BERKELEY – Shareef Abdur-Rahim has accomplished a lot in basketball, but Pete Newell Jr. doesn't hesitate when asked for the Cal star's greatest achievement.

"I think the most impressive thing about Shareef is that he returned to Cal to get his degree," Newell Jr. said. "If my father were still alive, I truly believe he would say the same thing."

At halftime of the Bears' game against Colorado on Thursday at Haas Pavilion, Abdur-Rahim will receive the Pete Newell Career Achievement Award – presented to a Cal alumnus who has distinguished himself in his career accomplishments, upholding the highest ideals of Newell and the University of California.

Pete Newell was the Bears' head coach from 1954-60, guiding Cal to the 1959 NCAA Championship and a national runner-up finish the following season. He later became Cal's athletic director and served as head coach of the U.S. Olympic Team that won the gold medal in Rome in 1960.

Newell passed away in 2008. The annual award started with the 2010-11 season.

"Dad always valued the Cal education," Newell Jr. said. "Throughout his time as coach, athletic director and beyond, it was very important to dad that the players graduated, regardless of what they did on the basketball court. If they were part of the program, they were getting their Cal degree. That was the reason they were there – not to play basketball or another sport."

Abdur-Rahim was considered one of the nation's top recruits when he arrived at Cal for the 1995-96 season and became the first conference player ever to be named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Pac-10 Player of the Year in the same season. After averaging 21.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and leading the Bears to the NCAA Tournament, Abdur-Rahim was also honored as the National Freshman of the Year.

Abdur-Rahim went on to become the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft following one season in Berkeley and had a terrific 12-year career that included stints with Vancouver (now Memphis), Atlanta, Portland and Sacramento. He was selected as an NBA All-Star while playing for the Hawks and won the gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Team in 2000.

Abdur-Rahim said his favorite memory of his one season at Cal was defeating Stanford at Harmon Gym in 1996.

"The students flooded the court. That's what sticks out the most," Abdur-Rahim said. "Other than that, just the memories of my friends and teammates."

Abdur-Rahim returned to Cal to earn his degree in sociology in 2012. He later received an MBA from USC.

A stellar playing career is just part of the impact Abdur-Rahim has made on the NBA. When his playing days concluded, he became a league executive – spending five years working for the Kings as an assistant general manager and assistant coach. He also served as the general manager of the NBA G League's Reno Bighorns.

Abdur-Rahim moved on to become the NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations before being named the president of the G League in 2018, a position he still holds.

"The leadership skills that Shareef developed on the Cal campus have been a hallmark of his success as a player and an executive at the NBA league office," NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said. "His work ethic and team-first mentality, pillars of his time at Cal, are among the many reasons Shareef is uniquely suited to oversee a property as dynamic as the G League."

Newell was renowned for his work with big men, and although the 6-foot-10 Abdur-Rahim never met him, he is sure his game was influenced by the legendary teacher and coach.

"I probably benefited a lot from him without even knowing him – just the skill development he taught other guys probably somehow found me," Abdur-Rahim said. "It's a huge honor that they chose to recognize me. It's going to be special."