A Message from Mike:

It has been over a week and I'm still having trouble coming to grips with the death of Skip Prosser. I started covering the league just as he was taking over at Wake and quickly came to like and respect him. He had an engaging intellect, a wry sense of humor, a passion for the sport of basketball and a burning desire to succeed. I watched as he made Wake Forest basketball relevant again, winning a regular season crown with Josh Howard and rising to a #1 national ranking with Chris Paul. Skip was always quick to down play his record, saying the wins belonged to his players.

There are two things I'll always remember about him. First and foremost, he was a teacher. Coming from an era where most coaches started out at the high school level, Skip always talked about how much actually having to stand up in front of a class helped his coaching. So many of the new generation of coaches are former players who have become coaches right at the college or pro level. He always thought of himself as a teacher and I think all coaches would benefit greatly from the experiences he had in the classroom.

Secondly, I thought nobody had a better perspective of himself and his life than Skip. He was intensely competitive, yet the wins and losses did not define who he was. He was a great family man and it was clear that he loved his players. It is especially saddening when one of the good guys is taken from us so early. Wake Forest has big shoes to fill and it has nothing to do with coaching abilities. Rest in peace Skip Prosser. I will miss you greatly. I hope your family's grief is soon replaced by the memory of a life well lived.