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Billy McKinney has emotional response to being told Northwestern jersey will be retired
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Billy McKinney, a Northwestern basketball icon and current NU radio analyst, was surprised Sunday afternoon prior to the Wildcats’ game against Iowa.
The program announced that McKinney’s No. 30 jersey will be retired, becoming the first student athlete in school history to be granted the honor.
McKinney understandably became emotional following the announcement. Check it out below:
What a great moment. 😀@NUMensBball legend Billy McKinney gets emotional finding out the school is retiring his jersey, the first in @NU_Sports history. pic.twitter.com/qfXyoefPTN
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 19, 2023
McKinney, nicknamed “The Crazed Hummingbird,” was Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer (1,900 points) until 2012 and is considered the best basketball player in Northwestern history. He played for the Wildcats from 1973-1977 then spent 8 years in the NBA with the Kings, Jazz, Bulls, Nuggets and Clippers.
His jersey will be retired next year, according to Northwestern’s announcement.
SIMPLY THE BEST ⭐️
Northwestern has announced that during the 2023-24 Billy McKinney will be the first student-athlete in school history to have their jersey retired. pic.twitter.com/uK2b7SE7ki
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) February 19, 2023
Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Tradition.