Former Michigan basketball player Tony Tolbert dies
Sad news from Detroit:
Older people here might remember that he was part of a well-regarded recruiting class in 1989 with Sam Mitchell (who died tragically young: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-02-22-9502220020-story.html ) and Michael Talley.
He played a couple of seasons at Michigan and transferred just before the Fab Five arrived. Afterward he had a couple of good years at Detroit Mercy.
Rest in peace, Tony. Michael Jackson was a couple years ahead of me at U-D Jesuit, and I remember following those Titan teams.
But I had forgotten all about Mitchell's death. So sad.
Rest in peace.
RIP, Tony Tolbert
Ugh, that is way too young.
Pretty sure you linked the wrong article for Mitchell.
August 4th, 2021 at 12:55 PM ^
It is the proper link. Mitchell died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Italy.
this article brings back some memories. First, sad story of the death of Mitchell. Second, my step-son played at Norrix with Bishop Robinson that season. I saw a game early that year, a holiday tournament that they were soundly beaten on their home court by a UofD Jesuit squad led by a freshman point guard, Cassius Winston. Norrix would go on to win Districts at Mattawan.
RIP, TT. That guy could light it up in a hurry. As a sophomore season ticket holder during the bridge year between the Robinson-Vaught-Mills-Higgins and Fab 5 squads, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tolbert, Calip and the crew battle through a very tough Big 10 schedule.
Even if the Fab 5 hadn't arrived on campus, I think a team comprised of Tolbert, Talley, Riley, Mitchell, McIver, Voskuil, Pelinka, etc. could've been competitive in the Big 10 as upperclassmen.
I also didn't know that Sam Mitchell died incredibly young. Far too soon for some of these guys.
August 5th, 2021 at 12:34 AM ^
I vividly recall being at an M basketball game as a freshman in the 1990-91 season when Tony Tolbert was doing his thing on the court. And during that game Chris Webber was in attendance as a high school recruit. The entire crowd was chanting Webber's and doing the "we're not worthy" motion to him as he entered the stadium and walked to his seat.
August 4th, 2021 at 10:19 AM ^
RIP Tony. I didn’t know him but he was at Michigan when I was. He was an unapologetic gunner & going to UD allowed him to channel that. He could score & I was glad to see him have success after leaving Michigan.
I remember that recruiting class. It also included Rich McIver, who transferred to Texas. Mitchell transferred to Cleveland State & of course Tolbert to UD. Talley stuck it out all 4 years.
I believe Jason Bossard was also in that class. Bossard was a bench mob player before there was a bench mob. He didn’t really seem like a high major prospect, but the rumor I heard was that he was good friends with Eric Montross, so the staff gave him a scholarship to help recruit Montross. I have no idea if that was true. He made six threes his senior year (3rd year of Fab Five, well 4 at that point). His teammates & the fans cheered everyone of them wildly.
August 4th, 2021 at 10:53 AM ^
Bossard was a HS legend from Charlotte (MI) and a 3 point specialist. He fell in love with the weight room and got very big, from what I remember. Too big for Bball?
I grew up in the Lansing area & was a year older than Jason. I did not know him (didn’t play basketball) but knew of him & saw him play. He started at Grand Ledge schools & then moved to Charlotte. Charlotte was in the same league as my HS. Bossard did put up some huge point totals, but it was against lower level competition (mostly class C & B schools) & he was not seen as a high major prospect. If I had to guess, Michigan was probably his only P5 offer.
He definitely bulked up in college. He was reportedly a weight room beast. He was well liked by his teammates.
August 4th, 2021 at 11:16 AM ^
I think Bossard made 4 of those 6 3-pointers on Senior Night vs. Penn State! (I was at that game)
If nothing else, I know he got a shoutout from Dan Patrick when Patrick did the game highlights on SC that night --- "you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him."
August 5th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Quick correction. Tolbert and Talley were part of the 89 class with Sam Mitchell, but Mitchell played a year of prep school ball in 89-90 (prop48?) and wasn’t technically a freshman at UM until 90-91. Bossard and McIver were the 1990 recruits. It’s referenced in the fab five book that Bossard and Montross were roommates on a recruiting visit. That 90-91 team also had Kirk Taylor and Freddie Hunter. Bossard was a legend.....not a top 100 recruit, but could light it up and averaged over 30 points in high school.
August 4th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
That sucks. Tony and Talley lived on my hall at WQ freshman year. Though Talley pretty much lived somewhere else. I didn't know him well, but I helped him with a paper once and he was a character. He wasn't on the hall much and couldn't remember anyone's name so he called everyone sport, chief and big guy. He was a ladies man and different girls from Detroit would frequently show up outside his dorm room looking for him. Once two showed up at the same time and they got in a fight. Sad to hear of his passing.
August 4th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
RIP Tony! '89 was a great season. My last year living in Michigan before my job moved me away!
https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/08/former-detroit-basketball-star-tony-…
Tolbert was recently diagnosed with COVID-19 after not getting the vaccination, friends and family said.
“He didn’t think he could catch it...I was telling him every day, ‘Get your shot, get your shot,’” Antoine Joubert, a friend and fellow Detroit basketball legend, told WDIV-TV.“He’d say, ‘I ain’t worried about it.’”
get vaccinated!!!!
August 5th, 2021 at 10:07 PM ^
When will people learn, this is no joke. Hopefully other doubters will change their minds and get vaccinated.