Wildcats come together, endow scholarship in Wright's name
NAU basketball coach Jack Murphy was in the middle of an overwhelming three-game trip to Gonzaga, Washington State and Boise State this month when he learned his friend Michael Wright had been killed in Brooklyn, New York.
Murphy was the UA’s manager during Wright’s three Arizona basketball seasons, 1998-2001; they were in the same freshman class and became close.
“Mike was a brother to me,” Murphy said. “He would give me or anyone else the shirt off his back if he thought we needed it.
“No one was more dependable than Mike; his strength came from within and he rose above many obstacles in his life.”
Murphy contacted the UA athletic department and asked if the school could endow a scholarship in Wright’s name. He reached out to dozens from his old UA network; through Friday, the UA had raised $51,000 in its immediate goal of $100,000 for the Michael Wright Scholarship Fund.
Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton both donated $13,700. Former players Miles Simon, Peter Hansen, Jason Gardner and Justin Wessel donated $1,000 each. Memphis coach Josh Pastner donated $5,000. Seven former UA managers have combined to donate close to $5,000 more.
Russell Harris, a walk-on guard and Wright’s roommate, donated $1,000.
The endowment will be used to provide scholarship support for former Arizona athletes who have completed NCAA eligibility and want to return to school to complete an undergraduate degree.
Murphy and NAU will play at McKale Center on Dec. 16.
It is his hope that by tipoff that night, the endowment scholarship for his old friend will be fully funded.
Information: beardownchallenge.com/campaigns/michael-wright-a-club-scholarship-endowment
