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ATLANTA — Morehouse College has announced that 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul will serve as the keynote speaker for its 142nd Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 9 a.m. on the College’s Century Campus.
Paul, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and HBCU graduate, will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the ceremony.
Chris Paul To Give Morehouse 2026 Commencement Address
The selection of Paul, who retired from the NBA in February 2026 after a storied 21-season career, marks a historic moment for the institution.
He is believed to be the first recently active or retired NBA player to deliver the commencement keynote at Morehouse, bringing the perspective of a global sports icon who has consistently championed education, leadership, and community empowerment—values at the core of the Morehouse legacy.
Paul’s basketball résumé is legendary. A point guard known for his elite playmaking, defensive prowess, and leadership, he ranks second on the NBA’s all-time career assists and steals lists. In 2021, he became the first player in league history to reach 20,000 career points and 10,000 assists.
He was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team as one of the greatest players in league history and served as president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021, where he helped negotiate the 2016 Collective Bargaining Agreement and launched innovative player development initiatives.
Beyond the court, Paul’s commitment to higher education and HBCUs runs deep. Though he initially attended Wake Forest University, he completed his bachelor’s degree in mass communications at Winston-Salem State University—an HBCU—in December 2022, proudly identifying as an HBCU alumnus.
Through the Chris Paul Family Foundation, he has created pipelines for HBCU students into sports, entertainment, and media industries, offering accredited courses at institutions like North Carolina A&T and Southern University, summer internships via the HBCU in LA program, and national exposure for HBCU basketball through the annual Chris Paul HBCU Classic. He has also co-launched the Social Change Fund United and previously served on the Biden administration’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
In a statement released with the announcement, Paul expressed his deep respect for Morehouse’s mission. “It is a profound honor and privilege to speak at Morehouse College’s Commencement this year,” he said. “I have a deep respect for Morehouse’s legacy and impact on our community, especially on generations of young Black men. To follow in the footsteps of previous speakers who were presidents, civil activists, and learned shows that greatness is not defined solely by performance, but by character, consistency, and commitment to one’s community. My hope is to encourage the Class of 2026 to carry these principles forward as they enter the next chapter of their lives.”
Paul will be joined by two other distinguished honorary degree recipients whose careers embody stewardship, ethical leadership, and public service: Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company, and the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr., the founding dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, who is retiring this summer after 47 years of service to the College.
The commencement caps a week of celebrations for the Class of 2026, including undergraduate and alumni reunion events honoring milestone classes and notable alumni such as U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock ’91 and Grammy-winning producer Khalil “DJ Khalil” Abdul-Rahman ’96.
The Baccalaureate service will feature the Rev. Dr. Winford Kennadean “Kenny” Rice Jr. ’14, a Morehouse alumnus, senior pastor, and adjunct professor at the College.
Morehouse College President David A. Thomas and the institution’s leadership praised Paul’s selection as an embodiment of the College’s emphasis on principled leadership and community impact. As the Class of 2026 prepares to step into the world, Paul’s address is expected to inspire graduates to blend excellence in their chosen fields with a lifelong commitment to service—mirroring the example set by Morehouse men for generations.
For more details on the 2026 Commencement, visit morehouse.edu/commencement.
