NBRPA Brings the Inaugural Legends of Basketball Showcase to Chicago

Back to School

BY JULIO MANTEIGA

Before most of the National Basketball Retired Players Association’s (NBRPA) members were considered NBA and WNBA Legends, they were gracing the campuses of various universities and colleges around the country.

Before showcasing their skills in cities like New York, Seattle and Los Angeles, they were astonishing the nation in places such as Chapel Hill, Ann Arbor and Madison.

With college basketball being such a large part of our members' hoops careers, it’s no wonder the NBRPA has decided to tap into its collegiate roots and present the inaugural Legends of Basketball Showcase at the United Center in Chicago this coming December.

The college basketball quadruple-header will not only showcase the game’s future stars but will also spotlight the work of the NBRPA over the years. The National Basketball Retired Players Association has always honored the legacy of its members, so it’s only natural to highlight the places where so many members began their basketball journey. In what promises to be an exciting day of men’s college hoops, the four-game set will feature Northern Iowa facing Towson, Tulane taking on George Mason, Dayton matching up against Wyoming and NC State battling Vanderbilt.

Wyoming Cowboys guard Hunter Maldonado (24) against the Boise State Broncos at Arena-Auditorium. The Cowboys beat the Broncos 72- 65. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-UW Media-Athletics

The eight programs competing in the Legends of Basketball Showcase are no strangers to success and have collectively produced over 200 NBA Draft selections. The schools also have deep ties to NBRPA membership. At the helm of Vanderbilt is 18-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse, the former No. 3 overall draft pick and two-time All-Star who appeared in 970 games for eight teams. Wyoming assistant coach Shaun Vandiver is a former first-round pick (25th overall) by the Golden State Warriors in the 1991 NBA Draft. George Mason head coach Kim English was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft (44th overall) by the Detroit Pistons, and Northern Iowa assistant coach Seth Tuttle played for the Miami Heat’s Summer League team in 2015.

It’s not just membership that has ties to these schools. Our Board Chairman, Johnny Davis, is a Dayton alum who led the Flyers in scoring for three consecutive seasons (1973-76) before spending nearly four decades with the NBA as a player, front office executive, assistant and head coach. NBRPA Board Members Thurl Bailey and Chucky Brown are NC State alums. Bailey led the Wolfpack in scoring and rebounding during the team’s miracle 1983 NCAA Championship season before embarking on a 13-season NBA career, and Brown led NC State in scoring in 1988 (16.6 ppg) and rebounding during the 1989 season (8.8 rpg).

NBRPA President & CEO Scott Rochelle spoke to us about the thrill of being able to bring this event to life.

“We are thrilled to partner with Intersport to present the Legends of Basketball Showcase, especially here in our home base of Chicago,” Rochelle said. “With its connection to our organization, this event is a natural fit for us to undertake, and we couldn’t be more excited for our members and the programs involved."

“The Legends of Basketball Showcase is going to be an extraordinary day and night of top-notch men’s college hoops entertainment, and we look forward to it being a marquee event on the NCAA basketball calendar for years to come.”

Along with some incredible basketball being on display, the event will serve as a living testament to the work the NBRPA has done over three decades for its membership. The NBRPA’s charitable efforts, scholarship programs and member initiatives will all be highlighted. We look forward to catching up with our extended family in person as we take in a full day of this game that has captivated us.

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