THE REBOUND 915 PODCAST — DON HASKINS EDITION
The Rebound 915 Podcast: Don Haskins Edition
Produced by Rutter Media | Hosted by Doug Rutter
Explore the Don Haskins Legacy
The conversations are only part of the story.
Visit DonHaskins.com to explore the life, career, history, photographs, memorabilia, and enduring legacy of Coach Don Haskins.
Through documentary-style conversations with former players, coaches, journalists, family members, and friends, the series explores the man behind “The Bear” and the relationships that defined his remarkable career.
A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who compiled a 719–353 record at UTEP, Haskins left a legacy of leadership, integrity, and influence that reached far beyond the court.
The Rebound 915 Podcast: Don Haskins Edition preserves those stories for generations to come.
COACH HASKINS CALLED ME ‘SPACE’
Chris Blocker — “Space”
My teammates at UTEP will remember that our Hall of Fame coach, Don Haskins, called me “Space.” Not because I could jump, but because I thought differently.
When my friend and teammate, Hernell “Jeep” Jackson, died from a genetic heart condition, the media went into overdrive trying to tie his inevitable death to a drug-related issue.
Coach called the team, coaching staff, and athletic department into the Special Events Center and told everyone:
“Blocker is the only one allowed to talk to the media. That’s all.”
I fielded two press conferences, destroyed anyone that made racist suggestions, then continued to mourn the loss of my friend.
Coach told me later that he was crushed by the passing of a player he looked at as family, but happy that he chose family to speak for him.
That’s all the “warm and fuzzy” I ever got from him, but he loved us nonetheless.
— Chris Blocker
THE DON HASKINS CONVERSATIONS
Firsthand stories from the players, coaches, family members, journalists, and friends who knew “The Bear.”
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