The Jackson State Tigers just lost their football coach to a rival. And now that has fetched them a hefty donation. NBA Hall of Famer and analyst Charles Barkley has decided to donate to Jackson State University after his friend Deion Sanders left its football program.

The donation is Barkley’s way of giving back to the HBCUs, and Jackson State isn’t the only university getting the donation. But Barkley is surely motivated by Sanders’ achievements with the college football program there.

The Charles Barkley donation drive

NBA legend Charles Barkley is giving away $1 million each to Jackson State University and Bethune-Cookman University. And this is not the first time he is donating to HBCU. The donations will be his seventh and eighth respectively in this direction. “I’m just so lucky and blessed beyond anything I can imagine,” Barkley said about the donations.

Barkley’s donation to Jackson State comes at the time when his friend and former Dallas Cowboys star left the Tigers football program to join the University of Colorado Boulder. And he knows Jackson State will feel the loss.

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“They’re probably gonna take a little hit with him leaving, so I want to show them some love because, man, what he accomplished there was pretty extraordinary,” Barkley said about Sanders.

Read More: 2× Super Bowl Champ Deion Sanders’ Controversial Move That Triggered Shades of Nepotism Irks Paige Spiranac

The 11-time NBA All-Star’s donation surprised even the recipient. Jackson State thanked him and said that his generosity will help JSU to support institutional priorities at a greater level.

The Deion Sanders saga

Former NFL cornerback Deion Sanders left the Jackson State Tigers football program after three seasons in charge. But his decision to leave the historically Black University has attracted a lot of criticism. 

Sanders came in as the head coach of the Tigers in 2020 and immediately transformed the football program there. He led the team to two SWAC East titles. Sanders also led the team to two SWAC conference titles. The Tigers are 12-0 overall this season and look to be a formidable force. But they would have to do it without the guidance of ‘Coach Prime’, as Sanders is popularly known.

Sanders is joining the Colorado Buffaloes who have struggled in recent years. This season too, the Buffaloes have won just one game. They have a 1-11 record and are 11th in PAC-12 so far. The Buffaloes fired head coach Karl Dorrell after the abysmal time and appointed Sanders to help rebuild the program.

Watch this story: Tom Brady signs Deion Sanders’ son to Brady brand

Will Sanders be successful in Colorado? Will Jackson State continue to be dominant?