John
Calipari
Head coach at the University of Arkansas, he was named Naismith College Coach of the Year three times and inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Pete Babcock leveraged his connections within the NBA and the game of basketball to promote social activism nationwide. He also had an outstanding career as general manager of three franchises, where he built teams that made the playoffs 14 out of 15 seasons, doing so with character and integrity.
Having known Pete since my days with the New Jersey Nets, I have grown to appreciate his unique efforts to positively impact society through the NBA and the game, particularly in helping young people. Pete initiated a program with the Denver Nuggets that worked to reduce violence among gang members in the city. He made weekly rides through the gang neighborhoods at night to meet with opposing gangs and then eventually brought them to Nuggets’ games to sit with him. His efforts helped some young men secure jobs with several season ticket holders and helped break down some of the barriers between the various gangs.
He organized annual visits to Native American reservations throughout the United States, taking volunteer players and coaches to work with the youth of the respective reservations. The game of basketball became a vehicle to reach young people about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and finding ways to achieve their dreams. He continued that program from Denver through his 13 years in Atlanta with the Hawks.
President Reagan invited him to a White House ceremony to be recognized for his work with Native American youth. He was also asked to address Congress on increasing the budget to fight substance abuse. He assisted Colorado Governor Roy Romer in traveling the State to work with students on maximizing their potential.
The Special Olympics selected him as Sports Personality of the Year in Atlanta. He received the annual Golden Apple Award from the Atlanta Public Schools for his male-mentoring programs with grade schools and success seminars with at-risk high school students. The mayor of Atlanta recognized Pete’s ongoing efforts with the coveted Phoenix Award, and the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation presented him with its annual Hitchcock Humanitarian Award in Washington, D.C. As a result of the success of his programs, he was asked to consult with then-Vice President Gore on methods to reduce violence among young people and assisted in writing a position paper on building character through sports for the Clinton White House.