My Words: 20 years later, proud to be keeping my promise

I’m about to experience one of the proudest moments of my life. Not only am I going to receive my degree from the University of Wisconsin, I’m going to fulfill a promise I made to my family and friends more than two decades ago.

I was a junior at UW in 2004, one of the starting guards for the men’s basketball team. My game had evolved to the point that NBA teams were telling my parents, Terry and Julie, that I could be drafted in the top 10. That’s heavy stuff for a 21-year-old kid from Milwaukee.

During a family meeting at our home, I went around the room and asked everyone for their opinion about what I should do. I was really struggling. A big part of me wanted to stay in school – we had won three Big Ten Conference championships and it seemed like we were on the verge of becoming an NCAA title contender – but you don’t become a lottery pick every day. The more I listened, the more I became convinced that the right move was to turn pro even though I had a season of college eligibility remaining.

I wound up being chosen fifth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2004 draft and spent the next 15 years playing for five different teams, including three stops with the Mavs. Along the way I built a life and family, including three great kids: Chari, Scarlett and Violett. I also formed an important bond with Michael Finley, one of the greatest talents in Badgers history whose experiences in the NBA as a player and front-office executive made him a mentor as much as a friend.

Looking back now at the age of 40, I have no regrets about the decision I made.

One of the reasons I went to Wisconsin in the first place was to get a world-class education and to graduate, so one of the things that came up during our family discussion was, “What about school?” I made a promise to everyone in that room that I would finish college and get my degree no matter how long it took me to get it done.

I know my vow meant the most to my dad, who walked a similar path starting at the age of 50. He worked without a degree for over 30 years in the human resources department at a local company, but right as I was leaving to come to UW for my freshman year, he lost his job to someone who had a college diploma. Dad had a hard time finding a job like the one he had, so he decided to enroll in Concordia College in nearby Mequon while working some temp jobs.

I was mostly oblivious to the effort he put into his school work and the challenges he faced trying to create a better life for his family, but I do remember him going to class at night and coming home and writing papers. I saw his heartfelt commitment and dedication.

When he graduated in March of 2003, my dad became a major inspiration for me. He used his diploma as a motivating factor, consistently reminding me of the commitment I had made. The fact that he went back after so many years … he truly walked the walk.

I gradually gained an appreciation for how difficult it is to pull this off. School is a lot easier when it’s your only focal point. Whether it’s earning a paycheck in the private sector or playing in the best basketball league in the world, school becomes a lot harder when you must find a rhythm in your academics while balancing professional and family commitments.

One of the most important lessons I learned – something I’ve shared with current Badgers players – is that you cannot let things slide. The further I got away from that family meeting and the promise I made, the harder it became to get back on track. At one point I was taking classes during the NBA season – it was during my time with the New Jersey Nets from 2008 to ’11 – but it proved to be too much.

I look back at the pandemic as a lost opportunity. I had just retired after playing nearly 1,000 career games in the NBA, but schooling my kids at home became my priority.

When I started out at UW, one of the best things to happen to me was having Mary Ellen Rock as my Student Athlete Academic Advisor. She was a life saver. As many freshmen probably do, I struggled academically. I was on academic probation after my first semester and was really close to being ineligible.

Mary Ellen was a literal “rock” in my academic journey. 

I started getting serious about my degree about three years ago after talks with fellow W Club member, Michael Finley. He inspired me to get organized and get busy taking care of business. His words carried a lot of weight and not just because of the respect I have for him. He also walked the walk.

He spent four seasons at UW, from 1991 to ’95, becoming the all-time leading scorer in program history before being chosen by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the NBA draft in 1995. He then played more than 1,000 games for four different NBA teams, winning a championship ring with San Antonio in 2007, before becoming vice president of basketball operations for the Mavericks.

When Mike left Wisconsin, he still had work to do to get his degree. He finished and graduated in 2014 and I’ll never forget how important it seemed to him. I’m sure he’ll reference that experience Dec. 17 when he gives the winter commencement address at the Kohl Center.

It’s another reason that graduation day will be a special time for me because it’s kind of a full-circle moment. Like a big brother, Mike took me under his wing when I got to the NBA. We’ve had a lot of discussions over the years and I still go to him for advice today. I think I’m equally excited about Mike being the commencement speaker – I can’t wait to hear his message and the reaction people will have – then having my name called for my diploma.

I hope the ceremony will be a memorable experience for my children. With all three girls, we talk a lot about education in our house. What better way to express it than to show them? They’ve also sacrificed so I could finish this project. I missed many of their school activities and games. When I travel, I’m very open with them on why I’m leaving. During this last semester, after explaining to my 12-year-old why I was going to miss one of her games in Dallas so I could attend class in Madison, she said, “It’s OK, dad. I know why you’re doing it and I think it’s pretty cool.” That was a special moment I will carry with me for many years to come.

While my journey has not always been typical, like many college students I switched majors. When I began working on the first steps of finishing my degree, I discovered that my previous sociology adviser had retired. That gave me an opportunity to rethink my go forward plan.

I found myself wanting to lean into a subject area that I always found fascinating: history. I’ve enjoyed visiting historical places throughout my travels and the more years I live, the more I realize that history is one of our best teachers. It’s not surprising that “history repeats itself” is such a common phrase. There are countless lessons humanity can learn just by looking back and applying past experiences toward making the future brighter.

I wound up changing my major to history and was introduced to Scott Burkhardt, the undergraduate advisor for the UW history department. Scott was integral in my journey and was able to assist me in mapping out a plan that worked with my unique schedule while I lived and worked in Dallas. More importantly, Scott was an important sounding board and a great source of encouragement.

What’s next? Well, I like what I’m doing right now. For the last four years I’ve been an analyst for Fox Sports and NBA TV. I mostly cover Mavericks games, but I’ve done college games as well. Starting out, it was very surreal to be in front of the TV cameras in a new role. Like a lot of people that try something new, it takes work to make a smooth transition. I’ve relied on my broadcast “team” for feedback. With their support and my commitment, I think I’m getting pretty good at it.

My diploma does create options that wouldn’t be available to me otherwise. Many players move from the court into coaching, but one of the things people may not know is that you need a degree in order to coach at the college level. Right now, my motivation for finishing school is keeping my word, setting an example for my girls and giving myself as many options as possible for the future. Once you have that degree, no one can take that away from you. For the rest of your life you have access to more, and greater, opportunities.

I’m so proud of the fact I have a college degree.

I’m even more proud that I got it at UW.

I’m proud that I walked the walk and hope it inspires others to do the same.

Mostly, I’m proud I kept my word.

Did you enjoy reading this? Read more My Words stories from the Badgers here.