University of Michigan's FAB FIVE

ONE TEAM
ONE DREAM
FIVE FRESHMEN

                     

So last night, March 13, 2011. ESPN premiered a documentary show called "Fab Five: In Their Own Words". 

The Fab five was actually a nickname given by the media and public for a 1991 University of Michigan ( Go Wolverines) Men's basketball team recruitment class.  Which was considered to be "The Greatest Class Ever Recruited." Because the class consisted of 5 extremely talented, young freshman.

The class consisted of Detroit. Michigan natives Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, Chicago native Juwan Howard and Texas stars Jimmy King and Ray Jackson.  Their two year at U of M (before entering the NBA draft) they started in a combined 304 games out of a possible 350 games.

CULTURE ICONS

MISUNDERSTOOD

SHOCKING THE WORLD

& SCANDALS

Not only were these 5 talented freshman shared one team, with a dream, and that dream was to win and take their school to the NCAA championship, they also shared a lot of fame, commotion.  As as every good comes with a bad they share some love, and a lot of hatred from Michigan's Alumni, and some media.  But these 5 men and their University of Michigan program, shared a special bond, on the court and off the court these guys were experiencing it all for the first time, and a brotherhood relationship was born, this bond was "almost" unbreakable. 

Fab Five were widely portrayed as the root of all evil in college sports, they originated the baggy shorts and black socks look to basketball. They blasted hip-hop music in the locker room, when hip-hop in those days wasn't so mainstream. and they talked trash. A lot of trash.

"Those types of uniforms and behavior might be commonplace today, but 20 years ago it was revolutionary, polarizing and heavily influential to a generation of young athletes. Although the Fab Five never got into serious trouble off the court, the players symbolized to many people a clear shift in the sports world and youth culture. Fans of all races and demographics spent millions of dollars on Michigan jerseys, shorts and the like, trying to capture a tiny slice of the group's mystique. By the end of their second year together, the Fab Five were routinely battered in the national media for the way they carried themselves. Articles and television reports painted them as brash villains or worse -- as thugs."-ESPN

This team went on to play two full seasons at U of M.  They reached the NCAA Championship game as freshmen in 1992 and again as sophomores in 1993. Although not winning, they sure brought a lot of media attention and their legacy went down on history. But unfortunately their legacy has been tarnished due to a scandal that developed after they had left for the NBA. And forced the university to forfeit many of its achievements and the removal of the Fab Five's banners from Crisler Arena.

At the end of their 1993 College Basketball season, 4 out of 5 players went on to sign contracts with the NBA. and all had successful careers, but none of the members of the FAB 5 has ever won an NBA championship.