MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nick saw the dark circles under his eyes that never went away, noticed how he struggled down basketball courts he used to cover in a sprint and how he had to rest on the exam table when his pediatrician took his mother outside to talk.
In the car, the high school freshman closed his eyes during a ride with mom until she went over a speed bump.
He looked up to see St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and asked: “Do I have cancer?”
The 14-year-old did indeed have cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia specifically. The treatment a decade ago that kept him alive also ended the Division I prospect’s hopes of playing for his hometown Memphis Tigers or anywhere else.
On Tuesday, Memphis will play a basketball doubleheader exhibition that Nick helped inspire. The Tigers host No. 9 North Carolina at FedExForum followed by the women playing defending national champion South Carolina in the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic.
It’s something of a birthday celebration for Nick, who turns 25 that day, but it’s a lot more than that.
The event is a fundraiser for a hospital dedicated to caring for children and it’s not the only one of its kind. College basketball teams used to scrimmage behind closed doors for years but NCAA rule changes now allow Division I teams to schedule exhibitions where 100% of ticket proceeds can go to a specific charity.
No. 12 Tennessee, the reigning Southeastern Conference champion, hosts Indiana on Oct. 27 with money going to the John McLendon Foundation, which provides scholarship support to minority graduate students pursuing a career in athletics administration. John Calipari’s debut at Arkansas comes Oct. 25 against Kansas, with ticket sales split between Fore the Kids Foundation in Kansas and Arkansas Children’s Hospitals.
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis played against Memphis coach Penny Hardaway in the NBA and the two friends have talked about pitting their teams against each other. Davis’s mother died of cancer.
“To be able to serve together was something that was a no brainer for both of us, and I’m really excited about the opportunity,” Davis said.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had been trying to schedule a regular-season game with Memphis coach Alex Simmons. The Gamecocks, with three national titles since 2017, are booked with no chance at a return game for a couple more years. Staley said Simmons was kind enough to agree to an exhibition.
“I just got a St. Jude envelope in the mail. I’ve given…
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