UConn reaches legendary status with national championship win

Apr. 4—HOUSTON — Past UConn basketball legends celebrated the program's fifth national championships with newly-minted ones late Monday night inside the locker room.

Hall of Famer Ray Allen talked with Jordan Hawkins, a key starter on UConn's magical and dominant postseason run.

Emeka Okafor, a 2004 national champion, posed for a picture with Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo.

Rudy Gay, who plays for Utah Jazz and made his mark at UConn career from 2004 to 2006, also was in attendance.

During the on-court postgame party, 2011 champion Kemba Walker offered his congratulations.

It was a special moment for the extended UConn basketball family.

"I relive a lot of my own moments watching them while at the same time sharing in their elation," Okafor said. "These championships are legacy builders. It just elevates the entire program."

Okafor and his fellow UConn legends understand what these Huskies experienced. They walked the same campus, stayed in the dorms and poured their blood, sweat and tears into helping build a successful program.

They're all part of the same family tree.

"People don't realize when you go to a school, it's a family tree that's created and there's connection from every person, from me and all the way down," Allen said. "When I see Rip (Hamilton), Rudy, Caron (Butler), Charlie (Villanueva), Josh (Boone) ... all these guys that were here today ... I remember being at the championship game in Tampa, the one in Dallas. I remember where I was coming from and I had to play a game the next day.

"It's all a family tree very securely rooted in the ground. The thing that you want these guys to see is that you're going to be where I am someday and you're going to remember what you've done. So you've got to always remember, as much as you're doing this for your brothers, you're doing this for us as well. We have great pride in watching these guys play.

"... Every college talks about their nation. But, when you deal with UConn basketball, this is who we are and this is what we have.These players don't realize it until you leave college."

Any questions about UConn's status as a blue-blood program were officially put to rest with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State.

No team has won more national titles (five) since 1999. The Huskies are tied for fourth most championships all-time with Indiana and Duke, trailing only UCLA (11), Kentucky (eight) and North Carolina (six).

Coach Dan Hurley, who's embraced the program's rich history since his arrival in 2018, appreciates the support from the former Husky greats.

"They did not have to come here," Hurley said. "Those guys have done such big things. I get support from those guys all the time. I get calls from Rip (Hamilton) asking if he needs me to talk to Jordan, and my answer is hell, yes. I get that from Ray. And Emeka has mentored Adama. He's come in and met with the team.

"You try to embrace as much of that as possible. You know how important it is to build a culture, having those former great players and former great coaches as close to us as we possibly can. It's paid dividends because it's helped a lot."

These Huskies will have bragging rights over UConn teams before them for the way they've carved a path of destruction through the NCAA tournament, winning all six games by double digits. They posted the program's largest margin of victory in a title game.

Gay came away impressed.

"They're just consistent," Gay said. "They've been consistent the whole tournament. They're resilient too, obviously with the way the season has been. The one thing that matters right now is they came out with a win. They're etched in history."

Allen praised the team's selfless play and team-first approach.

"I like Andre Jackson because he's very selfless," Allen said. "And he plays for whatever needs to be done in that moment. I like Adama because he moves the ball and he's great around the basket and he plays for his team. I can go down the list of all the guys on the team who make their teammates better. They do the next thing that needs to be done for their brother, for their teammate.

"That takes building, that takes trust, that takes camaraderie and they had it."

UConn will be a different team next season.

Hawkins, a projected first round draft choice, has a decision to make. He's considered ready for the NBA.

Sanogo is contemplating his future.

"I don't know," Sanogo said. "I have to talk to my coaches and my family. I'll go from there."

Junior Andre Jackson knows what he's doing.

"I want to come back," Jackson said. "If Coach tells me to leave, I'll leave. I want to come back."

If they need any advice, they can always turn to UConn's legends.

g.keefe@theday.com