NBA Rookie of the Year and Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball may have forgone college but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t value education. The young NBA baller has linked up with Jay-Z and will launch a four-year scholarship to the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment.
Established by Jay-Z and his team in 2020, the school officially opened this fall as part of a curriculum at Long Island University and is taught by world-renowned artists and educators, giving them practical insight and real-world, hands-on experience in the media and entertainment industry. When Roc Nation’s School of Music, Sports and Entertainment was first announced last year, it was revealed that 25 percent of the freshman class would be eligible to receive Roc Nation Hope Scholarships.
“I want to encourage the next generation of sports executives and leaders to follow their dreams just like I did to make it to the NBA. I’m fortunate to have the means and public platform to support others, so I want to do my part and create a lane for a student to get a strong education and be in position to make a meaningful impact in the sports industry,” Ball told The Bleacher Report.
Ball’s scholarship is open to students majoring in Sports Management or Sports Communication & Marketing. Applicants must have an SAT score of at least 1100 (22 on the ACT) or students who have averaged a B grade or better. Applicants also have to submit a written essay detailing future plans for themselves in the next decade and how being a recipient of the LaMelo Scholarship will impact those plans as well.
Megan Thee Stallion previously donated a full four-year scholarship to the school and is a guest lecturer as part of LIU’s “Industry Expert Speaker Series.” Hip-hop producer and former Little Brother member 9th Wonder joined the school’s faculty earlier this summer and teaches a hip-hop history course and various other classes.
Students can apply for LaMelo Ball’s scholarship up until Dec. 1 and the recipient will be announced by the end of 2021 with the scholarship funds for the Fall 2022 semester. You can find out more information about the program and scholarship at https://apply.liu.edu/rn.
