2014 Final Four: 10 Called to the Hall
The next 10 inductees into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame were announced Monday at a news conference in Dallas. Former NBA commissioner David Stern and former NBA stars Alonzo Mourning and Mitch Richmond were among the people chosen. So was former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who led his team to an NCAA title exactly 20 years ago today. Richardson said he is in eight other Halls of Fame, but this one means the most.
The other new members of the Hall are former NBA stars SarunasMarciulionis, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, and Guy Rodgers; former Maryland coach Gary Williams; former ABA coach Bob "Slick" Leonard; and the Immaculata University women's teams from 1972-74.
Lots of other Hall of Famers were there to welcome the new members into the club, including David Robinson, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Ralph Sampson, Artis Gilmore, and Marques Haynes (one of the first stars for the Harlem Globetrotters).
Another Hall of Famer, Nancy Lieberman, was there to give out the award named after her that goes to the best point guard in women's college basketball. It went to Odyssey Sims of Baylor. Shabazz Napier of UConn was there to receive the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the best point guard in men's college basketball. The Cousy trophy was so heavy that his coach Kevin Ollie carried it instead to make sure his star player did not get hurt before the NCAA championship game tonight!
Photo: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2014 Class (L-R) Sarunas Marciulionis, Alonzo Mourning, Judy Martelli (representing Immaculata University), Nolan Richardson, Mich Richmond, David Stern, and Gary Williams (Cooper Neill/Getty Images); Kid Reporter Jake Aron with Ralph Sampon, David Robinson, and Chris Mullin (courtesy Jake Aron)
