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Harvard men’s basketball coach Tommy Amaker knows that building a great team is about more than athletic skill. Raised in a family of educators, Amaker takes his role as a teacher seriously, working tirelessly to develop his players into well-rounded individuals, inspiring them to become great teammates. For him, great teams have great teammates.

And there's no better example of Amaker creating an environment for great teammates than The Breakfast Club, a harrowed Harvard basketball tradition.

Amaker and his team meet monthly over breakfast with esteemed guests and Black professionals and scholars from the Boston area. The initiative fosters dialogue on equity, social justice, and shared experiences among powerful and influential voices in the community. It also serves as a mentorship opportunity for student athletes.

“We’ve been doing it for so many years,” Amaker explained. “I’m proud that we can do this for our community and obviously our basketball team. It’s so enriching, we get the energy and positivity. And we learn a lot.”

Coach Amaker arrived at Harvard in 2007 as the only Black head coach in Harvard Athletics. Ronald Sullivan and the late Charles Ogletree, both Harvard Law professors, assembled a group of Black leaders, mostly faculty, for an informal networking group called Tommy’s Kitchen Cabinet, to welcome the new coach on campus. The small community enabled Amaker to build relationships, connect to the community, and learn from others.

Since that eventful day, Tommy’s Kitchen Cabinet evolved into The Breakfast Club, a place not only for Black leaders to meet student athletes but also the broader community. The event has moved from its original spot at Henrietta’s Table to a larger space within the Charles Hotel, as it has grown in members. Past participants include President Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, former Harvard President Drew Faust, former Massachusetts governor and current NCAA president Charlie Baker ’79, among others.

This month, the Breakfast Club held two editions of its monthly breakfast, featuring special guest visits from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, six-time Grand Slam tennis champion John McEnroe, the General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks, Nico Harrison, and Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown.

“They all mention how meaningful the Breakfast Club was to them,” reflected Amaker on the club’s lasting impact on his players. “Any member of the Breakfast Club, the only requirement is that they always are available, willing, and able to advise, mentor, guide, and counsel any current or former Harvard Men’s basketball player. The impact has been enormous and it lives on. It goes on forever which is transformational.”

This enduring support is precisely the transformational impact Amaker envisions: former students leveraging their expanded network for career opportunities, mentorship, and lifelong guidance, a testament to the power of connection and representation.

Harrison, in particular, was the ideal speaker to drive this message home, not only because of his ties to the NBA. At the club’s Oct. 23 meeting last week, he emphasized the importance of visibility in leadership, highlighting how representation can broaden aspirations within the community.

“If people don’t see themselves in a job like this, then they’re never going to dream about it,” Harrison said, highlighting his goal to inspire others by showing that success in such roles is within reach.

Though many icons come from various fields, the teachings and lessons that they impart on the team remain forever.

“We are more than basketball players,” said junior guard and Crimson Sports editor Chandler Piggé. “A lot of the people that came and talked to us are always encouraging us to look beyond the basketball court and look at things we’re passionate about. They’ve talked about being our authentic selves.”

“We possess unique qualities as players and as students,” Piggé added. “Being confident in who we are as individuals contributes to us being great as a team.”

The impact of The Breakfast Club transcends men’s basketball, with everybody in the room taking away something from the meeting. One such person was Harvard women’s basketball coach Carrie Moore, who attended both editions this month.

“I feel very special,” said Moore, as she specifically pointed to Governor Maura Healey ’92 and former WNBA star Allison Feaster ’98 as significant guests this month. “Just to talk to the people in the room, the education and inspiration you get from that hour is so impactful.”

Moore’s experience highlights the unique environment Amaker has cultivated, where not only players but also coaches can connect and learn from Harvard alumni and prominent figures. This opportunity to engage with leaders like Healey and Feaster provides invaluable lessons and perspectives, transcending typical team-building activities.

The Breakfast Club continues to shape a powerful legacy at Harvard, a testament to Coach Amaker’s commitment to growth beyond the court. Through conversations that blend mentorship with social consciousness, participants gain perspectives that influence their lives and careers. The Breakfast Club isn’t just about building athletes; it’s about cultivating leaders who, in turn, will uplift others.

With each gathering, Amaker’s vision of fostering great teammates echoes. The Breakfast Club’s impact is poised to endure for years, inspiring future generations to see themselves as both athletes and changemakers.

—Staff writer Oscar E. Mercado can be reached at oscar.mercado@thecrimson.com