University of Houston superfan helps men's basketball players unwind during down time
During the UH basketball team's downtime, Reuben Stafford started taking the players fishing, giving them a break from the grind.
Reuben Stafford is an avid fisherman and a full-time, die-hard University of Houston basketball fan. "I guided from '99 to 2006, full time," Stafford said. "Since 2018, I've been to every single March Madness game.
" Now, he's combining both passions. During the team's downtime, Stafford started taking players fishing, giving them a break from the grind. "I think it means a lot to those guys to have that type of fun," he said.
It all started through a connection at a youth basketball camp, where his daughter was coached by guard Kordell Jefferson, who also happens to love fishing. "After last year, I saw him in San Antonio. I told him, 'If you ever need to get away, hit me up, we'll go fishing.
'" Jefferson took him up on that offer, and Stafford had one goal for the team he's followed for decades. "My main thing is I just wanted to make sure they caught fish," Stafford said. After Jefferson's trip, more teammates joined in, and just like on the court, the Cougars delivered, but this time, Stafford was the coach.