Way to go, Jamaal Magloire

Way to go, Jamaal Magloire

By Trey Kerby

Ever since he was chosen as a reserve for the 2004 All-Star Game, Jamaal Magloire(notes) has been a bit of a running joke in NBA circles. Even though the Detroit Pistons won that year's title, Magloire was the embodiment of a weak Eastern Conference — "Heck, if that Canadian Jamaal Magloire can make an All-Star team, the East must be pretty weak" is how the story went. But just because he's possibly the most underwhelming All-Star of the past two decades, there is no reason to say that Jamaal Magloire isn't still good.

No, not at basketball. He's still pretty underwhelming at that. But at life he seems like he's got it figured out. From the Toronto Star's Doug Smith:

When he heard of the murder last Monday of single mother Lucita Charles - who left behind a 7-year-old son with cerebral palsy - not only did Jamaal Magloire think he could help out, he did help out.

The 10-year NBA veteran paid for the funeral for Charles (the city's 18th murder victim of this year) and plans to establish a trust fund for her orphaned son. [...]

"That's the most important thing: what's going to happen to (Charles' son)," he said. "We're going to try to set up this fund for him so that maybe in the future, when he needs special treatment or a special doctor, he can get it."

Awesome. And the best part is that Magloire wanted absolutely no credit for what he did. As Smith says, "He didn't do it for the publicity — he was upset that news of his actions first leaked out — but because he cares a bit."

Sorry, Jamaal Magloire, but when you do something this good and this cool, people are going to notice. Probably worth it though.

(Also, I have to mention that the Star's headline is pretty weird. Check it out and see if you don't mix up some verbs and get confused about what Magloire was trying to help with. It's like a Magic Eye for headlines.)