Aspiring sports professionals are gathering in
Durham on Thursday and Friday as part of the McLendon Experience.

It’s inspired by the 1944 Secret Game, where Duke
and NC Central played in a racially integrated basketball matchup that was
illegal at the time.

The McLendon Foundation said the game symbolized
unity and the power of sports.

During Thursday morning’s session, young
professionals heard from Duke University’s former athletic director Kevin White.

“It’s always been an honor to be around
particularly this underrepresented group because we need them desperately to
engage college athletics, and they’ll be terrific,” White said. “They’re
earnestly working to prepare to be that next generation, and it’s always fun to
be around them.”

North Carolina Central’s former Athletic Director and
Durham Sports Commission Board Member Dr. Ingrid Wicker McCree joined White for
the keynote speech.

They spoke to attendees about the changing NCAA
landscape and the place for them in it.

“There are 500,000 athletes within the NCAA
system at the moment and half of them, literally, are female, and it’s a
growing cohort of ethnic minority,” White said. “So, to have people in
leadership positions that come from those same kinds of background is critical.”

“They have to define success for themselves, and
so some will aspire to be athletic directors, some deputies, some coaches. It’s
really about how do we help them and this next generation of leaders succeed,
as well as showcase Durham, North Carolina,” McCree said. “We need more
practitioners in the seats again. To see this many young people, people of
color, is so inspiring to me.”

McCree told the group civility, mutual respect,
and dignity are essential for the next generation.

“It’s going to be so important that these
young leaders really understand and learn how to communicate, how to actively
listen, and really have and hone those empathy skills to really help our young
people be successful,” she said.

The McLendon Experience is hosted at the Durham
Convention Center and includes networking opportunities for attendees.