Audio recording clip of interview with Lonnie G. Wright by Claytee D. White, October 23, 2009
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@ University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University Libraries
Wright, Lonnie G White, Claytee D
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Part of an interview with Lonnie G. Wright by Claytee D. White on October 23, 2009. Wright describes how he started the Basketball Alumni Association to help players complete their education.I started the Basketball Alumni Association to send basketball athletes back to school to finish their degrees. In 1977 I started the Basketball Alumni Association because as I told you I was socially conscious. I saw that black athletes were being exploited. A lot of them did not get their degree. And the one guy that I looked up to -- remember I told you I had a lot of scholarships in football. This one guy named Tommy Watkins was a flashy ball player. And he helped recruit me in basketball at UNLV. And I actually went to school because Tommy Watkins spoke to me. And I had a trip to Cornell University in football. I had a scholarship to Washington State, Oregon State, much better schools than UNLV at that time. I went there because I was so enamored with Tommy Watkins because he was such a great ball player. What made me start the Basketball Alumni? I had graduated and I was doing well because I was dealing and making a lot of money. I went to a Rebel game and I was at the
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