CHICAGO – The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA), the only alumni association comprised of former NBA, ABA, Harlem Globetrotters and WNBA players, will mark the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by honoring two greats symbolic of New Orleans’ recovery: Chef Leah Chase and Saints Wide Receiver Joe Horn.
NBRPA CEO Arnie Fielkow, a former New Orleans Council President, said the non-profit sports organization, wanted to include these New Orleans legends at its largest philanthropic fundraiser as a broader tribute to leadership.
The Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend takes place at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22, 2015.
“This is a special weekend for our organization,” said CEO Fielkow. “It not only gives fans a chance to meet Legends and see excellent college basketball, but this weekend is also an opportunity to celebrate those who have made a difference by inspiring others. Our NBA Legends did that on the court; Ms. Chase and Mr. Horn did that in their own fields.”
Leah Chase is known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, and her restaurant Dooky Chase’s served as a meeting place for the city’s civil rights movement. The rebuilding of her restaurant after the 2005 storms was a significant sign of recovery.
Joe Horn is the New Orleans Saints’ all-time leader in 100-yard receiving games. He served as the public face of the team following Hurricane Katrina, and underscored the importance of keeping the team in the city despite the community’s physical devastation.
Basketball legends Jalen Rose, Lenny Wilkens, Rick Barry, John Starks, Gene Keady, Dave Cowens, Calvin Murphy, Spencer Haywood, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Jo Jo White will also be on hand at the Mohegan Sun for a three-day weekend of exciting events as part of the Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend.
Three days of action begins Friday, November 20 with the Hall of Fame Tip Off Banquet.
On Saturday, November 21, the annual men’s college tip-off tournament hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame begins featuring eight NCAA Division I college programs: Purdue, Florida, St. Joseph’s, Old Dominion, Buffalo, Niagara, North Carolina A&T and Vermont. The night ends with the NBRPA’s Legends Philanthropy Awards Gala, featuring Horn and Chase as well as a star-studded line-up of remarkable basketball legends who made the game faster and more exciting.
The weekend concludes Sunday, November 22 with the final round of the Hall of Fame tip-off tournament.
The Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend is a charitable event to raise funds for the NBRPA’s Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund and other charitable partners. The scholarship fund helps retired athletes transition to new careers as well as fund higher education for their children and grandchildren.
The package event includes meet-and-greets with the Legends, VIP receptions and other one-of-a-kind interactions with professional sports icons.
Tables to the Awards Gala on November 21 start at $2,000.
An individual reserved-seating ticket for the gala is $250.
Weekend VIP packages start $5,000.
