Hasheem Thabeet is heading back to Storrs, and this time, he’s taking his place among UConn basketball royalty.
The program announced that Thabeet will become the 24th member of the Huskies of Honor, with his induction set for Saturday, Feb. 14, during halftime of UConn’s matchup against Georgetown at Gampel Pavilion. It’s a fitting tribute to one of the most dominant defensive forces the Huskies have ever had - a 7-foot-3 shot-blocking machine who helped anchor one of the most memorable teams in UConn history.
Thabeet’s journey from Tanzania to the heart of Big East basketball is the kind of story that reminds you just how global the game has become. When he arrived at UConn in 2006, he was raw - long, athletic, and full of potential.
But under the guidance of Jim Calhoun and his staff, that potential turned into production. Big-time production.
By the time the 2008-09 season rolled around, Thabeet wasn’t just a presence in the paint - he was a problem. He averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks per game, leading the Huskies to their third Final Four appearance.
That season, he was named Big East Player of the Year and earned consensus All-American honors. He led the conference in blocked shots - again - something he did every year he wore a UConn jersey.
Thabeet’s shot-blocking instincts were elite, but what really stood out was how quickly the rest of his game came along. His footwork in the post improved dramatically over his three seasons in Storrs, something he often credited to his childhood playing soccer back home in Tanzania. That agility, paired with his towering frame, made him a two-way force by the time UConn made its deep tournament run in 2009.
That run ended in the Final Four against Michigan State - the only Final Four loss in program history - but Thabeet’s legacy was already cemented. He declared for the NBA Draft soon after, leaving behind a résumé that speaks for itself: two-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, All-American, and conference Player of the Year.
In the UConn record books, Thabeet sits second only to Emeka Okafor in both total blocks (417) and blocks per game (4.2), and he joins Okafor in the Huskies of Honor. Thabeet also holds the program’s all-time best field goal percentage at 61.1% and is one of just 12 Huskies to ever record a triple-double - his coming in a dominant 15-point, 11-rebound, 10-block performance against Providence on Jan. 31, 2009.
He wrapped up his UConn career with 1,028 points in 100 games - and more importantly, he left as one of the most impactful defenders college basketball had seen in years.
The NBA came calling, and Thabeet was selected No. 2 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 Draft - tying Okafor for the highest draft pick in UConn history. His pro career spanned five seasons with four different teams, and while his NBA numbers (2.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.8 blocks per game) never quite matched his college dominance, he still carved out a role and earned nearly $17 million along the way.
But for UConn fans, Thabeet’s legacy isn’t about what happened after he left Storrs - it’s about what he built while he was there. He was the anchor of a team that brought the Huskies back to the national stage, a defensive juggernaut who turned potential into performance, and now, a permanent part of UConn’s storied basketball history.
Come Feb. 14, when his name is unveiled among the greats, it’ll be more than just a ceremony - it’ll be a celebration of one of the program’s most iconic big men.