Howard, winner of the inaugural NBA HBCU Classic in 2022, will meet Tennessee State University on Feb. 20, 2027, at Hardwood Central inside Jam Session at the Phoenix Convention Center. The matchup marks Tennessee State's first appearance in the event, while Howard returns for its second trip to the showcase game staged each year during NBA All-Star Weekend.
The game is set to tip off at noon Mountain Time and will air on ESPN and NBA TV, according to NBA Communications. Fans looking to attend can find tickets through NBAEvents.com, the league confirmed. WJLA reported on the matchup between the Bison and Tigers.
The 2027 matchup will bring Howard and Tennessee State together at the Classic. Howard enters the 2027 Classic with the inaugural title already in hand, having beaten Morgan State 68-66 in 2022 after erasing a 12-point second-half deficit, according to NBA.com's recap of that comeback win.
Leadership Ties Both Programs to NBA Royalty
Howard's bench is led by head coach Kenny Blakeney, while Tennessee State's program is guided by its own head coach. Both schools also lean on front-office figures with deep NBA résumés: five-time NBA All-Star John Wall serves as Howard's men's basketball president of basketball operations, and 11-year NBA veteran Robert Covington holds the title of chief basketball officer at Tennessee State, per the NBA's announcement.
Blakeney called the return trip meaningful for his players and the university. “Participating in NBA All-Star weekend for the second time is an honor for Howard University,” Blakeney said, according to NBA Communications. He added that the Classic connects students with a global audience and gives them the opportunity to engage with a significant event in sports, culture and entertainment.
Financial Backing Follows the Spotlight
The exposure comes with a direct financial component. The NBA and AT&T will jointly donate $50,000 each to Howard and Tennessee State tied to the 2027 game, the league said. That contribution builds on a broader pattern: since 2021, when the NBA expanded its commitment to HBCUs, the league's family of organizations has put more than $5.8 million toward HBCU institutions, partners and scholarships, per the same NBA release.
Cleveland.com, which covered the Classic's 2022 debut in Cleveland, noted at the time that the visibility such a stage provides is seen as a potential boost for recruiting as well as a genuine financial investment in participating programs. NBC Sports described the 2026 edition as the fifth playing of the game.
A Launching Pad for NBA Hopefuls
Beyond the dollars and television slot, the Classic has already produced tangible payoffs for players. Two members of Howard's 2022 Classic roster, Bryce Harris and Steve Settle III, have since earned NBA opportunities, Andscape reported in its preview of the 2027 matchup. Foot Locker will also host an introductory event for both teams during All-Star Weekend 2027, featuring a competition between the schools' bands and cheer squads, per NBA Communications.
Previous editions of the Classic have been broadcast widely, including the inaugural 2022 game that was simulcast on TNT and ESPN2, and the 2023 matchup between Grambling State and Southern that aired on TNT, ESPN2 and NBA TV from Salt Lake City's Jon M. Huntsman Center, according to NBA.com. With Howard and Tennessee State now locked in for Phoenix, both programs get another shot at the kind of national attention that has followed the event since it began in Cleveland in 2022.
