Joshua Clayton
Ole Miss students will have the opportunity to join the fight against cancer by making Kermit Davis open his checkbook.
The Ole Miss head basketball coach has partnered with Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society to host the Make Kermit Pay philanthropy event as a part of homecoming week festivities.
Students are invited to The Pavilion on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 5-7 p.m. to shoot baskets with the Rebels. Each shot made during the two-hour period adds to Davis’ donation to the charity. Davis has pledged to donate a dollar for every student in attendance, $10 for every free throw and $500 for every successful half-court shot.
“You get to come into The Pavilion and shoot balls with other students and with our players,” Davis said. “Not only are we raising money for cancer, we also get a good chance for the student body to connect with our players on the floor in The Pavilion, which I think is a win-win in many areas.”
Davis has been a leader for the cause for the Association of Basketball Coaches, having worked with Coaches vs. Cancer throughout his career. Davis participated in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tennessee Tip-off Event while he was coaching MTSU and continues to take part in the Suits and Sneakers program every year.
“Coaches throughout college basketball have done an unbelievable job with it,” Davis said. “So I think it’s just because we all are touched and just want to give back to the research to help people.”
This particular cause is so important for the coach because he’s been directly affected by cancer. Both his parents, Kermit Sr. and Nancy, have battled cancer, and Davis said that his family’s experience has motivated him to keep giving.
“I think it just hits us all real close to our heart,” Davis said. “I know the Ole Miss student body is a great giving back student body and everybody’s looking for different ways to help. I’ve got a lot of confidence.”
“I’m very fortunate for the resources that I have and I want to give back so when I started talking with Coaches vs. Cancer I said I wanted to do something with students,” Davis said. “To me, the Ole Miss student spirit is terrific. I think we’re maybe the second one that’s doing it.”
Davis said he got the idea from a similar event held by former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan.
“What I really wanted to do was do philanthropy with the student body,” Davis said. “If 19,000 students came up, I’d start with $19,000. I think it’s just a cool way for all of us to do it during homecoming week.”
Students will be able to watch the end of an open practice in The Pavilion starting a 4 p.m. on Wednesday, before shooting begins at 5 p.m.
“My wife might have to stop some of her shopping, but that may be a good thing too,” Davis said. “I hope the students make a bunch of shots and make me pay a lot of money.”
