wynnewood - The retirement of Hakim Warrick's basketball jersey Jan. 19 turned into a Friends' Central lovefest.
About 700 fans crowded the Shimada Athletic Center for the ceremony retiring Warrick's No. 21 - and to hear Hakim's acceptance speech.
After the ceremony - held at halftime of the Friends' Central-Moorestown Friends boys' basketball game - Warrick stayed through the second half of the game, sitting behind the scorer's table with his family and talking to people he knew from Friends' Central. After the game, Warrick signed hundreds of autographs.
The following night, about 500 Friends' Central fans turned out at the Wachovia Center to see Warrick, a first-round draft pick of the Memphis Grizzlies, play against the Sixers.
After the Sixers' game, Warrick came up from the locker room to answer questions submitted by the hundreds of fans (many of them youngsters) seated in a section behind the basket.
Asked what was the most lasting thing he learned at Friends' Central, Warrick responded, "To keep an open mind about things - when I first went to Friends' Central, it was much different [atmosphere] than what I was used to - but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made."
Warrick transferred from University City High School after his sophomore year in 1999. He scored 924 points in two years at Friends' Central, and in his senior year, the Phoenix won their first boys' basketball championship in 25 years. Warrick averaged 16 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots per game that season for the Phoenix (23-2).
"Winning the championship was the highlight of my career [at Friends' Central]," said Warrick. "It was my last game, and after the game, it was great to hear the students chanting my name one last time."
At the ceremony Thursday, Friends' Central headmaster David Felsen presented a framed No. 21 jersey to Warrick. Another framed No. 21 jersey will hang in the Shimada Athletic Center's basketball arena, next to the list of Friends' Central 1,000 point scorers. No other boys' basketball player at Friends' Central ever will wear No. 21 again.
Felsen said, "Hakim was more than a basketball player to us - he took his classes seriously, was a member of the Black Student Forum and went out for the track team. He really involved himself in the community here.
"His interest in Friends' Central has continued beyond his graduation. He has returned every summer to speak at our Basketball, Reading & Math Clinic."
Friends' Central boys' basketball coach Keino Terrell, who coached Warrick during his senior year, said, "He brings a different message of motivation for the kids [at the clinic] every year."
Terrell added, "My most lasting memory of Hakim came during his senior year - the care and attention he and his family took during the college recruiting process. Most young people would have been overwhelmed in the company of coaching legends, but Hakim was simply humbled by the experience and this allowed his true character to come through.
"It was extremely difficult for Hakim to communicate with people new to him, but he understood the importance of asking questions that were significant to make an informed decision about where to attend school. It was like he was becoming a man in these moments."
Warrick's family, including his father, stepfather, mother, brother and sister, were at Thursday's ceremony.
Former Friends' Central players who turned out for Thursday's ceremony included Ryan Tozer, Willie Frank, Erich Vadino, Jim McHugh, Chris Cappella, Jason Polykoff, assistant coach Mike Powell, Quincey Booth, Greg Pearlman and Raphael DeSousza. Warrick said he keeps in touch with many of his former Friends' Central teammates by e-mail.
Thursday, Warrick said another highlight of his Friends' Central career was the basketball team's trip to California for the San Diego Small Schools Tournament, hosted by La Jolla County Day School, in December of 1999. The Phoenix won four games in a row to make it to the championship finals, and Warrick was named to the all-tournament team.
Warrick said, "It was great, just being with the team, by the beach and playing a few games."
Bob Folwell, who coached Warrick during Hakim's junior year at Friends' Central, said, "Initially, Hakim was very quiet and shy; however, the trip gave him a chance to come out of his shell. His easygoing personality and great sense of humor came through during the plane ride and the down time from the games.
"The team, which had spent many hours fund-raising, stayed at a beachfront hotel in La Jolla. Hakim loved the Playstation contests in the rooms among the players, the miniature golf and the Jacuzzi time."
Following his time at Friends' Central, Warrick starred for Syracuse University, and became one of only five players to score 2,000 points for the Orange (he currently stands fourth on the school's all-time scoring list).
Warrick helped the Orange capture the 2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship. His memorable block in the final seconds ensured the Orange an 81-78 win in the championship game.
"Everything seemed to be going in slow motion on that [block]," said Warrick, who later added that his favorite dunk was against Texas in the championship semifinal, a 95-84 win in which Hakim tallied 18 points.
After getting his degree in retailing and consumer studies from Syracuse, Warrick was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft by the Grizzlies.
"The NBA has been everything I expected," said Warrick. "Since the fourth grade, it's always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA. Just to be able to compete in front of you guys, against the best competition in the world, is great."
The first thing Warrick did with his NBA money was buy a house for his mother, Queen, in southern New Jersey.
Friday, Warrick played for more than six minutes, entering the game near the end of the first quarter. Later in the period, he took a pass inside from Pau Gasol, backed down former Villanova star Michael Bradley and converted a five-foot jumper.
After Friday's game, Warrick answered questions from Friends' Central fans sitting behind the basket (the questions were submitted to Terrell, who asked the questions), and each of Hakim's shoes were given to the kids who got the right answers.
One of the shoes was given to Friends' Central student Matthew Karliner, 12, of Wynnewood, who answered correctly the number of points Warrick scored at Friends' Central (924).
The other shoe was given to another student, Michael Murray, 14, of West Philadelphia, who answered correctly where Warrick finished on the all-time Syracuse scoring list (fourth).
The Hakim Warrick story at Friends' Central started seven years ago, when Folwell was the Phoenix boys' basketball head coach.
"[Former Friends' Central player] Mike Cook played with Hakim in some local rec leagues, and both Mike and his father highly recommended him," said Folwell. "I went to meet him in my old neighborhood where I grew up. We met in the West Philadelphia Community Center at 34th and Haverford. I met with him, his mother and the center's director and West Philly legend James Wright.
"Queen mentioned that they were looking for a school that would prepare him academically for college, and have him compete and improve his game on the court. I actually attended University City High School with Queen 27 years ago, where she played for the girls' city championship team.
"I also transferred to Friends' Central in my junior year, so I could actually provide them with some of the challenges he would face not only academically, but culturally. Hakim handled the meeting very well, and the rest is history."
Folwell added, "The love and support of his family especially his mom were key elements in his success. At my son's flag football game two years ago, I began speaking with another mom who mentioned that she was Hakim's second grade teacher at the McMichael School in West Philadelphia, two blocks from Hakim's home. She mentioned how involved Hakim's mom was in the daily school and academic schedule, constantly coming in to speak with her and the principal about Hakim's work and making sure he was challenged.
"Queen did the same at Friends' Central, and was a big influence on him and his decision to continue and finish at Syracuse and earn his degree rather than entering the NBA draft early.
"Hakim is a wonderful, charming, hard-working young man that, whenever given the opportunity, rose to the occasion. Once he gets the consistent time on the court in the NBA, I think he will flourish and be a successful, bright star and fine role model for young student-athletes."
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