University of North Carolina Athletics
Brewer: Diabetes Association To Benefit From Stackhouse Alumni Game
August 14, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 14, 2002
By Rick Brewer, SID Emeritus
Some of the best basketball players who have competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference recently will take part in an alumni exhibition game August 25.
Gametime at Raleigh's Entertainment and Sport's Arena is 6:30 p.m. Tickets, starting at $7.00 are on sale at the ESA and through TicketMaster.
As usual, points will be counted to determine a final score.
But, the winner really will be the North Carolina Chapter of the American Diabetes Association.
Proceeds from the game will go to that charity.
Former Carolina All-America Jerry Stackhouse, now a star guard for the Detroit Pistons, has been the driving force in arranging this game. He's made most of the contacts with other players to arrange their participation.
Stackhouse has been active in the fight against diabetes for years. He has first-hand knowledge of the effects of this disease.
Stackhouse,s mother suffers from diabetes. He has also lost two sisters who were diabetics.
"Unfortunately, because of the problems in my family, I'm aware how deadly this disease can be," says Stackhouse. "I appreciate the other players who are giving their free time to help in the fight against it. I hope this game can not only raise money for the American Diabetes Association, but also make more people aware of the work that needs to be done to treat diabetes and try to find a cure."
And the other players rank among the best this area has seen in the last few years.
Heading the list is Carolina's Antawn Jamison, the unanimous National Player of the Year in 1998.
In being chosen the nation's best player, Jamison averaged 22.2 points a game and 10.5 rebounds in 1998. Those were also the best marks in the ACC that year. His field goal percentage of 57.9 was second only to teammate Vince Carter's 59.1 among league players.
He has averaged 24.9 and 19.7 for the Golden State Warriors the last two seasons.
Among the other players will be Carter, Rodney Rogers of Wake Forest, Carolina's Rasheed Wallace, Chucky Brown of N.C. State and Duke,s Carlos Boozer. The participants also include Carolina's Jeff McInnis, Shammond Williams, Sam Perkins, Donald Williams and Brendan Haywood; Duke,' Corey Maggette; Charles Shackleford of N.C. State; and Delaney Rudd of Wake Forest.
"It's been through Jerry's involvement that I've come to understand more about diabetes," said Jamison. "I hope people in this area will help in this important work to fight it."
Like Jamison, Carter is now one of the top young stars in the NBA. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 1999, played on the U.S. Olympic Team that won the Gold Medal in Sydney and averaged 24.7 for the Toronto Raptors last season.
But, the headliner in this game will be Stackhouse. He's been active in a number of community projects in Detroit and is a past winner of the NBA Community Assist Award.
He received a $5,000 charitable gift from the NBA for that honor and the Pistons matched it. Stackhouse donated the money to The Salvation Army Bread and Breakfast Club and the Old Newsboys Goodfellow Fund of Detroit.
For the second straight year he is making arrangements for a celebrity wheelchair basketball game in September. Proceeds will go the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, a non-profit hospital treating patients with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and other medical conditions.
He has been involved in the NBA's Read to Achieve Program, reading stories to over 200 Detroit-area school children and helping them write and illustrate their own stories.
Stackhouse has hosted special needs children at Piston games, treating them to pre-game receptions. He also buys 25 tickets for every game so needy children and individuals can enjoy a pro basketball game they could otherwise never afford to attend.
Last fall he assisted the Detroit Clear Channel Radiothon that raised over $500,000 for victims of the September 11 attacks.
Plus, he was the leader in raising $35,000 from other league players and members of the media to assist in the remodeling of the Detroit Medical Center.
"It's remarkable what Jerry has done in community service, considering the amount of time his NBA career takes," says former Carolina Coach Dean Smith. "But, knowing the type of young man he is, I'm certainly not surprised."
In addition to the alumni game, there will be a Fan Appreciation Extravaganza at 4:00 p.m. in the ESA.
Game participants and other former area athletes will be on hand for autographs and pictures. That group includes Walter Davis, Chris Carrawell, Nate James, Phil Ford, Kenny Smith and Ricky Price.
It may be college football season in this area. But, as far as Stackhouse is concerned, trying to help those in need is always in season.
