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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

February 13, 2009

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

ANDRE ALDRIDGE: Thank you very much. We're here at the Sheraton Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, the site of NBA All-Star 2009, and there are a great many people around the world eager to learn who have been honored as finalists today the critical next step to being named to the Hall of Fame.
Very, very exciting to be here today, folks. To get things started and to update us on the Hall of Fame, please welcome the president and chief executive officer of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, John Doleva.
JOHN DOLEVA: Good morning and thank you all for being here as we announce our finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009.
While every Hall of Fame class is incredibly unique and has a very significant impact on the game, this list of finalists we are about to unveil will demonstrate that 2009 is shaping up to be a remarkable year for the Basketball Hall of Fame and the game itself. We have plenty of folks here assembled behind me that are well-known Hall of Famers. I want to introduce them to now.
Jerry Colangelo, Hall of Fame Class of 2004. Clyde Drexler, Class of 2004. George Gervin, Hall of Fame Class of 1996. Bob Lanier, Hall of Fame Class of 1992, Nancy Lieberman, Hall of Fame Class of 1996. Nancy, welcome. Annie Meyers, Hall of Fame Class of 1993. David Thompson, Class of 1996. Welcome. Dominique Wilkins, Class of 2006.
And also in the audience here on the dais representing the Harlem Globetrotters are two very special Globetrotters. As you know, the Globetrotters is one of six teams enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame. I would now like to call upon our chairman, the chairman of our board, Mr. Mannie Jackson, who of course has been very involved, almost a lifetime of involvement with the Harlem Globetrotters to say a few words about the Hall of Fame and also introduce these very special guests from the Globetrotters. Mannie?
MANNIE JACKSON: It would be trite to say this is not a great privilege to be here. As you know, at these sessions, if you have had the experience, there is no higher honor in basketball than to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. This enshrinement ceremony is what it is all about. After nearly 80 years, in 2002 the Globetrotters game I think the fourth or fifth team selected in the Hall of Fame. Nothing, of all the experience of the Globetrotters had, nothing equalled that experience of being in the Hall of Fame.
I'm honored today to introduce you to the current Clown Prince of Basketball who is a tremendous basketball player and personality, a must-see entertainer, we call him Special K, Kevin Daily.
Someone said breakfast wouldn't be breakfast without coffee. Dinner wouldn't be dinner without a salad before you have it. The Harlem Globetrotters would not be the Harlem Globetrotters if there were not -- I call him Frederick, Curly Neal.
So I thank you all for coming. This is a wonderful experience for all of us and the Hall of Fame goes through great effort to make sure the process of selection is pure, to make sure the selection criteria are met, the vetting process is arduous. It takes hours to arrive at the enshrinement -- the enshrinees each year. I would never believe how much time, honest and integrity goes into this process.
This year's selection we're happy to do it here in Phoenix, Arizona, and I bring John back up to begin that process. Thank you very much.
JOHN DOLEVA: Before we unveil our finalists, I want to thank the NBA and NBA Entertainment for their hospitality and support in producing this event here at the All-Star Game. The NBA is a marvelous partner who cares deeply about the history of the entire game and we appreciate their help on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
I would also like to thank our other major constituents in the game who support the Hall of Fame in so many ways, including our friends at the NCAA, USA Basketball and FIBA to name a few.
Today we announce a list of 16 finalists who take the next step towards immortality in basketball. In all, we had 164 eligible nominees in 2009 from four screening committees.
First, the North American Committee, concentrating on the men's game in the U.S. Players, coaches and contributors to the game. The Women's Committee focused on the women's game in the U.S. and North America. The International Committee, which as you would expect recognizes those that are primarily known for their achievements outside of the USA, and the Veterans Committee, an important committee who puts forth candidates that have been out of the game for 35 years or more to assure that the Hall of Fame has a safety net to recognize those that so greatly impacted this game from generations past.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a player must be fully retired for five full seasons, a coach must either be fully retired for five years or have coached a total of 25 years or more if still active.
And the contributor, an individual who has made a significant contribution to the game and its growth can be nominated at any time for those significant contributions. To be a part of the group that reaches this finalist stage is a remarkable achievement. The next step, the announcement of those who have been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame will be made on April 6th on Championship Monday in Detroit at the NCAA Final Four festivities.
Our enshrinement ceremonies will be held in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the birthplace where Dr. Naismith invented the game on September 10 through 12. Event tickets went on sale four minutes ago.
All details regarding our enshrinement weekend and the ceremonies can be viewed on our Web site. It is hoophall.com. Please take a look.
There is no greater asset the Basketball Hall of Fame has than its Hall of Famers and those assembled behind me are a great example of what a powerful collection of talent and history we honor in Springfield.
It is now time to see which 16 individuals have been so recognized by four very accomplished screening committees to become a finalist in 2009 for the ultimate honor in basketball, enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
And to do the introductions of our finalists I would now like to welcome back up to the stage a fan favorite from NBA TV and Andre Aldridge. Andre?
ANDRE ALDRIDGE: Well, first, from the Women's Committee, this Chicago native played her college ball at the University of Southern California where she won two NCAA championships and participated in three Final Fours. With the Houston Comets she would win four WNBA championships, be named to three WNBA All-Star Games, selected WNBA MVP twice and named an All-WNBA First Team selection. She won an Olympic gold medal in 1988, Olympic bronze medal in 1992, won two World Championship gold medals and two Goodwill Games gold medals. Selected as a finalist is a player from the Women's Committee, Cynthia Cooper.
Her coaching career has taken her from Cheyney State to the University of Iowa and on to Rutgers University where she continues to coach today. She has compiled an overall coaching record of over 770 wins which ranks her third all-time in NCAA women's basketball history. She is the first coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four and is an enshrinee of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Selected as a finalist is the coach from the Women's Committee, C. Vivian Stringer.
And now the finalist from the International Committee, known as the founder of basketball in Leningrad, he would compile an overall record of 727 victories against 365 defeats. He would lead the Soviet Union National Team to the Olympic gold medal in 1972 and an Olympic bronze medal in 1976, the World Championship gold medal in 1974 and won the European Championship in Germany, Spain, and Yugoslavia. Selected as a finalist for as a coach from the International Committee, Vladimir Kondrashin.
Nicknamed "Rey," translated "The King" in his native homeland of Sao Paulo, Brazil, he would earn gold at the 1963 World Championships and an Olympic bronze in 1964 while winning five South American championships and 11 titles in the Paulista League in Brazil. "The King" would play in three Olympic Games for Brazil and earn the Merit Award from FIBA in 2002. Selected as a finalist is a player from the International Committee, Pereira Ubiratan Maciel.
Now, the finalist from the Veterans Committee. His NBA career included stops with the New York Knicks, St. Louis Hawks and Atlanta Hawks as a player and player coach. He would be named a six-time NBA All-Star, be named to the All-NBA Second Team three times and was the first New York Knick to score 2000 points in a single season. He would average 20 points in the game in the NBA, nearly 25 points per game in college, and as a player-coach in 1968 won NBA Coach of the Year. Selected as a finalist is a player from the Veterans Committee, Richard Guerin.
His contribution to basketball has spanned playing, coaching, executive and broadcaster. This Chicago native was a three-time NBA All-Star and member of the NBA Championship Syracuse Nationals as a player. As a coach, he will be named NBA Coach of the Year 1967 with the Chicago Bulls and was the only coach in history to lead an expansion team to the playoffs. Spent two seasons as the coach of the Chicago Bulls, business manager, and today is known as the color commentator for the Bulls, a position he has held since 1975. This week he was named the winner of the Hall of Fame's 2009 Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award. Selected as a finalist is a contributor from the Veterans Committee, Johnny "Red" Kerr.
And now the finalists from the North American Committee. He has contributed 49 consecutive years of service to the Golden State Warriors as a player, player-coach, coach, general manager, vice president and consultant. He became the winningest coach in Warriors history and led the Warriors to the 1957 NBA championship. Currently he serves as vice president, general manager of the Warriors, a position he has had since 1987. Selected as a finalist is a contributor from the North American Committee, Al Attles.
He has dedicated his life to a school known as St. Anthony's in Jersey City, New Jersey. He has compiled more than 900 wins against 100 defeats while winning three USA Today National Championships and impacting the lives of thousands of kids. His teams have won 25 New Jersey State Parochial championships, ten Tournament of Champions titles, compiled five undefeated seasons and sent more than 100 players on scholarship to college. The school has no home court. He has raised funds to keep the school going, and he is an enshrinee of the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame. Selected as a finalist is the coach from the North American Committee, Robert "Bob" Hurley, Sr.
One of basketball's toughest defenders, he would earn nine consecutive NBA All-Defensive team honors during his 14-year professional career. He was part of three NBA championship teams and won Most Valuable Player of the 1979 NBA Finals while also being named to five NBA All-Star games. He scored more than 15,000 points, gave out 5,000 assists before retiring in 1990. Named the finalist as a player from the North American Committee, Dennis "D.J." Johnson.
One of the most recognizable figures in the world began his basketball career at Laney High School before going to the University of North Carolina and on to the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. He will be named a 14-time NBA All-Star, win six NBA championships, named a five-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA Finals MVP, be selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team, and won two Olympic gold medals. As a Tar Heel, he won a NCAA championship and received Naismith and Wooden Award honors. Selected as a finalist as a player from the North American Committee, Michael Jordan.
He spent 15 years in the NBA with five teams after competing collegiately at the University of Tennessee. A New York City native, he would be named a four-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA First Team selection and was named the Collegiate All-American. Averaged 22.5 points per game, named the NBA's Comeback Player of the Year and to the NBA All-Rookie team in 1978. Selected as a finalist is a player from the North American Committee, Bernard King.
A high school All-American from New York City, he was a five-time NBA All-Star, collegiate standout at St. John's where he was name 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, in Indiana produced over 17,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists. He was a NBA First Team pick in 1992 and still holds the all-time scoring record at St. John's University where he was named the Wooden Award winner and a Sporting News All-America in 1985. Selected as a finalist is a player from the North American Committee, Chris Mullin.
Named one of the NBA's ten best coaches of all-time in 1996, he is currently NBA three-time NBA Coach of the Year and currently ranked second on the All-Time Wins list in NBA history. He is one of only two coaches to win 250 games with three different teams and served his country as the head coach of the 1994 United States team that won gold at the World Championships. Select as a finalist is a coach from the North American Committee, Don Nelson.
He would spend his entire NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, guiding them to two NBA championships while being named a ten-time NBA All-Star. NBA League MVP, four-time All-NBA First Team selection and was selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team in addition to winning two Olympic gold medals. Collegiately as an All-American at the United States Naval Academy he earned Player of the Year, Naismith and Wooden Award while leading the country in rebounding and blocked shots. Selected as a finalist is a player from the North American Committee, David Robinson.
His coaching career in the NBA began as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls in 1977 and has continued with a long career with the Utah Jazz. He is the only coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games with one team and has won nearly 1,100 for his career which ranks him fourth all time. He has led the Utah Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances and 18 playoff appearances overall. Selected as a finalist is a coach from the North American Committee, Jerry Sloan.
He spent his entire NBA career with the Utah Jazz accumulating nearly 16,000 assists and more than 3,000 steals. He was named a ten-time NBA All-Star, selected a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team, two-time member of the All-NBA First Team and won two Olympic gold medals. For his efforts he helped the Jazz to two NBA Final appearances and one of two players who recorded 19,000 points, 7,000 assists and 2,000 steals. Selected as a finalist is a player from the North American Committee, John Stockton.
Congratulations to all of the finalists. As John mentioned, being named a finalist to the Hall of Fame is by itself a real honor. Now, one of the Hall of Famers on stage was on hand to present the 2009 Bunn Lifetime Achievement award to Johnny "Red" Kerr. This is the highest honor presented by the Hall outside of enshrinement.
Jerry Colangelo, do you mind coming forward and telling us about that special evening with your friend, Johnny?
JERRY COLANGELO: A few nights ago in Chicago, some of us came together to honor Johnny Kerr. Relationships that go back many, many years in each case, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes, Al Bianchi, a former teammate and coach with Johnny Kerr, and I participated in making that award to Johnny. He has been a lifer. He was a well-deserving of this incredible award.
When you think about the list of those that have preceded him, just to name a few like Bob Cousy and Red Auerbach and Hank Iba and Johnny Wooden to name a few. It was a pleasure for me because of our personal relationship and the time we spent together in the NBA both in Chicago and in Phoenix to make that award to Johnny.
He is seriously ill at home, and I know he's watching on NBA TV and, John, I just want you to know that our prayers are with you and I wish you well in the next round.
ANDRE ALDRIDGE: Thank you, Jerry.
And let's do a quick correction on one of the finalists, Ubiratan from Brazil, it is Maciel Pereira, we want to make sure the announcer gets that correctly.
We are fortunate that one of our finalists is in attendance. Mr. Robinson, can you come up and talk about being named a finalist.
DAVID ROBINSON: Well, this is indeed an honor. This is an amazing, amazing honor for all of the finalists. I will step out on a limb and speak for all of them and say thank you. To stand here on this stage with all of these great Hall of Famers and think about the impact that they have had on this game of basketball and think about the impact that they have had on young lives everywhere, including my own.
When I went to San Antonio and to be able to follow in the footsteps of a George Gervin, "The Ice Man" (smiling) -- was a tremendous honor and to be able to build upon that great foundation that he has laid there in San Antonio and inspire new kids of the next generation is amazing.
I have worked alongside a lot of these people up here in their ongoing efforts to continue to improve basketball. Jerry Colangelo has worked with the Olympic team and you see the result, this last Olympic team, how they represented the United States in a phenomenal way, both with character and on the basketball court. And that was largely due to his efforts and his team's efforts with USA Basketball.
I could go around this whole circle. I was talking to Curly Neal and I was trying to explain to my boys the impact that Curly Neal had on me as a youngster and they said, Curly Neal, who is that? I said, How do you not know Curly Neal? What kind of father am I that I have not taught you about Curly? (Laughter).
We will go home and watch some tapes on Globetrotters and make sure these boys understand the impact this man has had on basketball and what a pioneer he and his team, the Globetrotters, have been.
And I want to wish Special K good luck and really carrying on that tradition. It is a tremendous tradition. You carry a lot of weight on your shoulders trying to follow after those guys, but I'm sure you will do a phenomenal job.
So on behalf of all of the nominees, I say thank you. We understand the honor that goes along with being one of the finalists. We know everyone doesn't get in, but we say thank you and we are very honored to be nominated.
ANDRE ALDRIDGE: Thank you very much, David. I know I said this before, but I've got to reiterate what a great honor it is for me to be here today hosting the event. We know the Hall of Fame is a wonderful museum and it is a real showplace of basketball. In a room of such great, great basketball folks behind me, we know that no Hall of Famers can sneak into the room. So real quick, a friend of ours who is to my left up the wall, Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving right here.
We thank all of the Hall of Famers for joining us today. Everyone will be available to media immediately following the event. Remember, the Class of 2009 we introduce on Monday, April 6, at the NCAA Final Four in Detroit. Enshrinement 2009 will take place September 11 in Springfield, Massachusetts. I hope to see everyone there.
Thanks for all of you joining us today. Thanks to our host NBA Entertainment and thanks to our audience on NBA TV. Thank you, everybody.

End of FastScripts

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