Pros Who Really Love Their Alma Maters

Many athletes (and people) love and support their alma maters, but do they stay as involved as Kobe Bryant at Lower Merion? Do they give shoutouts to a little-known community college like Aaron Rodgers?  

This is not to say that other athletes don’t love their schools or feel pride, and this certainly is not an all-inclusive list of athletes who have been involved with their schools. Ben Roethlisberger and Tim Hudson are just two examples of athletes who have made $1 million donations to their respective alma maters.

This is simply a list of a few athletes who have stayed very involved over the years since graduation and sometimes shown support in creative ways. Some have donated uniforms, some attend games and others simply make glowing comments on the radio about a certain new head coach at his former school. 

And no offense to Magic Johnson and his Spartan pride, but we’ll stick with current athletes for today.

Honorable Mention: J.J. Watt

J.J. Watt is a native of Wisconsin and a former Badger. He hosted a tailgate for the team’s August 2014 game at LSU and served as an honorary captain. He told Evan West of Click2Houston.com, “That the love is there between Badger fans and myself. That's what you try to create, you try to create memories.”

Watt’s foundation also hosted a fundraising run/walk back in June in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

He lightheartedly gets an honorable mention for losing a bet and wearing an Ohio State shirt.

Andre Drummond

Detroit Piston Andre Drummond played his college ball at UConn. Something tells me UConn does just fine getting jerseys for the basketball team, so Drummond made a donation to his high school alma mater instead.

In 2013, Drummond bought new uniforms for the basketball team at St. Thomas More High School in Connecticut. Apparently, he couldn’t have the team “rocking what we had when I played.”

Tom Brady

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In December 2014, Michigan announced that Jim Harbaugh would be its new head football coach. One of his fellow Michigan alumni was pretty happy about it.

Tom Brady spent four years at Michigan in the late 1990s. When the Harbaugh announcement seemed imminent, the NFL quarterback said on the Dennis and Callahan Show (via USA Today):

"

Obviously the program at Michigan — as a former player — has not been in the best of places for one reason or another. If he does go there he brings a lot of credibility and winning. He’s been a great coach in college and the pros. To have a great coach like that lead a program is awesome. ... If Michigan could get that type of coach it would be incredible, especially with him knowing the history of the school and the tradition, playing there. Just to have him back as part of the school would be phenomenal.

"

Spoken like a man who loves his school. Brady also posted this photo of Harbaugh to his Facebook page after the official announcement was made.

UConn Women's Basketball

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In September, USA Basketball named five UConn Huskies (current and former) to the 2014 FIBA World Championship team—Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. UConn’s Geno Auriemma coached them.

Moore also was named the 2014 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. She said in a statement from USA Basketball, “I'm so fortunate to be around the best in the world through USA Basketball.”

By playing together on an international stage, the alumni honor a school at which they achieved great success.

Aaron Rodgers

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Aaron Rodgers is one of the best players in the NFL. He’s also one of the few elite pros who got his start at a junior college.

Rodgers played football at Butte Community College in Northern California for two years before going on to play for the University of California, Berkeley.

Despite his eventual transfer to a bigger school, Rodgers likes to show Butte the love. There have been several times when the quarterback’s intro referenced Butte instead of Cal—at least once in 2010 and again more recently. In September 2014, Butte was actually trending on Twitter for a time after Rodgers’ intro.

Paul George

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Paul George attended college at California State University, Fresno and high school at Knight High School in Palmdale, California. In subsequent years, he has done right by both.

According to Scott Agness of NBA.com, George buys shoes for the Fresno State basketball team every year. In 2013, he did them one better and bought every unsold ticket for the team’s home opener. The tickets, which he then gave away, cost $7,000.

In 2014, when George changed his jersey number from 24 to 13, he bought all his old jerseys and donated them to Knight High.

Drew Brees

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Drew Brees played football at Purdue University, and he was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity there. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Brees reunited with his brothers to help rebuild homes in the area with Habitat for Humanity.

In 2007, Brees and his wife made a $2 million donation to Purdue for a student-athlete facility, later named the Drew and Brittany Brees Student-Athlete Academic Center.

In 2013, Brees described his continuing affection for Purdue to Gavin Evans of Complex:

"

I’ve stayed in touch with the athletic director and the coach. I try to make it back there once a year to see everybody and, obviously, show support for the program. I have so many great memories from Purdue and it gave me so much. Not only athletically, but academically, so my heart will always be with Purdue.

"

Robert Griffin III

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Robert Griffin III won his Heisman Trophy at Baylor University. The school loves him so much that it built a statue of him outside the football stadium.

But the love affair goes both ways. Griffin is a regular supporter of Baylor athletics. Most recently, he was seen at the football team’s Cotton Bowl matchup against Michigan State. He received a standing ovation at a men’s basketball game in 2013, and he supports the women’s team as well.

When Brittany Griner and the women’s team were bounced from the 2013 NCAA tournament by Louisville, Griffin was quick to defend the Lady Bears on Twitter against what he perceived as overly physical play by the opponent.

Skylar Diggins

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Skylar Diggins was born in South Bend, Indiana, and played college basketball at Notre Dame. She’s now with the Tulsa Shock of the WNBA. Diggins was spotted at a Notre Dame vs. UConn game in 2014, and she's spoken about her affection for her alma mater. 

In a 2013 special to espnW, Diggins wrote about her difficulty with being away from home and her love for Notre Dame. Of an upcoming trip home, she wrote, “I'll visit my friends and my guy back at Notre Dame, and while they have class and practice, I'll be free from those things. That's going to feel strange. But I have to go back -- I can't wait to go back!”

She also wrote about her excitement to see her former coach and go to football games.

Peyton Manning

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Peyton Manning was an All-American at Tennessee, and he continues to support his alma mater today through financial contributions, in-person support and charitable efforts.

Manning made a $1 million donation to the athletic department in 2009, and his PeyBack Foundation funds several grants for programs in Tennessee.

In fact, Manning provides support to all geographical locations close to his heart. His foundation has provided grants totaling more than $7.5 million since 2002 to programs in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana and Tennessee.

As recently as September 2014, Manning spent his bye week attending a Volunteers away game against Georgia.

Kevin Durant

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Kevin Durant was in that first class of basketball players who had to go to college for at least a year before turning pro. Durant’s college choice was Texas.

Even though he only attended for a year, Durant continues to support the Longhorns. He served as an honorary captain at a 2013 football game against Ole Miss, and now he’s even releasing his own Texas shoe. Nike will release the KD VII EXT: The Longhorn State on January 9, 2015. 

LeBron James

USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James’ alma mater is St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Beyond just being a general supporter of his hometown, James goes the extra mile for his former high school in particular.

In 2013, James bought new uniforms for the entire football team and donated $1 million for renovation of the gym. In 2014, he attended the football team’s home opener.

Of the $1 million donation, James told Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal, “I’m a hands-on guy and this is going to be more hands-on because it’s something that means a lot to me. I’ll try to be hands on with Coach Dru, with the school, with the floor, the locker rooms, the bleachers. ... I have a good sense of what stadiums or arenas or schools or gyms should look like.”

Ndamukong Suh

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Ndamukong Suh has gained a reputation as a dirty player with the Detroit Lions, but he’s shown tremendous generosity off the field.

In 2010, the defensive tackle donated $2.6 million to his alma mater, the University of Nebraska, earning him the title of Most Charitable Athlete in America. He committed to the donation before he was even drafted. The funds went to the athletic department as well as toward a new scholarship for the College of Engineering.

In 2013, Suh showed some love to his former high school as well, donating $250,000 for a new turf football field and track at Grant High School.

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson has played major league baseball for 11 seasons with three different teams. But he has always been a loyal supporter of his college team, the Flames of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

In 2013, Granderson donated $5 million for a new baseball stadium on campus. Curtis Granderson Stadium was completed in 2014, and its namesake threw out the first pitch in the new park.

UIC athletic director Jim Schmidt told Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune, “His donation is not only the largest in UIC athletics history, but it is the largest donation we know of from any professional athlete back to his alma mater.” (The key words there are “we know of,” but still, solid.)

Kobe Bryant

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Kobe Bryant’s alma mater is Lower Merion High School near Philadelphia. He helped the team win a state championship in 1996 and has a deep respect for his school and city.

Sonny Hill, a Philadelphia community league leader and executive advisor for the 76ers, told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, “When you speak to him about Philadelphia, you will find that he will say if not for Philadelphia, he wouldn’t be the player he is today.”

Bryant visits his old school frequently and donates Nike uniforms. In 2010, the school renamed its gym after him. At the dedication, Kobe said (per Bruce Adams of The Times Herald), “This is where I came from, this is where I grew up. I didn’t go to college, so this is my university.”

Bryant stays connected to Lower Merion in more creative ways as well. He hosts an annual basketball camp in Santa Barbara, California, and players and coaches from Lower Merion travel there to help run things. Nike also just released the Kobe 9 ‘Deep Garnet,' inspired by the school.