Makur Maker made national headlines when as a five-star recruit and consensus top 15 player, he became the highest-ranked high school player to commit to a historically black college or university in the era. modern basketball. He committed to Howard University, then COVID-19 upended his plans.

Maker only played two games with Howard before a groin injury sidelined him. Then Howard went on hiatus and eventually canceled his season due to COVID-19 cases in and around the team.

Hoping to make the jump to the NBA, Maker began preparing for the NBA draft last year but never signed with an agent and eventually pulled out when it became clear he wasn’t. was not going to be drafted in the first round. But instead of returning to Howard, Maker signed a deal with the NBL’s Sydney Kings and took his talents overseas.

Once again, Maker hopes to make his NBA dreams a reality, but it’s not the journey Maker envisioned back when he was one of the nation’s most recruited players.

On Thursday, Maker was part of an 11-man, two-team practice with the Utah Jazz. Every player who has worked for the team is expected to be a second-round pick at best.

“It’s definitely a different route I took – going to an HBCU and then back to Australia,” Maker said. “I think it will help me in the long run because you never know in professional sports…you have to learn to adapt to situations.”

The Kings won the 2021-22 NBL Championship and Maker has been a contributing role player off the bench for a team that includes former Jazzman Ian Clark and is part-owned by the former University of Utah star. Andrew Bogut.

“The head coach was Chase Buford, along with assistants who are ex-players like Kevin Lisch and Daniel Kickert, and the co-owners were Luc Longley and Andrew Bogut,” Maker said. “As a player, it’s something you want, to come into an organization like that.”

Maker suffered injuries again last season but feels that even though he was unable to play a full season, he learned a lot from hanging out with professional players and seeing what it would take to succeed at the next level. .

“I don’t know where I’m going to be drafted or what the projection is,” Maker said. “Today you don’t even know. It’s still crazy because my cousin (Thon Maker) wasn’t even supposed to be in the top 10 and he shocked the world with that. I just focus on those workouts and try to get the best feedback possible.

The 6-foot-11 maker was joined in jazz workouts by Houston guard Kyler Edwards, Texas A&M guard Quenton Jackson, Michigan State forward Gabe Brown, UConn guard Tyrese Martin , Richmond forward Grant Golden, Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard, Arkansas guard JD Notae, Providence forward Justin Minaya, St. John’s forward Aaron Wheeler and Iowa forward State George Conditt IV.