Help us to keep Judith “Mama” Blair’s legacy and dreams alive, while we build the community at the same time!
Help us to keep Judith “Mama” Blair’s legacy and dreams alive, while we build the community at the same time!
"Joseph, I just want to thank you again for convincing me to move to Tucson!". This was the phrase Joseph Blair, son of Judith, and former University of Arizona basketball player, would hear annually on the anniversary of Judith “Mama” Blair’s move to Southern Arizona.
Upon Mamma Blair’s moved to Tucson, she immediately dove into ways to create the best community possible. Whether it was her involvement with her son’s, Blair Charity Group, cheering courtside at Arizona Women’s basketball games, promoting organ donation, donating time at a number of local non-profits, competing as a senior Olympian, or just spending the day driving around town to say hello to people that she hadn’t spoken with in too long.
Growing up as a twin with her brother Ken, she watched her brother play multiple sports, and witnessed first-hand the benefits of sports bringing people together. However, there were no female sports available to her at her school at that time. She quickly became an advocate for sports equality, and passed her passion for sports, particularly basketball, on to her sons, Jonathan and Joseph. Joseph went on to become player of the year in the state of Texas coming out of high school, a star player at the University of Arizona, 35th pick of the 1996 NBA draft, play 13 years as a professional, and current NBA coach.
If not for the love of the game that my mom embedded in my heart, there is absolutely no way I could have ever dreamed to find the success that I have. I’m honored to call myself a Mama’s boy!
Joseph Blair
