OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) β The University of Nebraska Omaha men's basketball team began their season carrying the memory of a teammate who was with them for only weeks but left an impact that will last a lifetime.
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Senior transfer Deng Mayar drowned on Aug. 16 in Utah, just weeks after joining the Mavericks.
Now, the team is determined to honor his memory.
The Mavericks will wear a patch on their jerseys this season with his initials.
They also had a moment of silence before their home opener on Nov. 15 against Southern Utah.
"He's definitely always in our thoughts," head coach Chris Crutchfield said.
Despite being with the team for such a short time, Mayar's personality made a lasting impression on his teammates and coaches.
"It's kind of amazing because when a guy's with you for that short period of time⦠his personality, his joy and his energy is so impactful to a group of guys," Crutchfield said. "It's kind of odd because normally that kind of process takes 2-3 years to get that kind of impact."
"I loved seeing the guy every day. He was so full of life and smiles," senior guard Tony Osburn said.
Osburn was so moved by Mayar's influence that he got his first and only tattoo in his teammate's honor.
"He meant a lot to me man so it was easy for me," Osburn said. "The verse (Isaiah 57:1) is about good people going before their time. About a day after I was reading the Bible and that was the verse I stumbled upon. No matter how old I get or where I go, I look down and he's right there with me."
Crutchfield said one of Mayar's favorite phrases was "no rain, no flowers" β a philosophy about getting through difficult times.
"His thing was there's going to be hard times in life," Crutchfield said. "But if it don't rain, the flower's won't bloom. So in life when you go through a hard time, I think on the other side is a blessing."
The Mavericks hope to carry that lesson with them as they work toward another tournament bid this season.
"When I remember him, I remember his smile and it's just easy to have good memories and good thoughts when you think about somebody like that," Osburn said.
"Deng, we love you man. We know you'll see us again and we know you're watching us. Love you kid."
Mayar transferred to Omaha from fellow Summit League school North Dakota. The teams will play twice this season, and both squads plan to honor him at those games.
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