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NBA Star Draymond Green Donates $3.1 Million To His Alma Mater Michigan State University

This article is more than 8 years old.

Golden State Warriors forward  Draymond Green can now add philanthropist to his growing list of titles, as the 2015 NBA champion has made a $3.1 million dollar donation to his Alma mater Michigan State University. The gift, which is the second largest ever made by an active professional athlete to his or her former school, comes on the heels of Green's new five year, $82 million contract with the Warriors, as well several other major endorsement deals negotiated by marketing agent Darren Heitner.

The donation will go to support two of Michigan State's top athletic priorities - facilities and endowments-  in their Empower Extraordinary campaign. Specifically, Draymond's gift will go to help build a new strength and conditioning room in the room in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center as part of an overall facility renovation.

"Michigan State means everything to me," says Draymond. "I grew up in Saginaw and and was lucky enough to attend Michigan State University where Coach Izzo believed in me and gave me the chance to succeed. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my Spartan experience and this donation reflects my deep appreciation to the University. This donation isn’t just about me. I want more kids to have the opportunities I had thanks to Michigan State and want to use this to stimulate all Spartans to give back to the best university in the world," he adds. 

While large gifts by former student-athletes are not unheard of - NFL player Ndamukong Suh gave University of Nebraska $2.6 million back in 2010 - they  rarely happen when a player is still in the prime of their career. Most athletes with high earnings potential surround themselves with financial planners who are reluctant to advise their clients on parting with vast sums of money while at the peaks of their career, even when its for something philanthropic. 

According to Ed McLaughlin, athletic director at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), "Getting professional athletes to give back when they are at the height of their career and wealth is something that every athletic department struggles with. Part of that is because they have to be smart with their money, and it’s not easy to ask them to donate at a time when they should be financially prudent."

Of course, as athletic departments clamor to raise money for the ever increasing arms race of college athletics, former student-athletes that have gone on to become successful professionals are often the first potential donors a school may turn to in their development efforts. Even then, schools must walk a fine line when recognizing former student-athletes as valuable brand ambassadors for their program versus seeing them as just another booster.

You have to treat them as one of your own, not as a commodity," explains McLaughlin. "You never look at someone and say 'this kid can be a pro one day',  but rather this is someone who can be an engaged alumni for life. We want our student-athletes to love their experience while at the university, to know that the school invested into their success and their lives. If you focus on that, then you would hope that they would be willing to give back in some way later on."

Jason Belzer is Founder of GAME, Inc.  and a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Sports Law at Rutgers University. Follow him on Twitter @JasonBelzer.