Chris Webber accepts Jim Harbaugh's invitation to be Michigan football honorary captain

Sam Cooper
·College football writer
Chris Webber, right, has a complicated relationship with the University of Michigan, but he was quick to accept an invitation from Jim Harbaugh to be an honorary captain. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Chris Webber, right, has a complicated relationship with the University of Michigan, but he was quick to accept an invitation from Jim Harbaugh to be an honorary captain. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Via an invitation from Jim Harbaugh, Chris Webber is planning a trip to the University of Michigan.

Webber, the five-time NBA all-star and leader of Michigan’s famed Fab Five, was invited to be an honorary captain for a Michigan football game this fall. In the past, Harbaugh has invited Michigan legends like Tom Brady and Charles Woodson to do the same, and he called into a local radio program during an appearance from Webber to personally extend the invitation.

Webber was quick to accept.

From The Detroit News:

“I want to make an official invitation,” said Harbaugh, who called into the show to speak to Webber. “Chris, I want you to be an honorary captain for the Michigan football team next season.”

Webber was clearly touched.

“Coach, you know that’s no problem,” Webber said. “I definitely am honored. As you know, and getting to speak to you over the years, I love what you’ve done with the program. Good luck, and yeah, I’m definitely doing to be be a part of it.”

Webber has a complicated relationship with Michigan

Webber, alongside Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, comprised the famous “Fab Five” at Michigan. The five entered the school as freshmen and soon emerged as the team’s starting lineup and led the Wolverines to back-to-back national title game appearances.

However, those title game appearances were later vacated by the NCAA because of the scandal involving booster Ed Martin, who was found to have given money to several UM players, including Webber over the course of many years. As part of self-imposed sanctions from the fallout of the Martin scandal, Michigan — at the NCAA’s behest — gave Webber a 10-year ban from having any association with the university. Though the disassociation with Webber ended in 2013, Webber has been hesitant to return to the school, despite the hopes of Rose and other Fab Five teammates.

With Webber accepting Harbaugh’s invitation, Rose, on his ESPN show, said he hopes it will spur Webber to get involved with the basketball program as well.

Webber is the latest Michigan legend to accept Harbaugh’s invitation

Since he returned to Ann Arbor, Harbaugh has been proactive in getting prominent Michigan alums and fans to serve as the football team’s honorary captain before games. Among the notable captains have been Tom Brady, Charles Woodson and Derek Jeter, a Michigan native.

Harbaugh has used his YouTube channel to document some of the calls he has made. Last year’s invitation to Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner, was especially cool.

In Webber’s case, Harbaugh gave him free rein to choose a game on the schedule for his return to Ann Arbor. It will definitely be highly anticipated.

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