UMass To Unveil Statues Of Erving, Camby, Leaman And Calipari
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — The University of Massachusetts has announced plans to unveil statues of two of the best men's basketball players as well as two of the best basketball coaches in school history outside the team's Amherst arena.
The statues of Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Marcus Camby as well as coaches Jack Leaman and John Calipari will be made public during a ceremony Sept. 11 outside the Mullins Center.
The unveiling will be held the day after the induction into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame of the 1995-96 men's basketball team, coached by Calipari and starring Camby. The team reached the Final Four, although the appearance was later vacated because of NCAA violations.
Erving played for Leaman in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
"These four pillars of our men's basketball program put Massachusetts basketball on the map during their time in Amherst," director of athletics Ryan Bamford said in a statement this week. "They are responsible for some of the most memorable moments in our program's history, and we are thrilled to honor their legacies with this lasting tribute."
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