NBRPA AWARDS 60 college Scholarships in 2018, 130 in two-year span
CHICAGO (Aug. 14, 2018) – In 2018, the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) will deliver on its mission of providing educational opportunities to former basketball players and their families. Through the Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund, the NBRPA will award 60 college scholarships to its membership, worth more than $260,000. The scholarship, initiated in honor of the late Dave DeBusschere, provides financial support to eligible NBRPA members, their spouses, children and grandchildren in pursuit of degrees in higher education.
“There is nothing more motivating than giving our children and families opportunities to do great things,” said Board Chairman Spencer Haywood. “We hope this scholarship is just the beginning for them.”
Over the past two years, the NBRPA has distributed 133 scholarships and more than $500,000 in total payouts. To date, the NBRPA has awarded members and their families more than $1.6 million in scholarships through the cornerstone initiative.
In addition to the scholarships, the Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund supports the NBRPA Chapter Program’s annual Reading Initiative, wherein educational programs in the twelve chapter cities receive funding.
Some of the DeBusschere scholarship recipients will also receive the Earl Lloyd Scholarship. The NBA Players Legacy Fund, which provides assistance to players in need, will award 10 recipients a scholarship in excess of $50,000.
See below for a full list of scholarship recipients:
| Student Name | Member Name | School Name | Expected Grad. Date |
| Asiah Avent | Anthony Avent | Seton Hall University | 2021 |
| Savanah Bennett | Melvin Bennett | West Chester University | 2020 |
| Mylaisa D. Birdsong | Otis Birdsong | FAMU | 2022 |
| Amiynah Campbell | Anthony Campbell | University of Albany | 2019 |
| Antoine J. Carr | Antoine Carr | St. Thomas University | |
| Taylor Carr | Antoine Carr | Nova Southeastern University | 2022 |
| Jazmyn Carthen | Roger Brown | Northeastern Illinois University | 2021 |
| Stephanie Colter | R. Steven Colter | Florida A&M University | 2020 |
| Kaitlin Counts | Mel Counts | Idaho State University | GRAD |
| Patrick Counts | Mel Counts | California State University Maritime Academy | 2019 |
| Sari Cureton | Earl Cureton | Georgetown University | 2021 |
| Taylor Delk | Tony Delk | Spelman College | 2021 |
| Keith Edmonson | Keith Edmonson | Concordia University (Texas) | 2018 |
| Michaela Falzone | Bradley Branson | Florida State University | 2021 |
| Hayden Gambee | Dave Gambee | University of Arizona | 2020 |
| Reilly Gambee | Dave Gambee | University of Arizona | 2021 |
| Johannah (June) Hamilton | James (Joe) Hamilton | Oregon State University | 2021 |
| Kristina Hill | Steve Hayes | College of Southern Idaho | 2019 |
| Zoey Hill | Steve Hayes | College of Southern Idaho | 2018 |
| Jayda Howard | Stephen Howard | University of California, Berkeley | 2020 |
| Mariah Hutchinson | Enoch Bud Olsen (DECEASED) | John Hopkins University | 2020 |
| Benjamin Inniger | Erv Inniger | Winona State University | 2022 |
| Logan Jones | Ernest Jones | Eastern Illinois University | 2021 |
| Kaley Jones | Samuel Jones | University of Florida | 2020 |
| Kelli Jones | Samuel Jones | West Boca Medical School of Radiology | 2020 |
| Landon Jones | Darrall Imhoff (Deceased) | Eastern Oregon University | |
| Reilly Jones | Samuel Jones | Xavier University | 2020 |
| Samuel Jones | Samuel Jones | Florida Atlantic University | 2019 |
| Caitlin Keefe | Adam Keefe | Stanford University | |
| Anthony H. Keeling | Harold Keeling | University of Georgia | 2019 |
| Mason Kite | Greg Kite | Dixie State University | 2020 |
| Alexa Lister | Alton Lister | Charleston Southern University | 2020 |
| Adelaide McComb | Stanley Lee Von Nieda | University of Louisville | GRAD |
| Grace Marie Meschery-McCormack | Tom Meschery | Occidental College | 2021 |
| Noelle Torrie Mitchell | E. Todd Mitchell | University of Kentucky | 2019 |
| Takisha Moncrief | Sidney Moncrief | Dallas Baptist University | 2019 |
| Amara Money-Williams | Eric Money | Santa Monica College | 2020 |
| Elijah O'Bryant | Eathan Allen O'Bryant | Linfield College | 2021 |
| Avery Powell | Cincinnatus Powell Sr. | Northwestern University | 2020 |
| Melanie Range | Ronnie P. Range | University of Illinois | 2022 |
| Erin Recasner | Eldridge Recasner | USC | |
| Sydney Recasner | Eldridge Recasner | USC | 2019 |
| Samuel Roberts | Frederick Roberts | University of Utah School of Medicine | 2021 |
| Syarra Sellers | Brad Sellers | Thomas More College | 2021 |
| Colton Shreve | Steven L. Hayes | Portland Community College | 2020 |
| Karch Smith | Michael John Smith | Brigham Young University | 2019 |
| Luke Smrek | Mike Smrek | Marquette University | 2020 |
| Reginald Theus | Reggie Theus | Cal State Northridge | 2019 |
| Rhyan Theus | Reggie Theus | University of Arizona | 2020 |
| Jazmine Thomas | Irving Thomas | Spelman College | 2021 |
| Conner Toolson | Andy Toolson | Utah Valley University | 2019 |
| Dallin Toolson | Andy Toolson | LDS Business College | 2021 |
| Trevor Toolson | Andy Toolson | Brigham Young University | 2021 |
| Carly Tower | Keith Tower | Dartmouth College | 2020 |
| Chloe Tower | Keith Tower | Samford University | 2021 |
| Keith Tower | Keith Tower | Concordia University | 2021 |
| Reagan Tripucka | Kelly Tripucka | University Of Delaware | 2020 |
| Tristan Von Nieda | Stanley Von Nieda | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 2019 |
| Melody Walters | Jumbo Eakins | Salt Lake Community College | 2020 |
| Holli Wilkins | Gerald Wilkins | Georgia State University | 2016 |
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Media Contact:
Brad Shulkin
Brad.shulkin@kemperlesnik.com
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL RETIRED PLAYERS ASSOCIATION
The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) is comprised of former professional basketball players from the NBA, ABA, WNBA and Harlem Globetrotters. It is a 501(c) 3 organization with a mission to develop, implement and advocate a wide array of programs to benefit its members, supporters and the community. The NBRPA was founded in 1992 by basketball legends Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Archie Clark, Dave Cowens and Oscar Robertson. The NBRPA works in direct partnerships with the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. Scott Rochelle is President and CEO, and the NBRPA Board of Directors includes Chairman of the Board Spencer Haywood, Vice Chairman Dwight Davis, Treasurer Casey Shaw, Secretary Nancy Lieberman, Rick Barry, Johnny Davis, David Naves, Sam Perkins, Eldridge Recasner, Jerome Williams.