This popped up on my Twitter feed this morning and makes me ponder why Bazz cannot stick around in NBA.
No matter what though, he will always be my No.1 favorite player because what he accomplished in UConn thru adversity and odds against us, his loyalty, attitude and swagger! I’m happy for him to make the best of it in overseas.
Thanks for posting this Shabazz news and tribute. He is my favorite all-time UConn player as well because of his all-round game: leadership first and foremost during his junior and senior years, playmaking, driving ability, defensive ability to get steals leading to easy buckets and his willingness to take and ability to make clutch, game changing shots. With all due respect (and thanks) to Tate George and Kemba who each had real big-time game winners in tournaments, I remember Shabazz as the most prolific clutch shot maker during my years following the program.
Although not as heralded as some big games, I fondly remember a game at Gampel against South Florida during the 2012-2013 season. USF was playing well and had some players consistently hitting 3-point shots to help them control good stretches of the game. After UConn was able to push the game into overtime, during our first two possessions, Shabazz confidently brought the ball down court, pulled up and hit two consecutive 3-pointers to take a 6-point lead. USF was demoralized and the game was over!
Then in December 2013, there was that last second game winner against then number 1-rated Florida at Gampel. And as a finishing touch, there was his determination and consistent, high level play to win in the 2014 NCAA Tournament games. St. Joseph's Univ. Coach Phil Martelli commented during a halftime TV interview that he was concerned about the look Napier had in his eyes as he watched Shabazz heading to the locker room at halftime. One of the star Michigan State guards also commented after the game that he could see from the look in Napier's eyes that Shabazz was not going to let his team lose. During game-deciding time down the stretch in the NCAA Championship game against Kentucky, Shabazz dribbled down the court, pulled up at the top of the key and drilled a 3-point dagger; in another similar conversion from defense to offense near the end of that game, he found Giffey in the corner for another 3-pointer dagger.
During one of his on-air WTIC radio shows during Shabazz's final year at UConn, even Joe D'Ambrosio remarked that he had not seen any other UConn player who had more clutch, game-winning shots at crunch times.
