Beyond his natural talent, the root of Sean Elliott’s successes on the basketball court came from the unwavering support of two people: his mother Odiemae Elliott and Coach Lute Olson.
Before chasing his basketball dreams into the NBA, Sean made promises to each of them that he would one day return to school and complete his degree, which he did in 2022, earning a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, 35 years after he turned pro.
“My mother, number one, always talked about education and wanted me to finish. That was something that I had to accomplish for her. And number two, for Coach Olson. A lot of people didn’t realize how much he harped on education and how important it was for him to see his kids graduate. Coach O was serious about education and I wanted to finish for his legacy,” he said. “I can remember hitting send on the final paper and I just looked at my wife Claudia, and I said, I’m done, I’m done. And, it was a great feeling, just incredibly fulfilling, because it took me a long time, but I did the work and I just wanted to cross that finish line.”
Because of the flexibility of Arizona Online, Elliott was able to finish his degree from his home in San Antonio, often sitting at his dining table.
“A degree in interdisciplinary studies makes you well-rounded, because the scope of your classes is so broad that you can learn something from anywhere, every kind of field,” Elliott said. “I know a lot of people in business that say, ‘If they’re well-rounded, if they’re flexible, if they’re adaptable, then that's the type of person I want.’ And that’s what humanities brings to the table.”
Like many others, Elliott’s return to school was years in the making, years of career and family, years of contemplating, and sometimes making excuses or internally chastising himself. But when the pandemic struck, he was at home, with plenty of time and no excuses.
“It was the perfect opportunity for me to really get back into it and immerse myself into school. And it worked out perfectly,” he said. “I didn’t think it was going to be as flexible. I thought that at some point I was going to have to go back to campus, but once I signed up and I had the academic counselors helping me, I realized there was a whole new world open to me. There were so many classes and opportunities there.”
Elliott had a mix of requirements and electives remaining and to fulfill his Interdisciplinary Studies major, and he took full advantage of a wide range of courses: oceanography, Slavic folklore, film, Italian Renaissance, sociology of sports and more.
“I’m curious and I want to know what’s out there. And for me, that really was fulfilling. I’ve always been a nerd and I got to take classes that were fun and interesting on subjects that I never even imagined that I would be into. I took away something from every single class that I had,” he said.
These days, Elliott works in broadcasting as the lead analyst for the San Antonio Spurs, while maintaining a busy schedule of philanthropic and community involvement. After earning a host of accolades during his playing career, including having his jersey #32 retired by both the Arizona Wildcats and San Antonio Spurs, Elliott’s degree brings him full circle. And earned him a new accolade: the College of Humanities 2024-2025 Alumnus of the Year.
“When I finished, I felt like college wasted is on young people. I look back at my time when I was 17 years old at Arizona, and I didn’t know anything. But I am grateful that I got this opportunity, just to go back and learn more,” he said. “I chose humanities because it deals with people and how you can help better the people around you and make the world a better place. I chose humanities, but humanities also chose me.”