Storied players and NBA stars return the love to young men who follow in their footsteps
No matter where their pro careers might take them, from team to team or across the globe, there’s always one place they call home: the University of Washington. After all, that’s where their hearts are.
“I’ve felt at home here ever since I stepped onto campus in 2008. You want to be where you feel welcomed and loved,” says Isaiah Thomas, one of five former Washington student-athletes who have rallied around the new Home for Husky Basketball.
Isaiah and fellow UW Men’s Basketball alumni and NBA pros Markelle Fultz, Spencer Hawes, Dejounte Murray, and Brandon Roy made significant donations to the building now rising next door to Alaska Airlines Arena.
“The Husky family and my own have been intertwined for generations and we feel extremely blessed to be able to give back and support a community that has done so much for us over the years,” notes Spencer, whose father Jeff and uncle Steve also played for Washington. “Our hope is that our gifts will not only allow future student-athletes to reach their potential, but also plant a seed to give back to the next generation when they do.”
“Former players investing in the new Basketball facility is a testament to the fact that Husky family is forever,” lauds Coach Sprinkle.
“When pros are back over the summer, our student-athletes see firsthand the drive and passion it takes to get to that next level.”
The new building, scheduled for completion by August 2025, will provide the men’s and women’s teams with their own dedicated practice facilities.
“My scholarship was a blessing. There’s no way I could have gone to the UW without it,” says Brandon Roy. “Now that I’m able, I’m happy to give back to the community I’m from and to support the student-athletes who will use this facility to help chart their futures.”
