For the second time in three years, Langston University basketball coach Chris Wright had an HBCU playing for a national championship at the NAIA level.
Wright’s squad was filled with Division I transfers – something that he’s made a career out of. But apparently, some of the prospects he’s been going after are using level of play as a recruiting tactic against Langston. Saturday afternoon, Wright let it be known that his NAIA program has talent and is willing to take on any opponents from Division I.
“Funny how division I schools are telling guys that we are both recruiting “Why would want to go to an NAIA, you are too good to go there,” Wright tweeted on Twitter/X. “To those schools… Since we are just an NAIA put us on your schedule. We will come play for no money.”
That’s a pretty bold proclamation, as an NAIA school playing a Division I school would usually be considered a money game – one in which the higher division program pays the lower division program a guarantee to come play them on the road.
Wright’s recent success at the NAIA level – first with Talladega College and now with Langston University – demonstrates that he knows how to build a program. He took both HBCU programs to national championships – a major accomplishment given the fact that LU was a 3-win team the season before Wright arrived fresh out of Talladega. His overall record the last three seasons is 98-11.
The gauntlet has been thrown down. The question now is whether or not any Division I program will take Wright up on his offer.