Makur Maker orally committed to Howard University on Friday, picking the Bison over college basketball powerhouses UCLA, Kentucky and Memphis. He is the highest-ranked player to commit to a Historically Black College or University since ESPN began tracking rankings in 2007. Maker is a 6-11, 235-pound center who declared for the NBA Draft in April before opting for college basketball. Maker, ranked No. 16 by ESPN, announced Friday on Twitter he was committing to Howard and Coach Kenneth Blakeney. He hopes his decision opens the door for other prospects to go the HBCU route. "I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow," Maker, 19, said. "I hope I inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey." It goes beyond Williams. Online oddsmaker Bovada on Friday set HBCUs among the favorites to land Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James.
FOOTBALL
Browns' TE wants trade
Agent Drew Rosenhaus has asked the Cleveland Browns to trade tight end and former first-round draft pick David Njoku, a person familiar with the request told The Associated Press on Friday. Rosenhaus wants his client out of Cleveland, but the Browns -- who picked up the fifth-year contract option on Njoku in April -- have no plans to move him, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly commenting on the situation. Rosenhaus told ESPN that "it is in David's best interest to find a new team at this time." He did not respond to a message from the AP seeking further comment. Njoku was selected with the No. 29 overall pick in 2017. He caught 88 passes for 1,025 yards and scored 8 touchdowns in his first two seasons. However, he broke his wrist in Week 2 last season against the New York Jets, underwent surgery and played in just four games.