“Ladies and gentlemen, you’re looking at the Hungry Huskies,” shouted the point guard from Roxbury, Mass. “This is what happens when you ban us.” Shabazz Napier, standing on the podium in AT&T Stadium, about to be handed the national championship trophy for the second time in his career, still defiant. Still passionate. Still competing, long after the final buzzer sounded.
In the opus of his magnificent career, Napier dismissed a Kentucky team staffed with players so opposite himself — born stars, anointed in the preseason with championship expectations despite never having set foot on a college campus. Freshmen who, unlike Napier, will never see a senior year. Napier dropped 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals, earning Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and rewarding his university, his teammates and UConn fans with one final exclamation point before he bids Storrs farewell.
Napier’s Huskies entered the tournament with 100-to-1 odds to win it. Every night on ESPN, analysts would pick against them. Then Napier’s Huskies would take the court and win. Always defiant.
In high school, Napier didn’t take classes seriously. As a teenager, Napier described himself as “a clown.” It took an intervention from his mother, Carmen Velasquez, to get him to right the ship. Then, after UConn’s 2012 season, when the poor grades of prior Huskies led to the aforementioned NCAA ban, Napier held the team together on the court, while committing himself to academics in the classroom. He will graduate this spring with a Sociology degree, and has earned a spot on the dean’s list. Always defiant.
What makes Napier’s commitment to UConn so laudable is that he did so as the university walls were crumbling around him. First, the ban was levied. Then coach Jim Calhoun — a father figure for Napier — announced his retirement. Andre Drummond left. Jeremy Lamb left. Alex Oriakhi left. Roscoe Smith left. Napier stayed. With the benefit of hindsight, and a freshly minted championship, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to label Napier’s decision to stay as the moment that saved UConn basketball.
All of which leads us to this grand statement: Shabazz Napier is the most important player in UConn history.
Statistically, Napier leaves UConn in fourth place on the all-time scoring list (1,959). He is third in assists (646), and second in steals (251). He’s the only player in UConn history to amass at least 1,500 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds. He is obviously also the only Husky legend to win two championships.
Donyell Marshall was UConn’s first star, launching the program permanently into the national spotlight. Ray Allen was the program’s best ambassador, and will be the first Husky player inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Rip Hamilton shook the perceived curse of the 1990’s and secured UConn’s first championship in 1999. Emeka Okafor was UConn’s best player and a star student in 2004. Kemba Walker had one of the best individual seasons in college basketball history, almost single-handedly captaining UConn to their third title in 2011.
All of them built UConn’s basketball castle in Storrs — some the foundation, and some the structure leading to astounding heights. Napier kept that castle from crumbling, and ensured that it will stand for the Husky stars that follow him.
Great article!
Tyler,
This is basically the exact same article I wanted to write for this website when I contacted you about it a few months ago. Even back then, before this incredible run, I felt this way about Shabazz. I’ve been too busy and distracted to sit down and complete it, but I damn sure thought a lot about it. Now, I can see I don’t need to anymorel because you’ve done such a fine job here. Thank you sir! All hail Saint Shabazz – the greatest Husky of them all!