Chambers to Join Runnin' Utes Lore with Honored Jersey Ceremony Feb. 5

SALT LAKE CITY – University of Utah Director of Athletics Mark Harlan announced on Thursday that former Utah men's basketball center Tom Chambers will have his jersey honored and immortalized in the rafters along with the other Runnin' Utes greats.
 
"In the tremendous history of the Utah men's basketball program, Tom Chambers holds a special place for the accomplishments he achieved both as a member of the program and throughout his all-star career in the NBA," Harlan said. "He has brought distinction and positive recognition to the University of Utah by leading his team to two NCAA tournaments and achieving four NBA All-Star appearances over the course of his 16-year professional career. We are excited to have Tom and his family join us in the Huntsman Center to commemorate his incredible achievements by displaying his jersey among the greats in Utah Men's Basketball history."
 
He becomes the ninth Runnin' Ute to have his jersey hanging in the rafters of the Jon M. Huntsman Center and joins the late Wat Misaka, who will have his jersey honored on Saturday, Jan. 22.
 
"I'm truly grateful and humbled that the U is going to honor me and my basketball career by putting my jersey up in the Huntsman Center," Chambers said. "I want to thank this great university, in particular Mark Harlan, for this becoming a reality. I have so many unforgettable memories and people that I will always cherish. My coaches, my friends, my extended family—made possible by the U—and, of course, my terrific teammates. My family is loving this, as am I. Thank you and Go Utes!!"
 
Chambers was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference center for the Runnin' Utes from 1977-81. He led Utah to two NCAA Tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 1981 when the Utes also won the WAC title. He was a first-round pick in the 1981 NBA Draft, taken No. 8 overall by the San Diego Clippers.
 
"Tom had a tremendous career at the University of Utah," Utah men's basketball head coach Craig Smith said. "He led the Runnin' Utes to multiple NCAA Tournaments. Tom was an electric player. He could do it all. He could score at all three levels and guard almost anyone on the floor. He made the game look so easy with his combination of skill and the ease of which he could run the floor. And who can forget his highlight real dunks! He had a flare for the game that inspired everyone around him."
 
He led the team in scoring his last three years and rebounds his last two seasons. He continues to rank ninth in career scoring at Utah with 1,698 points and 10th with 876 career rebounds. He is also sixth in field goals made (691) and 10th in field goals attempted (1,249).
 
The 6-foot-9 Chambers averaged a team-best 16.0 points per game as a sophomore as Utah advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament and was the WAC runner-up. Chambers was named second team All-WAC and second team All-District as a junior in 1979-80, contributing 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game that season. During his senior year, Chambers earned first team All-WAC and All-District accolades as he led Utah to a share of the WAC title and the NCAA Sweet 16. He paced the team once again with 18.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
 
Chambers moved to power forward in the NBA and was selected to four All-Star games during his career from 1981 to 1997. He played a total of 16 seasons for the San Diego Clippers (1981-83), Seattle SuperSonics (1983-88), Phoenix Suns (1988-93), Utah Jazz (1993-95), Charlotte Hornets (1997) and Philadelphia 76ers (1997). He scored 20,049 points during his career and averaged 18.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Chambers was the 1987 NBA All-Star Game MVP after scoring 34 points and played in the 1993 NBA Finals with the Suns.
 
Chambers was born in Ogden, Utah, and was an all-state basketball player at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colo. He currently serves as a studio analyst with Suns TV on Bally Sports Arizona.
 
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
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