MOVING FORWARD Howell (’19) Joins Semi-Pro Basketball Team in England
Just months after graduating, North Greenville University alum Roderick “Rod” Howell (’19) is already realizing his lifelong dream of playing big-time basketball.
Howell followed up the Spring 2019 semester, his last at NGU, by attending four different professional basketball camps, searching for a shot to continue his sports career.
“I heard from teams in Finland, Spain, Slovakia, and Kosovo, but none of those teams sent me a contract,” he says. “I just knew I wanted to keep playing.”
Ten in August, Howell received a call from the Leices- ter Warriors, a league of basketball clubs from England and Wales that plays in Division One of the National Basketball League: they offered him a spot on the team, and the rest is history.
Originally recruited from Rock Hill High School, Howell majored in broadcast media at NGU and played all four years.
“I chose North Greenville because the coaches and the admissions staff were very welcoming,” he remembers. “Everyone started to feel like family.”
Howell maintained a reliable record during his tenure with the Crusaders as a forward, which made him stand out on campus and beyond. Earlier in 2019, he was even invited to participate in the College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, featured live on ESPN.
“I CHOSE NORTH GREENVILLE BECAUSE THE COACHES AND THE ADMISSIONS STAFF WERE VERY WELCOMING”
In the Great Clips Slam Dunk Championship event, Howell competed alongside seven of his most talented peers, hailing from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams like Missouri State University and the University of Tulsa. He made it through the first round of the competition by tying for fourth place, with a score of 44.7 out of 50 possible points.
Now, he’s continuing the legacy started at NGU during his first year as a Leicester Warrior:
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment for as long as I can remember. Professional basketball has been the only occupation I’ve ever aspired to do, and now a little boy’s dream has come true,” Howell says. “I want to give all the glory to God.”
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