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Bryon
Russell Jazzes up graduation ceremony
Staff Reports
One Cal State Long
Beach graduate who will be walking a little bit taller than
most is Utah Jazz basketball player Bryon Russell.
Russell left CSULB in 1993 to play in the NBA, while being
three units short of completing a bachelor's degree in criminal
justice. He has since completed his requirements and will
be walking in today's 1 p.m. ceremony for the College of Health
and Human Services.
"I was a student before I became a professional athlete,"
Russell said in a press release. "The possibility of
entering the NBA didn't come until my senior year at Long
Beach. Up until that point, I considered a career in law.
My degree was always important to me and it was something
I needed to complete."
The 6-foot-7, 225-lb. guard/forward was chosen in the second
round of the 1993 NBA draft, and in nine seasons has an average
of 10.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Before donning a Jazz uniform, Russell lit it up for the Beach,
playing four years as a 49er after red-shirting the 1989-1990
season.
Russell's wife Kimberli is also a CSULB alumna, having earned
a psychology degree in 1994. She is also co-founder and president
of the Bryon Russell Foundation, which helps promote positive
change in the community. The Rusells have three children,
Kajun, 6, and twins Brittani and Brandon, 4.
Cal State Long Beach President Robert Maxson applauded Russell's
actions.
"When a successful professional athlete such as Bryon
Russell comes back years later to complete a degree, well,
that says something about the person and the institution,"
Maxson said. "It sends the message that education is
important, no matter how successful you are in other areas
of your life and it's the right message to send."
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