WATCH: Kamala Harris and Michael B. Jordan Open NBA All Star Game By Encouraging Vaccinations and Praising HBCUs

TNT opened its NBA All Star game broadcast with actor Michael B. Jordan interviewing Vice President Kamala Harris about HBCUs, the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination, and their favorite NBA teams.

Viewers of Sunday night’s NBA All Star game may have been somewhat surprised by how much airtime was dedicated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities: The NBA announced that they were not just honoring HBCUs with the 2021 All Star game, but would be raising money for the institutions as well.

“The game is generating $3 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, through donations to scholarship funds, but the actual value to those schools will far exceed that influx of cash,” the NBA announced. Vice President Harris graduated from Howard University and what viewers learned from the opening segment is that she credits two things for where she is today: her family and attending an HBCU.

Eventually, the conversation turned to the NBA’s exceptional handling of the coronavirus pandemic, their leadership of which was praised by Harris. Jordan asked her “what would you say to the American people to keep everyone safe?”

“I’m urging everyone to get the vaccine when it is your turn,” adding that it helps to understand that the fight against Covid-19 “is bigger than you,” and “it really is an extension of ‘love thy neighbor.'”

Watch above via TNT.