Jim Calhoun and Kemba Walker take offense at your Connecticut criticism.
UConn’s coach could lose out on nearly $200,000 if the school’s APR suffers again. Walker made news for having supposedly just read his first book. Both say those aren’t fair representations to the school’s academic reflection.
“That’s just what people want,” Walker told the AP. “They want to bring us down. Regardless of what they say, I’m still graduating in three years, so that comment means absolutely nothing. I’ve read a lot of books.”
The junior guard – who’ll graduate this spring – says William C. Rhoden’s “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete” was the first book sat down and read cover-to-cover. Not the first one in its entirety.
As for Calhoun, he’ll have to donate $100,000 to a UConn scholarship if the school falls below 925 on its APR score. He also would forfeit am $87,500 bonus. Last year, UConn’s four-year APR score was 930, including an 844 for the 2008-09 season. The scores are due next month.
The issue? Calhoun says too many Huskies have left early for the NBA.
“Eight straight years, we made the APR,” Calhoun said Wednesday. “If because someone left early or didn’t finish, all those various things that get you...when you have 16 kids leave (for the pros) in a 10-year period, you are more likely to be more open to (a low APR) happening.”
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