2008, February 21: DetNews.com – Rose wishes more Fab Five players were honored by U-M
June 24, 2008
Former Michigan basketball player and Detroit native Jalen Rose will be
honored Saturday at Crisler Arena for his contributions on and off the
court.
Rose, 35, believes the gesture on the day U-M faces Illinois will help
recognize not only his accomplishments, but also the accomplishments of
the Fab Five era.
More than five years after Michigan forfeited over 100 victories in the
wake of the Ed Martin booster scandal, there’s still work that needs to
be done to build the program back up, Rose said.
"Kids today say, ‘Wow, we grew up rooting for the Fab Five,’" Rose said
in an interview Thursday with The Detroit News. "They grew up wearing
black socks and black shoes like the Fab Five. (They say), ‘If those
Fab Five players aren’t loved and adored, then why should I sign a
letter-of-intent to go to Michigan?’
"That’s why you see the number of blue-chip players and the McDonald’s
All-Americans, since maybe the mid-1990s, decide to go to other
schools."
Rose hopes that Michigan will one day honor and appreciate former
teammates that were implicated in the scandal, including Chris Webber.
"I think the program would still be a top-flight program (if former
players involved in the scandal were embraced by U-M) — a program
where blue-chip players would crave to go there," Rose said. "That’s
what recruiting is — reaching down to your past to represent your
future. All of the great schools do it.
"Michigan was held to that standard and that standard has really eroded since we were on campus."
A ceremony honoring Rose will take place during halftime of the Michigan-Illinois game, which begins at 4 p.m.
Since 2000, the Jalen Rose Foundation has given more than $1 million in
grants to underprivileged youth and community organizations in Detroit
and other areas.
His foundation awards five $10,000 college scholarships annually to Detroit high school seniors.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News
