Then-Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd (22) attempts to beat a defender during a game against the Detroit Pistons Oct. 7, 2009, at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Redd will speak to Ohio State graduates at the 2020 summer commencement ceremony on Aug. 9.
Credit: Courtesy of MCT
Former Buckeye basketball and NBA star Michael Redd will be the commencement speaker at the virtual summer graduation ceremony Aug. 9, Ohio State announced Thursday.
Redd played for the Buckeyes from 1997-2000 before he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2000 NBA Draft, where he spent 11 years of his 12-year professional career. Since his retirement in 2013, Redd returned to Ohio State and graduated with a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2015 and founded his own investment firm 22 Ventures.
“Michael was a leader on the court for Ohio State and continues to lead off the court in the Columbus community,” Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron said in the release. “His commitment to excellence as an athlete and an entrepreneur will inspire our graduates as they prepare to lead in their communities.”
The Columbus native ranks sixth all-time in career scoring at Ohio State with 1,879 points in three seasons. In his professional career, he earned an NBA All-Star Game appearance in 2004 and a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Redd will address about 1,600 graduates from the Schottenstein Center via livestream, as no students or guests will be present due to COVID-19.
