The Howard men’s basketball season ended last week with a loss to No. 1-seed Michigan. It was quite a letdown after beating UMBC for the Bison’s first-ever win in the NCAA tournament, putting Howard in the field of 64.
Though the season concluded in a blowout loss, the NCAA tournament run reflected head coach Kenneth Blakeney’s long journey to success, starting from his childhood in D.C.
Witnessing hand-to-hand exchanges on your daily walk to school and being surrounded by hustlers might seem harsh to some people. For Blakeney, it was just reality. Those guys were more than gang-bangers; they looked out for him. They made sure he made it out because he was special.
For kids growing up in that environment, the difference between the streets and something greater could be who tells you you’re meant for more. Sometimes it comes from the very people the world warns you about.
As Howard’s coach, Blakeney understands the importance of strong role models in a young Black man’s life. His upbringing made him want to be more than a man with a whistle and whiteboard, but a mentor who can guide and protect.
“For our program, it’s more important for us to be able to have the right men in the corners of our student athletes,” Blakeney said in an interview prior to the MEAC tournament.
As a kid, Blakeney saw a community of Black people who navigated life the only way they saw fit. But those men didn’t want their lives to become his path. They recognized the trajectory of his future and made sure he stayed on track.
“Those people always protected me,” Blakeney said. “They nurtured me and they loved me. They’d see me and they’d be like ‘Get out of here, go to the court, go do your thing. This ain’t for you.’”
Blakeney, who later starred at DeMatha HIgh and Duke University, got motivation from his community. Them reassuring his dreams to be an elite player — and making sure he didn’t fall into street life — became fuel. They served as positive influences for the kid with a bright future.
In middle school, Blakeney was introduced to a mentorship program at Coolidge High School that left a lasting impression. Basketball players had the opportunity to develop relationships with mentors who provided guidance beyond the court. They were granted internships and they participated in study halls that provided any help they needed.
Under the guidance of Coach Frank Williams, a Howard graduate and standout basketball player, the program provided young Black men with an outlet to develop outside of basketball. Blakeney learned the true power of Black mentorship and leadership.
“It was my introduction to what strong Black men could really affect and how they could really play a significant role in a young man’s life,” he said. “Going through high school, playing at college, getting to have mentors in my life and people that could give me guidance showed me direct paths to success.”
In his family, college was not easily accessible and traditional education paths were uncommon, Blakeney now understands the importance of opportunity. He prioritizes showing humility to the young men on his team, reminding them to never take their opportunity or platform for granted.
But the culture of Howard men’s basketball extends far beyond the court. Blakeney makes it clear that community service is a responsibility and necessity that can break the harmful cycles that impact Black people in D.C.
“We create programs of mentorships and internships,” he said. “We do more community service, more social activism than any program in the country.”
Blakeney’s vision for personal development isn’t just for his players; everyone within the program is set up for success. “We hope that we’re giving our student athletes and also our managers and our coaches… an opportunity to really move forward in a way that positions them for success for the next 30 to 50 years,” he said
Nate Garvey, a former Howard athlete who played two seasons under Blakeney, speaks highly of his character.
“Coach Blakeney is nothing but a great guy,” Garvey told The Hilltop. “You could tell it was about more than basketball during his first year. He was looking out for us as young men.”
Every person Blakeney encountered on his path to success — the men on street corners, the mentors who inspired him and the coaches who guided him — left a lasting impact. He carries a piece of each of them.
They all contributed to his passion for leading the next generation to stability and prosperity, making him the man he is today.
