Former Philly Belle Dawn Staley earns Hall of Fame with 11 others

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 12 members of the Class of 2013 to be honored September 6-8 during this year’s Enshrinement Ceremonies. This year’s list includes nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton, seven-time NCAA Final Four coach Rick Pitino, four-time NCAA Final Four coach Jerry Tarkanian, five-time WNBA All-Star Dawn Staley, five-time NCAA Final Four coach Guy Lewis, four-time NBA All-Star Bernard King and three-time National Coach of the Year Sylvia Hatchell. 

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 Roger Brown voted in from the American Basketball Association (ABA) Committee, Dr. E.B. Henderson from the Early African American Pioneers Committee, Oscar Schmidt from the International Committee, Richard Guerin from the Veterans Committee and Russ Granik from the Contributor Direct Election Committee. The Class Announcement was made at a press conference in Atlanta, the site of the 2013 NCAA Final Four, and televised live on NBA TV with host Jim Nantz from CBS Sports.

“The Hall of Fame is proud to recognize this distinguished group of coaches, players and contributors to the game of basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “Each person in this group has rightfully earned their spot in the Hall of Fame and we look forward to honoring them in Springfield during this Enshrinement Ceremonies in September.”

To be elected, finalists required 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 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 2013 is one of the most distinguished groups that the Hall of Fame has ever inducted at one time,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board. “These individuals span decades of the game and have impacted the sport on every level.”

From the Women’s Committee:

SYLVIA HATCHELL [Coach]: Hatchell recently became just the third Division I women’s coach to win 900 career games and the only coach in history to win national championships at three different levels (AIAW, NAIA and NCAA).  Since taking over at the University of North Carolina in 1986, she has led the Tar Heels to three NCAA Final Fours, eight ACC championships and the 1994 National Championship.  She is a three-time National Coach of the Year (1994, 2006 and 2008) and three-time ACC Coach of the Year. She has led her teams to seven 30-win seasons and twenty-eight 20-win seasons.  In International competition, she was an assistant coach for the 1988 Olympic Gold Medal team and a part of four World University Games.

DAWN STALEY [Player]: As one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball history, Staley was a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist (1996, 2000 and 2004), five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time National College Player of the Year (1991-92).  She was named the USA Basketball Female Player of the Year in 1994 and went on to begin her professional career as a two-time ABL All-Star (1997 and 1998). As a collegiate player, Staley was a three-time Kodak All-America selection (1990-92) at the University of Virginia and she still holds the NCAA career record for steals (454).  She led the Cavaliers to three NCAA Final Four appearances and was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1991. She is the only player in women’s college basketball history to record 2,000 points, 700 assists and 400 steals.

From the North American Committee:

BERNARD KING [Player]: King is a four-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA First-Team selection, NBA All-Rookie Team selection and was the NBA Comeback Player of the Year in 1981.  Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he was a First Team All-America at the University of Tennessee before an NBA career that included stints with the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Washington Bullets. He averaged over 22 points per game during his 15-year career including a 34.8 points per game average in the 1984 NBA Playoffs.

GUY V. LEWIS [Coach]: Lewis led his University of Houston program to five NCAA Final Four appearances (1967, 1968, 1982, 1983 and 1984) and nearly 600 wins during his 30 years as head coach.   

GARY PAYTON [Player]: – Known as “The Glove” for his defensive prowess, Payton was a nine-time NBA All-Star and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection.  He was an All-NBA First Team selection in both 1998 and 2000 and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996.