Hasheem Thabeet to Join UConn’s Huskies of Honor on February 14
STORRS - One of the most dominant defensive forces in UConn men’s basketball history is getting his long-overdue moment in the spotlight. On February 14, during halftime of the Huskies’ matchup against Georgetown, Hasheem Thabeet will be inducted into the prestigious Huskies of Honor. He’ll become the 24th individual player to receive the honor - a group that also includes three coaches, an administrator, and two entire teams.
Thabeet's legacy in Storrs is built on more than just his towering 7-foot-3 frame. During his time with the Huskies from 2006 to 2009, he anchored the paint like few others in college basketball history. A two-time National Defensive Player of the Year and the 2009 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Thabeet was a game-changer on both ends of the floor - but especially on defense, where his shot-blocking instincts and timing turned him into a nightmare for opposing offenses.
He still holds the UConn record for most blocks in a single game - and not just once. Thabeet hit that mark three separate times, an exclamation point on a career that saw him swat away 417 shots.
That total ranks second in program history behind only Emeka Okafor. In fact, Thabeet and Okafor are the only two Huskies to ever record over 400 career blocks and average at least four per game - elite company in a program known for producing defensive stalwarts.
Thabeet was more than just a shot-blocker, though. He left UConn with the highest field goal percentage in program history at the time (61.1%) and still ranks fifth all-time in that category. His efficiency around the rim was a key part of UConn’s offensive game plan, especially during his junior season, when he averaged a double-double with 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 64.0% from the field.
His journey started in 2006-07, when he stepped into the starting lineup as a freshman and made an immediate impact. Thabeet averaged 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks in just under 25 minutes per game.
He tied the school record for blocks in a game with 10 against Texas Southern - the first of three times he’d reach that number. His 3.8 blocks per game that season were the fourth-most in UConn history at the time, and his efforts earned him a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
By his sophomore year, Thabeet had taken another leap. He averaged 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game - the second-highest single-season block average in program history.
That year, he was named both the BIG EAST and NABC National Defensive Player of the Year, and he added seven double-doubles to his resume. He also tied his own school record for blocks with another 10-swat performance, this time on the road at Notre Dame.
His junior campaign in 2008-09 was his most complete. Thabeet became the centerpiece of a team that reached the program’s third Final Four, and his accolades piled up: Second Team AP All-American, First Team All-BIG EAST, BIG EAST Player of the Year, and a repeat winner of both the conference and national Defensive Player of the Year awards - a rare feat only matched at UConn by Okafor. His presence in the paint and efficiency on offense made him one of the most impactful players in the country.
That season cemented his status as a top NBA prospect, and in the 2009 NBA Draft, Thabeet was selected No. 2 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies - matching Okafor as the highest draft pick in UConn history. He went on to play five seasons in the NBA with the Grizzlies, Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Thunder, before continuing his basketball journey overseas with stops across Asia and Africa.
Now, nearly two decades after he first arrived in Storrs, Thabeet is getting the recognition he earned through years of dominance in the paint. His name will join the legends who shaped UConn’s basketball legacy - a fitting tribute to a player who left an indelible mark on the program’s identity.