North Carolina Central University has installed a statue of Sam Jones at McDougald-McLendon Arena, creating a lasting physical monument to one of the institution's most celebrated sons. The statue represents more than athletic achievement—it anchors the story of where a transformative basketball career began before Jones went on to win 10 NBA championships.
For NCCU students, alumni, and visitors to the arena, the statue serves a purpose that no championship banner or box score can replicate. It makes visible and tangible the connection between an HBCU education and elite athletic success. Walking past the statue, community members encounter a daily reminder that excellence in basketball—and by extension, in life—has deep roots at North Carolina Central.
The placement at McDougald-McLendon Arena is particularly significant. The arena is the heart of NCCU's athletic program and a gathering space for the campus community. By positioning the statue there, the university ensures that it will be seen by current athletes, prospective students, and fans who come to watch games and events. It becomes part of the landscape of aspiration that young people encounter when they visit campus.
Statues and monuments serve an important function in institutional memory. They tell stories about who an institution values and why. For an HBCU like NCCU, which operates within a historical context of limited resources and systemic barriers to athletic recruitment and media coverage, honoring alumni who achieved at the highest levels sends a clear message: this is where champions are made. This is where dreams become reality.
The Sam Jones statue also reflects a broader trend among HBCUs to reclaim and celebrate their athletic legacies. Historically, the achievements of Black athletes at Black institutions have been underrecognized in mainstream sports narratives. By erecting statues and naming facilities after legendary alumni, HBCUs assert ownership of their own stories and ensure that future generations know the full history of excellence within their walls.
For prospective student-athletes considering NCCU, the statue represents institutional pride and a tangible connection to success. It says: athletes who come here have a pathway to greatness, and the university will remember and honor that achievement. That message matters in recruitment and retention, particularly in a competitive landscape where HBCUs often compete for talent against well-funded Power Five programs.
Why this matters: The Sam Jones statue at NCCU is more than a tribute to one man's achievements. It is a statement about HBCU value, institutional memory, and the role that historically Black colleges and universities play in developing world-class athletes and leaders. For the HBCU community, it reinforces the principle that excellence begins here—and that legacy deserves to be seen, celebrated, and passed forward to every generation that walks through those arena doors.