Maryland Athletics 2021 Hall of Fame Spotlight: Steve Blake

Game days for Maryland men’s basketball bring energy, excitement, and reverence for the legends that played for the Terps.

Fans can see Steve Blake’s face and jersey throughout the hallowed halls of XFINITY Center, whether it’s in pictures on the walls, on the backs of students wearing his iconic #25 jersey, or his banner hanging in the rafters next to all of the other Maryland legends.

Now, the famed point guard adds to his legacy as a Terp-great as a member of the 2021 class of the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Blake will join his fellow coach and backcourt mate Gary Williams and Juan Dixon as members of the 2002 national championship team to go into the Maryland athletics hall of fame.

Blake was an extension of the coaching staff on the floor for Williams as his steady point guard play lifted the Terps to new heights.

“Well, I think it's a great choice,” Blake’s former college coach Gary Williams said. “It's a great thrill for me to see Steve Blake come into the Hall of Fame because he certainly deserves it with what that 2002 team brought to the university in terms of positive publicity and things like that. He certainly means a lot to the school.”

Blake came to College Park from Miami, Florida, by way of high school basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy. He decided to join the Terps in favor of his hometown Miami Hurricanes and blueblood Syracuse. 

Playing for a famed head coach like Williams, Blake became an immediate impact starter for the Terps and was trusted to helm their entire offense. 

As the point guard, Blake started 33 games for Maryland in his freshman season and was known for his steady hand and ability to make plays for teammates like Steve Francis and Lonny Baxter. 

He became an extension of the coaching staff and became a major part of some of the greatest teams in program history. 

“He was the point guard here for four years,” Williams said. “He was a very unusual player in that he came in and started right away and was knowledgeable enough to run the team even early in his career.”

Blake’s career would become the stuff of legend. He was the starting point guard for two Final Four teams, a 2002 ACC regular-season championship team and the unforgettable 2002 national championship squad. 

“[The national championship is] just a lifelong memory of basketball success and relationships with my team,” Blake said. “It’s as much who you do it with then just doing it. We had a special group of coaches and players that loved to be around each other and worked as hard as we could to achieve that. It's a great University, and I am super blessed to have had the opportunity to play there.

The regular season and postseason runs were far from easy, but they were easier because of players like Blake. His steady hand and clutch shot-making is still something that sticks out to Williams all these years later. 

“He made big shots, [especially in] the Connecticut game,” Williams said. “He made a jump shot to put us up three, which changed the game. He had courage. I think that's the best way to describe the way he played. He didn't back off physically from anything, and he was tough enough time to take big shots. That was never a problem with Steve.”

That toughness earned him a spot in the 2002 NBA draft, where the Washington Wizards drafted him in the second round. Blake would play for seven different teams over 13 years, playing in 870 games and 12 playoff series. 

Some doubters never thought of Blake as someone whose game could translate to the best league in the world, but his mindset and basketball IQ allowed him to prove his doubters wrong. 

“You had to appreciate how he played the game,” Williams said. “He wasn't flashy, and he didn't score a ton of points. He was very solid and his biggest asset offensively, but he always knew game situations, who was hot, what we needed to do, whether to go inside, look for a three, whatever. It was very important. He always made the right decision. He did all those things offensively and defensively. He was a lot better than people thought he was in order to play in the NBA for 13 years. You don't fool those people. You have to have a good game.”

Since retiring after the 2015 season, Blake has delved into the coaching ranks and has coached for the Portland Trailblazers and, most recently, with the Phoenix Suns. 

Williams always viewed Blake as an extension of the coaching staff on the court, and it’s no surprise to him that Blake has seamlessly made the transition to the bench. Williams thinks Blake has what it takes to become a great coach, and it’s because of the longevity his career had. 

“He played for so many coaches because during his NBA career, in addition to college, he played for two very good coaches during his high school time. I'm sure what most good coaches do is you pick up things as you go along from various coaches. Hopefully, I had some influence on him, but I wasn't the only one to influence the way Steve coaches.”

Blake’s playing days are some of the most widely known across all of Maryland history, and it’s because of that why Maryland fans still hold him in high regard. Whenever his portion of the “I have Maryland Pride” video plays during men’s basketball games, the fans and students cheer loudly even though most of them probably don’t remember his days as a Terp. 

“That's crazy [that current students still loudly cheer for him]. It really is,” Blake said. "It's special, and it shows how much the students and fans respect what we did and understand what we did, and I love them for it. They've always been cool about showing me some love when I come on campus.”

Being inducted in the hall of fame is the capper on a career that is still highly regarded around the men’s basketball program as it has become a school synonymous with quality point guard play. 

Players like Greivis Vasquez, Melo Trimble, and Anthony Cowan Jr. have followed in the footsteps of Blake, with the point guard position remaining a key piece to the program and its history. 

With his playing days officially behind him and with his love from the fans never waning, Blake has earned his spot in the pantheon of all Maryland Athletics.

“It's never really been about accolades for me,” Blake said. "Those things come, and I'm super appreciative of it all, but as time goes by, you appreciate the things you've done in the past. I think it's pretty cool that they're recognizing me now and that I have an opportunity to go in with a lot of great athletes and coaches. I’m just super appreciative of it all. I’m excited to share this with my family and bring them along for the journey.”