Terry Foster: OU's Max Hooper Has Tough Decision To Make After Dad's Death -- Play Or Stay?

By Terry Foster
@TerryFoster971

Let me put you in Max Hooper's shoes.

He is a hot shot senior guard with Oakland University. But he is at home now in California with family grieving the loss of his father. Chip Hooper is Max's guy. You could see it at the O'rena where they shared tender and loving moments when the dad saw Max play his final home game. This is the man who helped Max become a better basketball player. He drove him to games, filled water bottles and encouraged his son every step of the way.

It is a tight bond that will never be broken, even in death.

There is a plane ticket with Max Hooper's name on it that will get him to Detroit at 2:30 p.m. That's so Hooper can play in the Horizon League semifinal game against Wright State at Joe Louis Arena.

If you were Hooper would you be on that plane or would you remain in California with family?

It is a tough predicament many athletes have faced.

Do you stick with teammates and take one for the team? Or do you stay with family and grieve with loved ones?

My guess is we will see Hooper at the Joe tonight. Ever since Chip Hooper was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, Chip has dedicated every basket to his dad. This year Hooper has made 102 three-point attempts and each of those are in honor of his father. Max also knows that his father wanted to see him play in the NCAA tournament.

In order for that to happen Oakland must beat Wright State tonight and then win the Horizon League title Tuesday night.

That is why I believe he will be in the lineup.

"We don't really know," Kampe told me for my Oakland Insider column at Goldengrizzlies.com. "Like I told his mom (Laura) if it is too hard to come back then he should not come back. He needs to do what's best for Max Hooper and the family and not whatever it is for Oakland. But with that said every three he has hit is for his dad. It would not surprise me if he is here."
We've seen athletes play in honor of loved ones before.

In 2003 Brett Favre passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns a day after his father died, leading Green Bay to a 41-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Former Piston Joe Dumars continued to play after his dad Joe II died 90 minutes before Game 3 of the 1990 NBA Finals in Portland. Dumars did not know his dad died while playing and scored 33 points. He stayed with the team and helped win the series in five games.

NHL player Martin St. Louis scored a playoff goal just hours after his mother France died of a heart attack on Mother's Day.

I knew of a co-worker who did a radio show on the day his father died.

In most cases the athlete said their mom or dad would want them to play.

The plane lands at Metro Airport at 2:30 p.m. Are you on that flight?

(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com)