Kevin Ollie donates $100K to Basketball Development Facility.

[UConn Hoops1]

This guy is one of a kind!

GO HUSKIES!!! BEAT WAKE!!!

 

[8893]

Wow.

What a class act.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Wow.

What a class act.

anyone want to bet a Ray Allen donation won't be too far behind? Just a guess.

 

[superjohn]

Love everything about Kevin Ollie, we are so lucky to have him.

 

[PomonaHusky]

Wow... KO is such an incredible person. A real leader.

Definitely a message in the press release asking former Huskies to donate.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Love everything about Kevin Ollie, we are so lucky to have him.

+1 what a great guy and role model.

 

[BarkingDog]

kevin ollie continues to impress. Plus, not a bad career move on his part.

 

[Dann]

this basically just put warde in such a hole its almost to much fun to talk about.

 

[Yonick]

anyone want to bet a Ray Allen donation won't be too far behind? Just a guess.

How about a Jim Calhoun & Geno Auremma donation.

 

[CL82]

"I thought it was very important to show my commitment to the UConn Basketball Development Center," said Ollie. "I have had the incredible opportunity to be a member of the Husky family and that experience has influenced every part of my life. I want to be an example for all former UConn basketball student-athletes, who have had the privilege of playing for two Hall of Fame coaches, to join me in supporting this facility. It will help ensure the long-term success of the programs that all of us helped establish."

Well done Kevin.

 

[8893]

kevin ollie continues to impress. Plus, not a bad career move on his part.

Such a great move on so many levels.

How's this for recruiting fodder to allay a recruit and his family's concern about whether Ollie will get extended:

"You want to know how confident I am that I will be here when you get here? I just donated $100K to our basketball practice facility."

(Is it too cynical of me to think that the value of the contract that he will ultimately get increased by much more than this in the past week?)

 

[art4life]

Wow. This is great!

Hopefully the other NBA alums (and current players) will step up & contribute.

 

[Ts5034]

The funny thing is, i think KO genuinely cares about the practice facility. I dont think hes the type of person to donate $100,000 just for show and to try and stick it to Manuel.

 

[UConn5]

I don't know what to say other than I am amazed by this guy. I know he probably made a good amount of money over 12 years in the NBA, but we all know he was surviving on minimum, non-guaranteed contracts. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. Kevin Ollie is 10 toes in.

 

[Kitaman]

Kevin Ollie 'The Man' (forget coach) is 100% committed to UConn, contract extension or not. This is "put your money where your mouth is" committed!

Talking the talk and Walking the walk.

He doesn't have to do anything more to prove his loyalty, what a man!

 

[whaler11]

I don't know what to say other than I am amazed by this guy. I know he probably made a good amount of money over 12 years in the NBA, but we all know he was surviving on minimum, non-guaranteed contracts. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. Kevin Ollie is 10 toes in.

He made over 20 million dollars in the NBA.

 

[aceboon]

He made over 20 million dollars in the NBA.

lol, yea I was about to say...KO started off like that but he eventually signed a lucrative deal with the Sixers, he ate well from the league.

 

[RichZ]

Anyone know how much Warde M has donated?

 

[UConnDan97]

I love Kevin Ollie and I hope to see him on our sidelines for a long time to come!!! I don't care if he made 20 million over his career; the man just donated a 6-figure sum to his university. That's Husky pride right there. "I am UConn."

By the way, ask Vin Baker if he can throw away a 6-figure sum right now, even after his NBA money (not trying to pick on Vin, but just sayin')...

 

[UCweCONN]

I love Kevin Ollie and I hope to see him on our sidelines for a long time to come!!! I don't care if he made 20 million over his career; the man just donated a 6-figure sum to his university. That's Husky pride right there. "I am UConn."

By the way, ask Vin Baker if he can throw away a 6-figure sum right now, even after his NBA money (not trying to pick on Vin, but just sayin')...

That's $20 million before taxes....

He and his family need to live off of that money for the rest of their lives and he's a young guy. How many former players have we all heard of that are broke a few years removed from playing yet Ollie, who earned much less than many, makes a gift like this? Him giving $100K is a huge deal to me. That's a college education for one of his kids etc. The fact that he cares that much to contribute earns major points with me. I hope he doesn't share JC's reluctance to ask former Huskies to contribute.

 

[tcf15]

That's $20 million before taxes....

He and his family need to live off of that money for the rest of their lives and he's a young guy. How many former players have we all heard of that are broke a few years removed from playing yet Ollie, who earned much less than many, makes a gift like this? Him giving $100K is a huge deal to me. That's a college education for one of his kids etc. The fact that he cares that much to contribute earns major points with me. I hope he doesn't share JC's reluctance to ask former Huskies to contribute.

Seems like he is reaching out to the players in this quote from today:

“I thought it was very important to show my commitment to the UConn Basketball Development Center,” said Ollie. “I have had the incredible opportunity to be a member of the Husky family and that experience has influenced every part of my life. I want to be an example for all former UConn basketball student-athletes, who have had the privilege of playing for two Hall of Fame coaches, to join me in supporting this facility. It will help ensure the long-term success of the programs that all of us helped establish.”

 

[RichZ]

That's $20 million before taxes....

He and his family need to live off of that money for the rest of their lives.

Whether Manuel steps up to the plate with a long term contract or not, KO's going to be a head coach or an NBA Assistant for as long as he wants to keep working.

 

[jleves]

That's $20 million before taxes....

He and his family need to live off of that money for the rest of their lives and he's a young guy. How many former players have we all heard of that are broke a few years removed from playing yet Ollie, who earned much less than many, makes a gift like this? Him giving $100K is a huge deal to me. That's a college education for one of his kids etc. The fact that he cares that much to contribute earns major points with me. I hope he doesn't share JC's reluctance to ask former Huskies to contribute.

Not to nitpick much, but he's probably made 6 figures for his last two years as an assistant coach and his current 7 month contract is for over $600,000. He is still making serious money and isn't living off the interest on his NBA money. Also, the 20M is not only before taxes, but also agent fees. You also have to consider endorsements. He's not in elite company there, but he's made a bit of coin off those.

Bottom line, he wasn't deciding between college tuition for one of his kids and money for the practice facility. Is it significant? Hell yes. Does it change his life style, Hell no.

 

[RMoore1999]

Not to nitpick much, but he's probably made 6 figures for his last two years as an assistant coach and his current 7 month contract is for over $600,000. He is still making serious money and isn't living off the interest on his NBA money. Also, the 20M is not only before taxes, but also agent fees. You also have to consider endorsements. He's not in elite company there, but he's made a bit of coin off those.

Bottom line, he wasn't deciding between college tuition for one of his kids and money for the practice facility. Is it significant? Hell yes. Does it change his life style, Hell no.

Why can't we just appreciate the gesture and the symbolic impact for which it was intended?Whaler/ace boon, since $100k didnt impress you, what amount would have been worthy of appreciation?

 

[UCweCONN]

Not to nitpick much, but he's probably made 6 figures for his last two years as an assistant coach and his current 7 month contract is for over $600,000. He is still making serious money and isn't living off the interest on his NBA money. Also, the 20M is not only before taxes, but also agent fees. You also have to consider endorsements. He's not in elite company there, but he's made a bit of coin off those.

Bottom line, he wasn't deciding between college tuition for one of his kids and money for the practice facility. Is it significant? Hell yes. Does it change his life style, Hell no.

I think you're missing the point or at least going in a direction you shouldn't. When I say $100K is college education for one of his children I meant it symbolically, not literally that by giving to the basketball facility he's depriving his kids of college. I could have said, a Mercedes Benz or some other high dollar purchase.

I don't care how much money he's earned. How many people do you know that would donate that amount of money especially in this economy? We have hundreds of posters on the Boneyard and I'm sure some are quite well off and we came up with $30K in total. Not chump change but just to put it in perspective to anyone trying to minimize the $100K from one man.