Super Mario: AIC to retire Elie’s number 41
Date: 2/5/2015
SPRINGFIELD – In 1981, American International College gave Mario Elie a chance.
While considered at the time to be one of the top high school basketball players in New York City, Elie found himself overlooked by Division 1 basketball programs across the country. But Jim Powell, men’s basketball coach at the small Springfield Division 2 school, saw something in him.
“It was really a last-minute thing,” Elie told Reminder Publications. “It’s something I get upset with myself about to this day, but like a lot of kids, I didn’t put enough into my studies, so I went from getting letters from Oregon and other top Division 1 programs, to my parents asking me what I was going to do.
“Coach Powell held a scholarship for me and gave me an opportunity. I’m grateful for that and I’m grateful I had four great years at AIC.”
That decision, to put it mildly, paid dividends for both sides.
Elie, who played for the Yellow Jackets from 1981 to 1985, finished his collegiate career as the school’s all-time leading scorer and nearly 30 years later is still second on that list. He’s also second in steals (190), sixth in rebounding (1,001) and eighth in assists (332).
During his senior year in 1985, he led AIC to the NCAA Division 2 Elite Eight, marking the first time the Yellow Jackets, or any other Northeast-10 school had made it that far in tournament play.
In 2005, he was part of the inaugural class of the AIC Hall of Fame.
Now he will receive one final honor from the place that gave him his shot.
Elie’s number 41 jersey will hang from the rafters at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium after being officially retired at the Yellow Jackets’ Feb. 7 game versus Pace University at 3:30 p.m.
“It’s just a really cool thing,” Elie said of having his number retired. “AIC was a place where I really grew up and learned what it was to be a man. I had a great coach in Coach Powell, some really great teammates and made a lot of memories, so to have this happen really means a lot to me.”
While accomplishing historic things at AIC, Elie admitted there were times he couldn’t help but think about where he could have been.
“I thought sometimes about how my [high school] teammates were flying on planes and eating steak [with Division 1 programs] and I was on a bus with an apple and a box lunch,” he said. “That was another big motivator for me. AIC gave me a chance, but I was ready for bigger things.”
Elie was drafted in the seventh round of the 1985 by the Milwaukee Bucks, but didn’t make the team’s roster and spent several years playing internationally.
It was during this time that Elie said he leaned on one of the biggest lessons he learned from his time with Powell and the Yellow Jackets
“It’s hard work; knowing what you want and doing what you have to do to get there,” he said. “Coach Powell believed in me and believed I had the ability and really pushed me to be my best. That’s something I have always kept in mind.”
Elie went on to become the only AIC player to make it to the NBA, earning his way into the league in the 1990-91 season. He won three NBA championships – two with the Houston Rockets and one with the San Antonio Spurs – as part of an 11-year career and retired in 2001. He turned to coaching in 2003 and currently serves as an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets.
“AIC is where it all really started for me,” he said. “I’m never going to forget that.”
The retirement ceremony, which will take place at halftime, is open to the public. Tickets are $3.
