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Former MSU basketball player makes $1 million donation to V Foundation
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Former Michigan State basketball player Mat Ishbia is reaching into his pockets to make a sizable donation again. This time, the former Spartan is making a $1 million contribution for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale revealed Ishbia’s donation amount during Thursday night’s rivalry game between Michigan State and No. 2 Michigan.
“I’m on cloud nine,” Vitale said. “Mat said to me, ‘Dickie V, I’ve been successful, I love kids, I love helping people that want to help kids, count me in for $1 million dollars.”
The donation from Ishbia comes just a few weeks after he made a $32 million contribution to the Michigan State athletic department for the football and basketball programs. His donation will allow the athletic department to expand the Skandalaris Football Center to include a performance zone, develop new lockers for players, expand the weight room and improve meeting spaces and the football auditorium.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was launched in 1993 by Jim Valvano, who died of cancer at age 47 in 1994. He was a former head basketball coach at NC State and ESPN commentator.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB