Friday, September 5, 2008

2008 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame


Patrick Ewing, a 17-year NBA player, was an 11-time All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and three-time collegiate All-America. He totaled 24,815 points and 11,607 rebounds during his pro career.

Pat Riley is a three-time NBA Coach of the Year and ranks third on the NBA all-time wins list behind Lenny Wilkens and Don Nelson. Riley has five titles as a coach, four with the Lakers and one with the Heat, and is a member of the NBA's Ten Best Coaches of All-Time.

Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995, was named NBA MVP in 1994 and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Olajuwon holds the NBA record for blocked shots (3,830) and is the only player to record more than 3,000 blocked shots and 2,000 steals in a career.

Adrian Dantley, a 15-year NBA pro with seven different teams, was a six-time All-Star, won a gold medal with the 1976 Olympic team and was Rookie of the Year in 1977. His 23,177 career points ranks 23rd all-time in the NBA.

William Davidson has been the owner of the Detroit Pistons since 1974 and the WNBA Detroit Shock since 1998. His Pistons have garnered three NBA titles to go along with two WNBA championships for the Shock. Davidson was elected to the Hall of Fame as a contributor.

Dick Vitale, in the midst of his 28th season as an ESPN college basketball analyst, will be inducted as a contributor. A former high school, college and professional basketball coach, Vitale has become one of the most well-known commentators in all of sports. Hall of Fame contributors are recognized as those who have made contributions to the game and its growth.

Cathy Rush, a pioneer in women's basketball, led Immaculata College to three consecutive AIAW national championships from 1972 to 1974. She won 149 games in seven seasons and lost only 15, for a .908 winning percentage. Rush made six consecutive appearances in the AIAW Final Four (1972-1977).

0 comments:

Post a Comment