So Jeff Jacobs call out the NBA Alums...

[B1GEast]

T Kight with $22 mil, crazy! Good for him.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I have graduated from UConn as have my brother and sister. My son will be graduating from UConn next spring. I have been a basketball season ticket holder from 1985 and a football season ticket holder from 1998. Been to Notre dame , Michigan , Maryland, Army and Charlotte for away football games ( just to name a few) . I named my cat Calhoun.

My point being ( A Calhoun favorite saying) is that I love UConn sports and bleed American Flag blue. But it bothers me to no end that these UConn NBA alumni have not donated back to their university. Make up all the excuses you want ( behind the scenes work, volunteerism, helped in other ways) , to me it is a bunch of BS.

Many people with less means and less ties to the university have stepped up and to have none ( Steve Pikiell excluded) of our past players help is beyond ridiculous.

Unless someone proves that these players have done things behind the scenes or anonymously that make up for this, it is a total embarrassment. Hope I am proven wrong on this.

Someone needs to prove to you that they donated anonymously?

 

[Husky1964]

Travis Knight's 22mil came courtesy of Celtics Pres Rick Pitino, who in such a short span ruined the C's and then walked out on them in Mid year.

 

[ctchamps]

It was no secret that while Hathaway was in charge (and nothing of substance had been raised towards the practice facility) that JC was adamant that he did not want his players contributing, allowing JH to take credit for something he put no effort in (fundraising for the new facility).

I don't know what happened afterwards but this isn't a situation where there will no longer be fundraising required by the school (or athletic department). There will be many opportunities for NBA players to do something (with or without attention).

I would love to see the sealed report on Hathaway. It would clear up a lot of the things most of us have to conjecture.

Josh Nochimson burned Rip prior to the Nate Miles situation. Rip goes on record that he discussed this with JC when it happened. JC goes to the compliance department to offer concerns about Miles. The compliance department was gutted by Hathaway. He's handling things primarily on his own. So now it becomes his word vs. JC's. At the very least he was negligent in dismissing people from that department. And more than likely he was on a mission to sabotage JC. So he was able to throw JC under the bus in the NCAA investigation, and he had a sympathetic person in the NCAA in Mark Emmert.

Put this all together and there is no way Rip was going to contribute. And most likely all the players were familiar with this as well.

 

[Chief00]

One possible theory is they are cheap.

 

[champs99and04]

One possible theory is they are cheap.

Maybe you could do us all a favor and ask Dyson to be more charitable with his money next time you see him.

 

[David 76]

And I can see some are here to throw stones without any facts either!.....I think it's been fairly obvious to all of us over the years you can be very supportive to UConn basketball and it's surroundings/family without directly dropping a mil on the basketball center. Unless someone tells me otherwise I like our guys and view them as very thoughtful and proud. This sudden need to throw daggers amazes me!

I'm not throwing daggers Mau. Just asking questions.
I think our NBA guys are about the classiest that exist. I find it odd that every single one of them received the letter Sue Bird received and decided not to give (except KO) Especially odd when they all seem to have great relationships with UCONN and the coaching staff.

Another legitimate question: Did Calhoun donate? Has Calhoun made it clear that his former players' help was needed to impress donors but not to give? We don't know but there is certainly room for a question.

It wouldn't change our players or Calhoun's accomplishments but it certainly would have been a PR blunder that will make future fundraising harder including the $5.5 million.

 

[Justin M]

Feels that they should ante up en masse to pay the balance of the bill for the Werth Center. He always has an angle.

The NBA alums performance on the court at Uconn is priceless, without every single one of them it wouldn't be called the "champions center" How much more can we ask, they made the program what it is, they've put in their time and effort. Let em live Jeff

 

[intlzncster]

I think that it is great that the guys want to come back to the program, scrimmage, hang out with their old coaches and buds, present themselves to recruits, advise current players, play in golf tourneys to raise money, and in general be worshipped on their old college campus. It just seems that coming back to the program while greatly appreciated by all is fun for them and what they want to do, not some kind of burden or sacrifice that would have Jim Calhoun telling them as a reason not to donate to the program. I can't imagine him telling them to close their wallets to UCONN. Their lack of donation makes this subject touchy and Jacobs has rightly struck a raw nerve. I would think he looked hard for extenuating reasons but didn't find them so far. Not saying these guys have not been charitable to other causes but tell me that UCONN fans would not feel better if their names were on that list?

Not sure what you mean here. Because they have fun with it means their contribution doesn't hold as much value, ostensibly because it is not a sacrifice? I help out mentoring young people and always have a fantastic good time with the kids. That doesn't make the value of the contribution any less than if I were not enjoying it or doing back breaking work.

 

[warbler1055]

Truth is, not giving back defines who they are. KO gave back in many ways including money,
And showed what a class he is.

 

[David 76]

Not sure what you mean here. Because they have fun with it means their contribution doesn't hold as much value, ostensibly because it is not a sacrifice? I help out mentoring young people and always have a fantastic good time with the kids. That doesn't make the value of the contribution any less than if I were not enjoying it or doing back breaking work.

First, we don't know the whole story here so we shouldn't knock anyone yet (don't mean that for you intl).
But...
if you are saying there is no difference between showing up at a fundraiser,having you transportation paid, limo to greet you, top hotel, play golf with potential donors and old friends, be wined and dined, get a gift bag of stuff for your troubles than writing a check, I disagree. I'd be much happier signing up for the former but unfortunately my presence does nothing to get people to open their wallets.
These are wealthy, busy guys. It is great that they show up and the perks mean a lot less to them than they would for me. I greatly appreciate that they do what they do. But I still hope they wrote / will write a check.

 

[CTMike]

No one is diminishing what they contributed in the past. But simply : if you care about the future of the university, if you have the means - you donate. It doesn't have to be monetary, although that sure is nice. That's anyone, NBA or otherwise.

 

[intlzncster]

Someone needs to prove to you that they donated anonymously?

ucjoet must be appeased.