Hasheem Thabeet is headed back to Storrs - this time, to take his rightful place among UConn basketball royalty.
On February 14, during halftime of the Huskies’ matchup with Georgetown at Gampel Pavilion, Thabeet will become the 24th player inducted into the prestigious Huskies of Honor. It’s a fitting tribute for one of the most dominant defensive forces the program has ever seen.
Standing 7-foot-3 and hailing from Tanzania, Thabeet anchored the paint for UConn from 2006 to 2009. During that span, he didn’t just protect the rim - he owned it.
A two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, Thabeet was a shot-blocking machine who altered games with his presence alone. His 417 career blocks rank second in program history, trailing only Emeka Okafor.
And when it comes to consistency, Thabeet’s 4.2 blocks per game over his career place him in rare air - only he and Okafor have ever averaged over four per contest in UConn history.
But Thabeet’s impact wasn’t limited to defense. He left UConn with the program’s all-time best field goal percentage at 61.1% (359-for-588), a mark that now stands fifth on the all-time list. That level of efficiency - combined with his rebounding, rim protection, and low-post scoring - made him a cornerstone for a Huskies team that reached the Final Four in 2009, their third in school history.
From the moment he stepped on the court as a freshman, Thabeet made an impression. He started all 31 games in his debut season, averaging 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game - numbers good enough to earn a spot on the Big East All-Freshman Team.
But it was his sophomore year when he truly broke out. Thabeet averaged 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game - the second-highest single-season block average in UConn history - and was named both Big East and NABC National Defensive Player of the Year, along with a Second Team All-Big East nod.
His junior campaign cemented his legacy. Thabeet averaged a double-double with 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, shot a staggering 64.0% from the field, and once again swatted 4.2 shots per contest.
He was named a Second Team AP All-American, repeated as Big East and NABC Defensive Player of the Year - a feat only he and Okafor have accomplished at UConn - and took home the 2009 Big East Player of the Year award. No Husky has claimed that title since.
Thabeet’s record-setting career included three games in which he blocked 10 shots - a program record - and his name still resonates with fans who remember how he could take over a game without needing to score a point.
After his time at UConn, Thabeet was selected No. 2 overall in the NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He went on to play for the Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Thunder during a five-year NBA stint before continuing his career overseas in Asia and Africa.
Now, nearly two decades after he first arrived in Storrs, Thabeet will be honored alongside the greats who helped shape UConn basketball into a national powerhouse. His induction into the Huskies of Honor isn’t just a celebration of stats - it’s a recognition of the impact he had on the program, the standard he helped set, and the legacy he leaves behind.
On February 14, the crowd at Gampel will rise - not just for a ceremony, but for a player who made defense an art form and left a lasting mark on the game.