By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Kenny Arnold is probably looking down right now and smiling as his beloved former college basketball team prepares for its season opener on Monday.

The Iowa men’s basketball team will face Texas A&M Commerce in the 2024-25 season opener on Monday at 7 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Following that game, Iowa will play Southern on Thursday and South Dakota on Nov. 12, both of which will be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

So, at first glance, this seems like a typical nonconference schedule, three games that Iowa should win at home.

But there is so much more to these three games than just what will happen on the court.

These three games are part of the Kenny Arnold Classic, an idea that started with Iowa’s decision to host its own tournament as part of a multi-team event.

“Once we decided to do this, we talked about sponsorships and who we would recognize and could think of no one better than Kenny,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “We talked about it, and it was very much appreciated by the guys that were on that team.”

Kenny Arnold is a Hawkeye legend for how he played on the court, for how he lived off the court and for how courageously he fought during a life filled with serious health issues.

Arnold started at guard on Iowa’s 1980 Final Four team, alongside the great Ronnie Lester. And when Lester suffered a knee injury during the 1979-80 season, Arnold took on even more responsibility as a leader on and off the court.

But not long after Arnold had finished playing for Iowa, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

That was the start of a three-decade long fight for survival as Arnold also had multiple strokes that affected his ability to speak and to walk.

He spent the latter years of his life in a care facility in his hometown of Chicago before passing away in 2019 at the age of 59. But he also spent those years surrounded by family, friends and by his former Hawkeye teammates.

Many of his former Hawkeye teammates will be in Iowa City for a reception on Sunday, including former Iowa forward Mike “Tree” Henry, who was one of Arnold’s closest friends.

When reached by telephone on Sunday, Henry was preparing to speak with the Iowa players before practice.

“It means so much,” Henry said. “We had the White Out, which was great a couple years ago. But that kind of went away, so we’ve been trying to get something else set up.

“All the credit goes to Fran and the staff for making this happen, and we are thrilled to have Kenny recognized again and to be back to represent him. This is amazing. I’m getting emotional even thinking about it.

“I’m trying to keep it together to talk to the kids.”

Arnold led Iowa’s 1980 Final Four team in total points and assists despite playing with a broken thumb. He was also a three-year starter who could play both guard positions.

But Kenny Arnold’s impact stretched far beyond the playing court.

He was an inspiration for those close to him, especially his former college teammates, as they were for him.

“One of the greatest examples of brotherhood that I’ve ever seen is how his teammates cared for him for 30 years,” Fran McCaffery said. “In particular, Mike Henry, but many others as well.”

Henry played a key role in organizing the White Out in honor of Kenny Arnold in 2017. Fans were encouraged to purchase and wear Kenny t-shirts to a game against Illinois, with the money raised donated to the Kenny Arnold Foundation.

Fran McCaffery, who is in his 14^th season as the Iowa head coach, has also played key role in honoring Arnold’s legacy.

Iowa established the Kenny Arnold Spirit Award in 2017, which goes to the Iowa player who “exemplifies Arnold’s spirit of leadership, character, courage, determination and poise.”

Arnold joins the late Chris Street as the two former players to have end-of-season team awards named in their honor.

“We continue to engage our former players and make sure that these guys remember those who came before,” McCaffery said. “Because as you all know, there were some great players, some great coaches, very, very proud tradition, going back many years.”

Henry was a source of strength as Arnold’s health continued to worsen. Henry did all he could to make his friend and former teammate comfortable, happy and secure.

As Henry was preparing to address the team on Sunday, he spoke with Al Siebert, who is in his 14th season on Fran McCaffery’s staff.

When asked on the phone if he thinks Kenny Arnold was looking down and smiling, Henry said:

“I just literally said those words to Al Siebert.”