Basketball Hall of Fame Info

InsideHoops.com

Share This

Basketball Hall of Fame InfoThe Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors the biggest contributors to the professional and amateur basketball world. Each year, one set of players, coaches and others who helped positively impact the game are inducted.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Basketball HOF (@hoophall) on


View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Basketball HOF (@hoophall) on


Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2012 April 2, 2012

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 12 members of the Class of 2012 to be honored September 6-8, 2012 during this year’s Enshrinement Ceremonies. The inductees include five-time NBA All-Star Reggie Miller, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach Don Nelson, three-time National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, two-time Olympic gold medalist Katrina McClain, distinguished basketball official and coordinator Hank Nichols, former college and NBA star Jamaal Wilkes and the first women’s professional basketball team, the All American Red Heads. They join the five directly elected members who were announced during the NBA All-Star Weekend in February by distinguished committees focused on preserving all areas from the game of basketball. These direct-elects include Mel Daniels voted in from the American Basketball Association (ABA) Committee, Don Barksdale from the Early African American Pioneers Committee, Lidia Alexeeva from the International Committee, Chet Walker from the Veterans Committee and Phil Knight from the Contributor Direct Election Committee. The Class Announcement was made at a press conference in New Orleans, the site of the 2012 NCAA Final Four, and televised live on NBA TV.

“We are extremely honored to welcome this prestigious class of players, coaches, officials, teams and pioneers from the game of basketball into the Hall of Fame,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “This group represents a spectrum of individuals who made their mark in history and we look forward to honoring them in September for their contributions.”

To be elected, finalists required 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Starting last year, the addition of the direct elect committees were incorporated into the election process to maintain a strong focus on keeping history on the forefront of the voting procedures and to preserve a balance between two eras of basketball.

“The Class of 2012 is a true representation of the game of basketball, reaching all levels within the sport,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board. “We are pleased with the changes to the voting process by adding the direct elects and the impact it will make on recognizing the game’s true ambassadors into the future.”

The Class of 2012 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass. on Friday, September 7.

THE NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2012:

Women’s Committee:

ALL AMERICAN RED HEADS [Team] – The All American Red Heads are known as the female version of the Harlem Globetrotters and the first women’s professional basketball team. The team regularly played more than 200 games per season, winning 70% of them while touring thousands of miles reaching 49 states, Canada and the Philippines. Over six decades (from 1936 to 1986), the team broke social barriers and stereotypes playing in small towns and rural hamlets, as well as Madison Square Garden and Chicago Stadium.

KATRINA McCLAIN [Player] – McClain is one of the most decorated athletes in USA Basketball national team history, winning two Olympic gold medals (1988 and 1996), Olympic Bronze (1992), three FIBA World Championship medals (gold in 1986 and 1990; bronze in 1994) and five more medals at the Goodwill Games, Pan Am Games and World University Games. She was named the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year in 1988 and 1992. Before stepping onto the International stage, she was a two-time Kodak All-America (1986, 1987) and the 1987 WBCA National Player of the Year at the University of Georgia.

North American Committee:

REGGIE MILLER [Player] – Miller was one of the greatest clutch scorers in NBA history, playing his entire 17-season NBA career with the Indiana Pacers finishing as the franchise’s all-time leader in points (25,279) and steals (1,505). He was a five-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA Third Team selection and won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996. From Los Angeles, he guided UCLA to the 1985 NIT Championship and finished third on the school’s all-time scoring list. He ranks second on the NBA all-time list for three-point field goals made (2,560) and attempted (6,486). He is ninth on the NBA career free-throw percentage list (.888) and seventh in career minutes played (47,619). In addition to some memorable NBA playoff performances, he has the most three-pointers made (320) in playoff history.

DON NELSON [Coach] – Nelson, the all-time winningest coach in NBA History with over 1,300 victories is one of only two coaches to be named NBA Coach of the Year three times (1983, 1985 and 1992). He spent over 40 years of his life as a player, coach and general manager. He has led teams to 18 playoff appearances where he amassed 75 playoff wins and is one of only two NBA coaches to win 250 games with three different teams. In 2007, he led the Golden State Warriors to the first #8 seed upset over a #1 seed in a seven-game series when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks. He also coached Dream Team II to a gold medal in the 1994 World Championships. Nelson is the only coach with 1,000+ wins and multiple NBA championships as a player, where he won five titles with the Boston Celtics (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1976).

HANK NICHOLS [Referee] – Nichols focused his career in basketball around the rules of the game. A long-time NCAA basketball official who has refereed six national championship games, 10 final fours, three NIT Finals and 13 ACC Championships – officiated at the top of collegiate basketball for decades. He officiated on the world stage officiating two Olympic games and one European championship. After his officiating career, he would become the national coordinator of officials for the NCAA for over 20 years and was instrumental in the progression of rule changes at the collegiate level and he remains one of the most influential rules architects in history.

RALPH SAMPSON [Player] – Sampson is one of the top collegiate players of all-time, where at Virginia he became only the third three-time National College Player of the Year. He was a three-time Naismith Award winner, two-time Wooden Award recipient and led the Cavaliers to the NIT Championship and one Final Four appearance. He was only the sixth player in NCAA history to collect 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds. In 1983, he was the No. 1 draft pick by the Houston Rockets. In the NBA, he was named to three NBA All-Star games, collected Rookie of the Year honors in 1984 and was named MVP of the 1985 NBA All-Star game.

JAMAAL WILKES [Player] – Wilkes, a California native, spent his entire high school, college and professional career in his home state, playing under Hall of Famer John Wooden at UCLA prior to a successful NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. At UCLA, he would win two National Championships and receive All-America honors in 1974. He was also a three-time GTE Academic All-America selection. In the NBA, he won four championships while reaching the NBA finals six times. He was a three-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA All-Defensive second team and received Rookie of the Year honors in 1975.

International Committee:

LIDIA ALEXEEVA [Coach] – Alexeeva is one of the most successful coaches in International basketball history, highlighted by leading the Soviet Union National Team as head coach to gold medals in the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Games, four FIBA World Championship titles (1967, 1971, 1975, 1983), four World University Games gold medals, 10 European Championships and 17 USSR National Championships. She was undefeated in International play for over 17 years. She also coached Hall of Famer Uljana Semjonova. As a player, Alexeeva played on Soviet National Teams that won four European Championships (1950, 1952, 1954, 1956). She has also been enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (1999) and FIBA Hall of Fame (2007).
Direct Elect from the Early African-American Pioneers of the Game Committee:

DON BARKSDALE [Contributor] – One of the true pioneers in the game of basketball, Barksdale broke the color barrier multiple times as the first African-American NCAA All-America, the first to make the U.S. Olympic team, and the first to play in a NBA All-Star game. Following his military service in World War II, Barksdale led UCLA to the Pacific Coast Conference championship and became the first African-American signed by an American Basketball League (ABL) team with the Oakland Bittners where he set the ABL scoring record in his debut season. Part of the 1948 Olympic team in London, he became the first-ever African-American to also win a gold medal in basketball. In 1951, he became one of the top 10 highest paid athletes with the Baltimore Bullets and was eventually traded to the Boston Celtics in 1953, where he became the first African-American player to be selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game. In 1983, he launched the Save High School Sports Foundation, which raised over 1 million dollars by the time he passed away in 1993 to save several Oakland school athletic programs from demise.
Direct Elect from the ABA Committee:

MEL DANIELS [Player] – Daniels is one of the most dominating big men in the history of the American Basketball Association (ABA) as the league’s all-time leading rebounder (9,494) and fourth all-time leading scorer (11,739). A two-time league MVP in 1969 and 1971, he was a seven-time ABA All-Star and a member of three ABA championship teams with the Indiana Pacers, now of the NBA. He was selected as a member of the ABA 30-Man All-Time team. In college, Daniels starred for the University of New Mexico, leading the Lobos in scoring for three straight seasons and was the Western Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player in 1967. He was drafted ninth in the 1967 NBA Draft, but chose to go play in the ABA instead. Following his ABA Rookie of the Year award in 1968, he went on to earn All-ABA First Team four times and Second Team once. After his professional career, which concluded as a member of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets, Daniels joined the coaching staff at Indiana State, where he coached future Hall of Famer Larry Bird. He was also a member of the Indiana Pacers front office for over 20 years.

Direct Elect from the Veterans Committee:

CHET WALKER [Player] – Walker is widely known as one of the most athletic, skilled and resilient players in his era having missed only 21 games in his decorated 13-year NBA career. The seven-time NBA All-Star was also a member of the 1967 NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers that is recognized as one of the greatest teams in history and ended the Boston Celtics run of eight straight titles. He went on to score 18,831 points and grab 7,314 rebounds in his career and was only the eighth player in NBA history to play more than 1,000 career games at the time of his retirement in 1975. As a member of the Chicago Bulls, he led the NBA in free throw percentage at .859 during the 1970-71 season. In college, Walker was a unanimous First Team All-America selection in 1962, leading Bradley to the NIT finals in back-to-back seasons, and winning the championship in 1960. He graduated as Bradley’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. He was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals and selected to the 1963 NBA All-Rookie Team.

Direct Elect from the Contributor Direct Election Committee:

PHIL KNIGHT [Contributor] – One of the most significant contributors to the game of basketball, Knight, Nike’s co-founder, is currently the company’s Chairman of the Board. Under his guidance, Nike became the first sports brand to work with elite athletes to garner their insights to create the most innovative products. In basketball, Knight worked to create one of the company’s most iconic partnerships with Michael Jordan. He has had a long history of working with other basketball greats like Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Dirk Nowitzki to Coach K and C. Vivian Stringer. Knight also signed Sheryl Swoopes as the first woman to have her own signature basketball shoe. His company now supports NBA stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. Knight’s support of basketball internationally has also helped to elevate the game globally, including its current sponsorship of USA Basketball. He’s also focused his efforts on supporting college athletics – including basketball – by providing resources to grow and maximize the collegiate game and the student-athlete experience through programs such as Duke, Georgetown, Syracuse and his alma mater Oregon. In 1993, he was named the Most Powerful Man in Sports by The Sporting News.

---------------------------------------

Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2011
April 4, 2011

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today announced that 10 individuals have been named as the Class of 2011 to be honored August 11-13 during this year’s Enshrinement Ceremonies. The inductees include former NBA star and 1992 Dream Team member Chris Mullin; five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman; ABA/NBA legend Artis Gilmore and four-time NCAA women’s coach of the year Tara VanDerveer; in addition to four-time Olympic gold medalist Teresa Edwards; European star Arvydas Sabonis; all-time NCAA wins leader Herb Magee; eight-time NBA champion Tom “Satch” Sanders; coaching legend Tex Winter; and former Harlem Globetrotter Reece “Goose” Tatum, who will be honored posthumously. The announcement was made at a press conference in Houston, the site of the 2011 NCAA Final Four.

“We are pleased to welcome these 10 electees who will join the greatest in the game and take their rightful place in Springfield as a Hall of Famer,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“The Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011 is a true global representation of the game of basketball,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board. “These distinguished players and coaches have made an impact at all levels worldwide and they have motivated, taught and inspired future generations to succeed both on and off the court.”

To be elected, finalists required 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This year, in addition to the Veterans and International committees, there are directly elected enshrinees from two other newly formed committees representing the American Basketball Association (ABA) and Early African-American Pioneers of the Game. This change in the selection process will ensure that the Hall of Fame takes the necessary steps to preserve the history of the game and protect a critical era of basketball.

“The addition of the ABA and Early African-American Pioneers of the Game committees make sure we bring historical context to the modern game and meet our mission of recognizing the entire game,” said Colangelo. “This generation built a foundation for the sport and the Hall of Fame is dedicated to making sure that they do not go unrecognized.”

Women’s Committee:

TERESA EDWARDS – Player, was the first American basketball player to participate in five Olympic games – winning gold in four of them and bronze in the fifth. In college, she was a two-time Kodak All-America selection while leading Georgia twice to the Final Four. For her efforts, she has been elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, National High School Sports Hall of Fame, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and US Olympic Hall of Fame. Elected as a Player from the Women’s Committee.

TARA VANDERVEER – Coach, began her collegiate coaching career in 1978 and continues today at Stanford University. She has guided the Cardinal to two NCAA championships and this year became only the fifth Division I head coach to surpass 800 wins. At the International level, she has won Olympic gold in 1996 as well as gold in the Goodwill Games and World University Games. She has been named national coach of the year four times and has guided teams to eight Final Fours. Elected as a Coach from the Women’s Committee.

International Committee:

ARVYDAS SABONIS – Player, known as one of best big men in European history, he made an additional name for himself here in the United States with the NBA. Known for his all round excellence and skill, he’d win Olympic gold and bronze as well as European championship gold with the Soviet Union and Lithuania between 1985 and 1996. Recognized as one of the greatest passing centers of all time, he also would be named the Euroleague’s Most Valuable Player and was a two-time European Player of the Year. In the NBA, he would play with the Portland Trailblazers between 1995-2001 and 2002-2003. Elected as a Player from the International Committee.

Early African-American Pioneers of the Game Committee:

REECE “GOOSE” TATUM – Player, was the original clown prince of the Harlem Globetrotters and would be known as a basketball ambassador around the world for more than 25 years. He began his career in the 1940s as a baseball player for the Birmingham Black Barons and the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro National League. As a Globetrotter, he would play the important pivot position in the Globetrotter offense and was one of the first to shoot the hook shot with an arm span of 84-inches. He is also an enshrinee of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Elected as a Player from the Early African-American Pioneers Committee. (Born: May 31, 1921; Died Jan. 18, 1967)

ABA Committee:

ARTIS GILMORE – Player, member of the ABA 30-Man All-Time Team, would win one ABA championship and be named the ABA league and playoff Most Valuable Player. His ABA career would also include All-ABA First Team honors five times, and All-ABA Defensive Teams four times. In the NBA, he would be named to six NBA All-Star Teams between 1977-1988. For his playing career, he would score more than 24,000 points and averaged a double/double in both professional leagues. Elected as a Player from the ABA committee.

Veterans Committee:

TOM “SATCH” SANDERS – Contributor, a New York native who was a member of eight Boston Celtics championship teams between 1961 and 1969, playing a critical role in the teams’ legendary defensive success. Retiring as a player, he would coach at both Harvard University and with the Boston Celtics. Following his coaching career he would be instrumental in the development of the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program and was a founder of the player programs for the NBA, which served as the benchmark for league sports throughout the world. He has been enshrined into multiple Halls of Fame, served in critical roles for the Legend’s Foundation and is the associate director for the study of sport in society at Northeastern University. His remarkable career in basketball resulted in his recognition with the Hall of Fame’s John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award. Elected as a Contributor from the Veteran’s Committee.

North American Committee Finalists:

HERB MAGEE – Coach, he has won more than 900 games at Division II Philadelphia University where he has coached since 1966. His victory count is good for first all-time in NCAA basketball history for any level and he continues to be active today at Philly U. He has guided the school to 25 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, has won 20 or more games in 30 years and has one NCAA National Championship. Elected as a Coach from the North American Committee.

CHRIS MULLIN – Player, a high school All-America from New York City, he was a five-time NBA All-Star and collegiate standout at St. John’s, where he was named Big East Player of the Year an unprecedented three times. He won two Olympic gold medals, including one as a member of the 1992 ‘Dream Team’, and his 16 NBA seasons with Golden State and Indiana produced over 17,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists. He was an NBA First Team pick in 1992, and still holds the all-time scoring record at St. John’s, where he was named the Wooden Award Winner and a Sporting News All-America in 1985. Elected as a Player from the North American Committee.

DENNIS RODMAN – Player, known for his extraordinary rebounding and defensive skills – he would win five NBA championships, three with Chicago and two with Detroit. Named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year twice, he was named to a total of seven All-Defensive first teams while being selected to two NBA All-Star games. His rebounding statistics still rank as some of the best in history. Elected as a Player from the North American Committee.

TEX WINTER – Coach, began his coaching career in 1947 as an assistant with Kansas State University and continued at the collegiate and NBA levels until 2006. He was part of nine NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and is known for building the foundation of the triangle-post offense, which helped form dynasties at the Bulls and Lakers. He was the youngest coach in college basketball history to receive Coach of the Year honors and guided Kansas State to six NCAA appearances and two Final Fours. Elected as a Coach from the North American Committee.

Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2010
April 5, 2010

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today announced that eight individuals and two teams have been named as the Enshrinement Class of 2010. The inductees include Jerry Buss, Cynthia Cooper, Bob Hurley, Sr., Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen, along with two celebrated teams: the 1960 USA Men’s Olympic team and the 1992 USA Basketball “Dream Team.” The Class of 2010 also includes three legendary players: Dennis Johnson, Gus Johnson and international star Maciel “Ubiratan” Pereira, all of whom will be honored posthumously. The announcement was made at a press conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, the site of the 2010 NCAA Final Four.

“We are very proud to introduce the historic Class of 2010, a diverse and distinguished group that includes six players, a coach, a contributor and two elite teams,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “We look forward to honoring them in Springfield this summer with a week-long celebration of basketball, highlighted by the Enshrinement Ceremony on August 13.”

"The Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010 represents everything that is great about the game of basketball," said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board. "From the two gold medal winning USA Olympic Teams, to a high school coach who dedicated his life to the game, to a diverse group of individuals who have excelled as collegians, professionals and great contributors to our sport, this group of Hall of Famers will be known as one of the great classes in history."

To be elected, finalists required 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2010 will be enshrined at the Springfield Symphony Hall on August 13, following a week of festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts to be staged August 7-13, 2010.

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2010 INDUCTEES

JERRY BUSS – Contributor, has owned the Los Angeles Lakers since 1979, building one of the most successful organizations in the history of professional sports. The Lakers have won nine NBA championships during his tenure while capturing 16 Western Conference championships. During Buss’ ownership, the team has recorded the most wins and the highest overall winning percentage in the NBA. Buss owned the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA from 1996-2006, and the club captured two WNBA titles (2001-02) under his leadership. He also became the first NBA team owner of a D-League franchise when the Lakers bought the Los Angeles D-Fenders in 2006. Buss served two terms as Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and has received numerous honors for his wide-ranging charitable interests.

CYNTHIA COOPER – Player, competed at the University of Southern California, where she won two NCAA Championships and participated in three Final Fours. As a member of the Houston Comets, she won four WNBA Championships and was named WNBA Finals MVP with each title. Cooper was named to three WNBA All-Star teams and was also selected WNBA regular season MVP twice. Cooper won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1988 and an Olympic Bronze Medal in 1992 to go along with two FIBA Women’s World Championship Gold Medals.

ROBERT “Bob” HURLEY, Sr. – Coach, was born in Jersey City, NJ and played college basketball at St. Peter’s before becoming the head coach at St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City in 1972. Hurley has since compiled over 900 wins at St. Anthony’s while leading the team to 25 State Parochial Championships and three USA Today National Championships (1989, 1996, 2008). Hurley was twice named National Coach of the Year by USA Today (1989, 1996) and was elected to the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He is only the third person elected to the Hall of Fame exclusively for his service to high school basketball (Morgan Wootten, Bertha Teague).

DENNIS JOHNSON – Player, was one of basketball’s toughest defenders, earning nine consecutive NBA All-Defensive team honors during his 14-year professional career. He was a major part of three NBA championship teams and won MVP honors at the 1979 Finals as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics. He played with Seattle from 1976-80 and was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he played from 1980-83. He finished his NBA career with the Boston Celtics (1983-90), winning NBA championship rings in 1984 and 1986. Known as “DJ” to teammates and fans, he was named to five NBA All-Star teams, scoring more than 15,000 points and compiling 5,000 assists before retiring in 1990. (Born: Sept.18,1954; Died: Feb. 22, 2007).

GUS JOHNSON – Player, was a five-time NBA All-Star (1965, ‘68-71) and a two-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive team (1970 and ’71). Johnson helped lead the Baltimore Bullets to five playoff appearances in nine seasons, including the 1971 NBA Finals. He played 10 years in the NBA, scored 9,944 points (17.1 ppg) and grabbed 7,379 rebounds (12.7 rpg). Johnson also played for the Phoenix Suns (1972-73) and was a member of the 1973 ABA Champion Indiana Pacers. (Born: Dec. 13,1938; Died: April 29,1987)

KARL MALONE – Player, was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (1997, ’99) and a 14-time NBA All-Star for the Utah Jazz. He was named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1996 and ranks second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 36,928 points. Malone was selected as an All-NBA first team forward from 1989-99 and was named to the league’s All-Defensive first team from 1997-99. He won two Olympic gold medals, competing as a member of the 1992 USA Basketball “Dream Team” and the 1996 USA Olympic champions. Malone played collegiately at Louisiana Tech from 1981-1985. He finished his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003-04.

MACIEL “UBIRATAN” PEREIRA – Player, was known as “The King” in his native Brazil. He earned a gold medal at the 1963 World Championship, a silver medal at the 1970 World Championship and a bronze medal at the 1964 Olympic Games. Closer to home, he won five South American Championships and 11 titles in the São Paulo League in Brazil. He played in three Olympic Games for Brazil and was inducted as a player to the FIBA Hall of Fame in September, 2009. He was awarded the FIBA “Order of Merit” honor. (Born: Jan.18,1944; Died: July 17, 2002).

SCOTTIE PIPPEN – Player, was a seven-time NBA All-Star (1990, 1992-97) and a member of six NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98). He was a three-time All-NBA first team honoree and was voted to the NBA All-Defensive first team from 1992-99, along with two stints on the All-Defensive second team. Pippen won two Olympic gold medals as he was a member of the 1992 USA Basketball “Dream Team” and returned to help lead the USA to gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He won NBA All-Star MVP honors in 1994. Pippen also played with the Houston Rockets (1998-99) and Portland Trail Blazers (1999-2003). He is a native of Hamburg, Arkansas and played collegiately at the University of Central Arkansas (1983-87).

1960 USA OLYMPIC TEAM – Team, compiled an 8-0 record at the Rome Olympic Games and won its games by an average margin of 42.4 points. Ten players went on to play in the NBA and six team members have been enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, including coaches Pete Newell and Dutch Lonborg. The Hall of Fame players from the ’60 team are Walt Bellamy, Jerry Lucas, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Lucas and Robinson led the team in scoring with 17.0 ppg as the team averaged 101.9 ppg while holding its opponents to 59.5 ppg, a 42.4 point margin of victory.

1992 USA OLYMPIC TEAM known as “The Dream Team” – Team, compiled an 8-0 record at the Barcelona Olympic Games with an average margin of victory of 43.8. Coached by a Hall of Famer, the late Chuck Daly, the “Dream Team” was the first team made up primarily of NBA players, eligible to compete in international basketball for the first time because of the change of FIBA rules in 1989. Eight players from the team have been enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and two more (Malone and Pippen) are in the Class of 2010. The prior inductees include Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, and John Stockton. Hall of Fame coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Lenny Wilkens assisted Daly, while Chris Mullin, a 2010 Hall of Fame finalist, and college standout Christian Laettner of Duke University completed the roster. The ’92 Dream team was inducted into the USA Olympic Hall of Fame in 2009.

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level worldwide – professional, collegiate, men and women.

OTHER OLDER LINKS

Basketball Hall of Fame Nominees
Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists