Pacers’ Whittington has high school jersey retired

Whittington’s No. 32 high school jersey was retired Friday night in Lawrence, Michigan. (Photo by Crystal Vander Weit/Kalamazoo Gazette)

Pacers rookie Shayne Whittington is spending his first NBA All-Star break home in Michigan rather than at a beach like many of his teammates.

Whittington, a 2009 graduate of Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Michigan, was at his alma mater Friday night to catch the Tigers in action, and, more importantly, had his No. 32 jersey retired. That’s a special and lasting tribute for a student who gave back and was a great example, and an athlete who helped his school to two Class D state semifinals appearances.

Melody Anne DeMerell of MLive.com reported that Whittington’s jersey is the first to be retired in John Overley’s nearly 20 years as Lawrence Superintendent.

“It’s great to come back and be here again,” Whittington said just prior to halftime. “I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it weren’t for everyone who helped me, my family, my friends, my coaches and mentors. I cannot thank them enough.

“I remember my dad and brother and mentors started telling me I had talent. You just have to go for it if you want to be good at something. You really have to work hard to make it happen and there will be sacrifices, but that’s how you succeed.”

“It’s something the whole community hangs their hat on,” Salvano said of Whittington starring at WMU and making it to the NBA. “They’re proud of Shayne and when he visits people in Lawrence it’s like the old little kid in Shayne comes out again. There’s no sense that he’s an NBA star. The whole community and the people in the (Southwestern Athletic Conference) hang their hat on him.

“He’s represented himself very well. It hasn’t come easy for him. He’s had to work at everything he’s done and hopefully he’ll be in the NBA for a while.”

Whittington went on to play college hoops at Western Michigan from 2009-2014, and then was signed by the Pacers as an undrafted free agent on July 2nd.

The 23-year-old made it a full weekend of visiting his old stomping grounds. Saturday, he was in Kalamazoo to see Western Michigan and Northern Illinois.