Ex-Michigan basketball star Chris Webber will be back in Ann Arbor this weekend to serve as the honorary captain for the football team’s game against Penn State at Michigan Stadium.
It appears Webber could meet with the basketball team, too.
“There’s been some discussion on that, yeah,” said Michigan coach John Beilein when asked if he had plans to meet with Webber and discuss a reunion between the former star and the program. “And so I don’t know how much Chris wants me to say, but we hope we can get together this weekend.”
Webber, perhaps the most famous member of the Fab Five, is slated to make his first full public appearance on his old campus since a 10-year disassociation clause ended in 2013. Webber was part of a payment scandal that involved former booster Ed Martin and led to the NCAA punishing the program with a postseason ban and scholarship restrictions, among other sanctions.
This summer, Webber spoke on the Dan Patrick Show on radio and said he’d like to have a full reunion with his Fab Five teammates at U-M.
“There’s nothing I would want more than that,” Webber said. “I think that we’re on the right path for that. I think there has to be conversation, organically. People were pushing it for money because of that (ESPN) doc, but you have to be sincere, address and then move forward because all the other stuff is still going to be there.
“For the fans, for myself, for my family, hopefully I think it’s something we’re working toward.”
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Thursday afternoon, Beilein reiterated his desire to bring Webber back into the fold.
“It would be great,” Beilein said. “Since I came here 12 years ago, all of that, getting everybody back, former Michigan players to be really connected to the university again. For whatever reasons, whether they were not, the whole idea is we’re one big great family, and let’s get everyone connected again.”
Michigan has an exhibition game against Northwood at Crisler Center on Friday night, but it’s unknown whether Webber will be in attendance.
“He’s a big-time name around here, and it’s great that he’s coming back,” junior center Jon Teske said. “If we are able to meet him, that’d be awesome.”
“He played a big role in making Michigan what it was,” sophomore point guard Eli Brooks added, “so that’d be pretty impactful.”
Contact Orion Sang: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang.
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