NEW ORLEANS -- Was there really any doubt David Stern was headed to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame?
Just a couple of weeks after he retired following 30 years as NBA Commissioner, it was announced Stern was picked by the Hall of Fame’s Contributor Direct Election Committee — he is in, he doesn’t have to go up for another vote.
Nor should he — Stern oversaw a massive domestic and international growth of the NBA (and with that growth in the popularity of basketball overall). He understood that the NBA should be marketing its stars more than its teams — and when stars like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan (among others) fall in your lap the job is easy. Yes, there are dark spots on Stern’s record, his tenure was not all rainbows and puppy dogs, but he changed and grew the game in a massive way. His inclusion is a no brainer.
While Stern is in, 10 finalists were named and still have to go through one more round of voting (don’t ask by whom, transparency and the Hall of Fame do not mix). Those finalists are:
• Tim Hardaway, the guy with maybe the best crossover the game, who was a five-time All-Star and a member of the Warriors legendary Run TMC teams. • Mitch Richmond, another member of Run TMC and a six-time All-Star. • Spencer Haywood, a legendary NBA big man and four-time All-Star. • Kevin Johnson, the three time All-Star who also has helped keep the NBA in Sacramento as mayor. • Alonzo Mourning, who was a seven-time All-Star and continues to work with the Miami Heat and the league. • Nolan Richardson, the former college coach of the year who had a legendary “40 minutes of hell” program at Arkansas. • Eddie Sutton, four time college coach of the year. • Gary Williams, who coached two teams to NCAA titles.
Who of that group gets to make the Hall of Fame will be announced in April during the NCAA Final Four.
Seven other men were directly elected (like Stern) and will be part of the class of 2015 for the Hall of Fame. They are:
• Sarunas Marciulionis, who had a seven-year NBA stint as well as an impressive international career, was voted in by the International Committee. • Guy Rodgers, who was a four-time All-Star playing for the Philadelphia Warriors then went with the team as they moved cross country, was voted in by the veteran’s committee. • Al Attles, who played 13 seasons and had his numbers retired by the Golden State Warriors, coached them, and has worked for the organization for 51 years. Attles has been selected to receive the 2014 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award. • Bob Leonard was voted in from the American Basketball Association (ABA) committee. • Nat Clifton was elected by the Early African American Pioneers Committee. • Famed Phoenix sportswriter Joe Gilmartin (who covered the Suns from their inception) and broadcaster John Andariese (who was the first color commentator on NBC when it carried the NBA and has worked doing commentary on the Knicks and others) are the 2014 Curt Gowdy Media Award recipients.
The Class of 2014 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass. in August.
