During halftime of Saturday's basketball game against Drexel, Ball State University's athletic department retired Bonzi Wells' number 42 jersey.
Wells, who left the university in 1998, holds both the Mid-American Conference and Ball State's all-time scoring records.
In announcing the retirement, the university stated in a press release that "Wells is only the second student-athlete in Ball State history to have his number retired by the university."
As this sort of memorial sets the standard for other aspiring athletes to follow, it must honor not only athletic achievement, but personal character as well.
Wells, who has demonstrated outstanding talent as a basketball player, falls far from the exemplary "student-athlete" status a retired jersey is meant to honor.
Although he spent four years at Ball State, Wells never graduated from the university. He went on to join the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers until he was traded the Grizzlies for the 2003-04 season. Over the course of his NBA career, Wells' sportsmanship has been anything but exemplary.
In November 2000, Wells was suspended one game without pay and fined $10,000 for intentionally striking and verbally abusing an official during a game against the Seattle SuperSonics. Following his ejection, Wells threw his headband across the court at referee Tim Donaghy and knocked over a water cooler.
In September 2001, Police said Wells refused to leave the scene of a fight near a nightclub. He and three others were cited for criminal trespassing.
In November 2003, Wells was fined for making an obscene gesture at a fan during a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. During the game, he also threw a towel and water bottle onto the court. Later that month, the Blazer's suspended Wells for two games without pay for cursing at coach Maurice Cheeks after being taken out of the game. He was also stripped of his co-captain's title for his behavior in the loss.
In November 2002, Wells was fined for spitting on San Antonio player Danny Ferry and calling him a "honky" during a game. The following December, he was fined for his involvement in a post-game brawl with the Golden State Warriors, calling the team's Troy Murphy a "cracker." As his time with the Trail Blazers neared its end in March 2003, Wells was suspended by Cheeks for "conduct considered detrimental to the team."
These stories should be no surprise to BSU officials, as they were actively reported by the Associated Press, the NBA, ESPN and various Web sites.
Without a doubt, Ball State would never tolerate such activity from one of its students or athletes. Regardless of their athletic accomplishments, players of this nature do not deserve to have their jersey retired.
An athlete's given achievement in their respective sport puts their name in record books and some commemorative items in collector's catalogs. However, an athlete's all-around character on and off the field or court is what earns him or her the right to be forever honored as a standard for others.
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