With NBA dreams, Eric Devendorf hoped to rise from the Detroit area to high school power Oak Hill Academy, through Syracuse University and the pro ranks.

But he went undrafted in 2009 despite ranking 14th on SU’s all-time scoring list with 1,680 points.

He used to give less thought to giving back to the community, he said. That was his former self. He visited local hospitals in Syracuse as part of a team tradition, but he said he hadn’t taken it to heart until recently. After playing seven seasons in the then-NBA Development League and overseas, he returned to Syracuse in 2016 as the Orange’s assistant strength coach.

And Devendorf gave up his dream of playing professionally so he could be back in Syracuse with his two daughters. He starred for Boeheim’s Army last summer and fulfilled his late father’s wish two seasons ago. He came back to SU because he wanted to prioritize family over work and be more associated with his daughters’ lives. Now he wants to prioritize giving back.

At 31 years old, Devendorf is known nearly as much for his community involvement as his on-court work. He helped raise $10,000 for Flint, Michigan for its water crisis. Sometimes he trains local children who cannot afford basketball lessons. He has spoken at local schools. He led a shoe drive last fall. He plays in charity basketball games, including a wheelchair basketball game held last Thursday. This week he launched a spring cleaning, where anyone can drop off gently-used clothing at five AmeriCU Credit Union locations in Syracuse, Liverpool, Camillus and Fayetteville.

“Just kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, man,” Devendorf said. “Just trying to help as much as I can in the community. I wanted to better the community, better myself. It makes you feel better to help people who are less fortunate. Hopefully this keeps getting bigger and bigger. I want to continue the drives for years.”

For two to three years, Devendorf has led coat drives in Syracuse. He’d come into work at the Carmelo K. Anthony Center and talk about how he helped collect 100 coats or how an underprivileged family thanked him for clothing, said Katie Kolinski, a former Syracuse graduate assistant.

Devendorf estimates his drives have helped locals donate hundreds of winter coats. Many of his drives center on a specific article of clothing, like winter jackets. His current drive is focused on men’s and women’s clothing, including everything from button down shirts to golf polos to pants. The event will culminate May 19 at the Ukrainian National Home on West Fayette Street. From 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Devendorf will hand out clothes. Former Syracuse forward Matthew Moyer tweeted this week that he will contribute to the effort as well.

“Eric’s been great in this community,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said last week. “He does most of it on his own. We all support him, including the players.”

Devendorf said his interactions with community members and the people he meets stick with him the most. In December, a family with a newborn arrived in Syracuse from Puerto Rico. Following Hurricane Maria, one of the worst natural disasters on record in Puerto Rico, the family came to Syracuse without many winter clothes. They spoke little English, Devendorf said, and his coat drive helped them dress warmly and made their “transition a little smoother.”

Vincent Schoonmaker, a Chief Information Officer at AmeriCU Credit Union, is a Syracuse men’s basketball season-ticket holder. He ran into Devendorf at the Melo Center. When he heard of Devendorf’s charity ideas, he offered for AmeriCU locations to be drop-off spots for donations.

“Does the offer still stand?” Devendorf asked him a few weeks ago. “Would you be willing to be collection centers for the drive?”

Schoonmaker said yes, especially after hearing of Devendorf’s efforts with Syracuse legend Derrick Coleman in Detroit. Devendorf grew up about 45 minutes from Flint, a city that’s faced a water crisis since 2014 when state-appointed officials began using Flint River for tap water rather than the more expensive Detroit water system.

A 2016 study in the American Journal of Public Health found that the percentage of Flint children with elevated levels of lead in their blood doubled after the switch. Devendorf led a drive in Syracuse to deliver water to residents in Flint. He also played in a charity game in Flint two years ago.

With each effort, from charity basketball games to coat drives, Devendorf said he generates moments of hope. That is why he plans to continue his drives for years to come.

“I was around people growing up where a coat wasn’t easy to come by,” Devendorf said. “I know what it feels like to be close to that. Even for Flint, it hits home. It affects you. When it’s up close and in your face, it’s a whole different effect.”

Published on April 23, 2018 at 7:52 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21