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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKENDFebruary 15, 2013Jerry ColangeloJohn DolevaEddie DoucetteRick KamlaGary PaytonGeorge RavelingHOUSTON, TEXAS RICK KAMLA: Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Houston, host city for All‑Star 2013. I just want to thank everybody for joining us here. A very special welcome to all of our friends watching on NBA TV. Coming live from the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston, Texas. This is going to be a big half hour of basketball programming. During today's historic event we will learn important and breaking news. We will reveal the names of the Direct Elects, the first members of the Hall of Fame class of 2013 to be named. Next we'll learn the name of the Hall of Fame annual award winners to be recognized at this year's enshrinement. We'll reveal the names of the finalists of this year's Hall of Fame class, the class of 2013. It's a great honor for me to host this event today. The Hall of Fame is a wonderful museum and a real showcase of basketball, the game we all love. Before we begin today's program, I want to introduce the remarkable group of people on stage with me now. We are honored to be joined by these outstanding members of the Hall of Fame family. First from the Hall of Fame class of 1993, Calvin Murphy. From the class of 1990, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. From the class of 2011, Artis Gilmore. Also from the class of 2011 Tom "Satch" Sanders. From the class of 1992, Bob Lanier. From the class of 2004, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler. From the class of 1997, Rick Barry. From the class of 2006, Dominique Wilkins. And from the Hall of Fame class of 2000, Bob McAdoo. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a lot to cover this morning. It is an honor and a great pleasure to introduce the chairman of the board of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the chairman of USA Basketball and a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2004, Mr. Jerry Colangelo. So, Jerry, this is the third year of the new process in the committees, is it going the way you thought it would? JERRY COLANGELO: I think absolutely. We were concerned about so many individuals who kind of slipped through the cracks. And I think the Direct Elect opportunity gives us a chance to honor those who are deserving. So I'm very happy with that. RICK KAMLA: Has it helped it grow popularity and awareness for the Hall of Fame? JERRY COLANGELO: I believe so, without question, I think we have a much more extensive reach, because we've opened up the process. And there's great diversity involved and I think it's been a real plus. RICK KAMLA: Last year was the first year of the Jerry Colangelo Golf Classic, did it gain the required results. JERRY COLANGELO: Well, I think it was a great success. We had 60 Hall of Famers who attended out at the Wigwam in Arizona. We plan to have an even bigger outing this year. We raised a lot of money for the Hall of Fame. And we're very excited about that. RICK KAMLA: We're looking forward to it again later on this summer. JERRY COLANGELO: We are, and you're going to be there. RICK KAMLA: I will. Thank you so much. Enjoy the ceremony. Thank you. So let's get to the business at hand and introduce the first members of the Hall of Fame class of 2013 from the Direct Elect Committee. He is recognized as the father of basketball in the African‑American community. From 1904 he played, coached and influenced thousands in segregated Washington, D.C. His life work spent promoting and growing the game, organizing basketball leagues and promoting physical fitness. He was an author and advocate of African‑American participation sports.  In 1974 he was elected to the inaugural class of Black Athletes Hall of Fame along with other African‑American luminaries Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, and Bill Russell. Today elected from the Early African‑American Pioneer Committee Edwin, "E.B." Henderson. This Brooklyn native made his professional mark in the game of basketball while playing in the ABA. He was a four‑time All‑Star and three‑time champion with the Indiana Pacers. He's widely considered as one of the best one‑on‑one players in basketball history, and was a unanimous choice of one of the ABA's 30 Greatest Players. Elected from the ABA Committee player, Roger Brown. This next honoree spent the majority of his playing career as a member of the New York Knicks. Known for his competitive, feisty on‑court demeanor, this high scoring guard was named to six consecutive All‑Star Games. He ended his career as a member of the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks, spending six of those years as a player‑coach. Elected as a player from the Veterans' Committee, Richie Guerin. This Brazilian native is unofficially considered to be the all‑time leading scorer in the history of Olympic basketball. Eliciting some moans and groans from our crowd, in 1991 he was named one of FIBA's 50 greatest players. And in 2010, in recognition of his standout play in international competition, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. By many he was simply known as "Oscar". Elected as a player from the International Committee, Oscar Schmidt. Our last recipient spent the better part of 30 years leaving a lasting influence on basketball. As Deputy Commissioner of the NBA, he was instrumental in helping grow the game domestically and into the global brand that it is today. He was also the driving force behind the Dream Team's participation in the 1992 Olympics. He left the NBA in 2006, but was never too far from the game, serving as chairman of the board for the Basketball Hall of Fame from 2003 to 2007. Elected as a contributor by the Contributors Committee, Russ Granik. Congratulations to all of the electees. We look forward to formally introducing all five as part of the class of 2013 at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta. Next, please welcome the president and chief executive officer of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Mr. John Doleva. JOHN DOLEVA: We'll need a bigger room next year. We must have had a free buffet that I was unaware of. Thank you, Rick Kamla, for being our host. You'll be a regular part of the Basketball Hall of Fame family. We sincerely appreciate your commitment to our vision. I'd also like to welcome the viewers on NBA TV and thank NBA Entertainment for their live coverage of this important event. Mr. Colangelo, thank you for your leadership and being a change agent for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. We've progressed in so many ways and elevated our stature and impact in the world of basketball, thanks for your intimate involvement and guidance over the last few years. Thanks to our impressive gathering of Hall of Famers. We appreciate your ongoing support throughout the year for our many events, including your commitment to be here with us today. I'm very excited about this list of electees, finalists and award winners that we will present to you today. And you will see that 2013 is shaping up to be another incredible enshrinement event, which will be held September 6th through 8th at the birth place of basketball, Springfield, Massachusetts. In addition to the Springfield events, we will tip off our enshrinement festivities with an exclusive reception at the home of our tremendous partner Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut, that will set the stage for the rightful honoring of these very deserving people in the world's greatest game. I want to go into a one‑minute infomercial and thank the sponsors that support the Naismith Hall of Fame. Without their help we would not be on the growth trajectory we are on, and we could not represent the game in the premium manner that we are able to do. First I'm happy to announce an extension to our long‑term relationship with Grey Flannel Auctions, a partner for the past 25 years with the Naismith Hall of Fame. They continue to be our trusted official auctioneer and appraiser of the Hall of Fame. They will continue their sponsorship of enshrinement weekend, and we thank their founder and CEO Rich Russik for his ongoing commitment. Secondly, we have renewed our relationship with Panini America, the trading card and collectible company. Mark Warsop and his team have committed to another long‑term program with the Hall of Fame, and we are grateful as they bring to market products that honor and celebrate our great Hall of Famers and their achievements. And to our ongoing partners, who have been so supportive over the years to the Naismith Hall of Fame, we want to say thanks: Nike, the presenter sponsor of enshrinement; Spaulding, the official ball and backboard of the Hall of Fame; Anheuser‑Busch and Bud Light, our official malt beverage; Mohegan Sun, as I mentioned before, a great partner in so many premium events; and the Insurance Office of America, the official insurance brokerage firm of the Hall of Fame. Remember, that the Naismith Hall of Fame is more than a museum. We are a living and breathing institution that has a great facility in the epicenter of the game's beginnings, Springfield, Massachusetts. But we also host a myriad of basketball events, such as the following, the Spaulding Hoop Ball Classic, the No. 1 ranked national basketball boys and girls tournament, soon to be expanded around the country and internationally. We had the top 10 boys teams this year. We had the top one and two prospects this year. We had the No. 1 girls player this year. It was an unbelievable Hoop Ball Basketball Classic. Secondly the Tip‑Off Classic, played each November at Mohegan Sun, that in 2013 will highlight the University of Louisville and the University of North Carolina as part of the mix. A new event for us in 2013 is the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge played in Springfield, featuring the University of Connecticut versus Ohio State as headliners. As mentioned before, the Jerry Colangelo Golf Classic played in Phoenix at the Wigwam Resort. This is where golfers have a chance to play along their favorite Hall of Famers and their favorite legends and enjoy two days of golf festivities. The signature event of the year, the enshrinement 2013, held September 6th through 8th in Springfield. For details on these events and to plan your visit to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame of Fame, log on to hoophall.com, and enjoy your journey to the Hall of Fame, and participate soon in an event for the Hall of Fame. Thank you very much. Back to Rick Kamla. RICK KAMLA: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, annually gives its Curt Gowdy Media Award to two deserving members from the media, one for work in print media and another for work in electronic media. Our first honoree is one of America's favorite and most prolific sportswriters, began his career at the Washington Post covering politics, of all things, and sports in 1977. In 1986 he gained national recognition when he wrote one of the best‑selling nonfiction sports books of all time, "A Season on the Brink, a Year with Bob Knight and Indiana Basketball." He is the author of seven other basketball books, while serving as a regular contributor in a variety of radio and television talk shows. Selected as the winner of the 2013 Curt Gowdy Award for Media, John Feinstein. He was the original voice of the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that won an NBA championship with two Hall of Famers, Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. During his 16‑year tenure with the club, he was credited with naming Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar's famous skyhook. He's covered the NBA for over 30 years, along with various other sports at the collegiate and professional levels. Today he is the voice of the Hall of Fame, where his distinct voice can be heard throughout the museum. Selected as the winner of the 2013 Curt Gowdy Award for Electronic Media, Eddie Doucette. Our final honoree has demonstrated his remarkable dedication to the game with years of experience in college and Olympic basketball community. He was the first African‑American head coach in the Pac‑12 Conference. The first African American assistant in the ACC and has been inducted into four Hall of Fames, Washington State, Pennsylvania, Villanova and the Black Coaches' Association. Today he holds the position of director of international basketball for Nike, along with being a renowned speaker and author. Selected as the 2013 John Bunn Lifetime Achievement award winner, George Raveling. Congratulations to all of our winners. And thanks to the Hall for honoring these remarkable individuals who have done so much for the growth of basketball. At this time I'd like to invite Eddie Doucette and Coach Raveling up to the stage for a brief interview. Eddie, you first, what does this honor mean to you? EDDIE DOUCETTE: Come on. When I stop to think about, to steal a line from The Beatles, "that long and winding road with a whole lot of bumps," this is it. This is the culmination. It's kind of like getting to the end of the rainbow and finding that pot of gold. This is a wonderful feeling. I had somebody on the way in here ask me how I felt. And I had to think about that a second, but I honestly, goodness, I think ‑‑ this is a stretch, I'm sure, but I feel better than Kate Upton looks (laughter.) If you can believe that. But, no, this is wonderful, it really is. RICK KAMLA: Congratulations, Eddie. George, what drew you to the great game of basketball? GEORGE RAVELING: I actually got into basketball purely by accident; my godfather is a priest. And he badgered me into playing basketball. I subsequently found out later that he went to my high school basketball coach when I was a freshman and made a deal with him ‑‑ he actually paid him some money if he would not cut me from the team (laughter.) The game has been good to me. I have a favorite saying, people ask me all the time, "how are you doing?" I say, I've already forfeited the right to be disappointed by anything. I've gotten further in life than I ever thought I would ever get. And I owe a great deal of it to the game of basketball. RICK KAMLA: One more question for both of you gentlemen: When I say "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame," what immediately comes to mind? GEORGE RAVELING: The greatest in the history of basketball in a variety of categories. RICK KAMLA: Eddie, same question to you. EDDIE DOUCETTE: Absolutely the ultimate. I can't think of anything higher than being able to be associated with being a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame. I look at all these fellows back here, and I have been privileged to call their games over the years. That's going back a lot of semesters. But I put it all together in a little book, and I can tell you this, to me, is absolutely the greatest honor that anybody in my position could have at this point in my life. RICK KAMLA: A privilege to be up here on stage with you great men, as well. Ladies and gentlemen, Eddie Doucette and Coach George Raveling. Let's keep things moving, here. There are people all around the world chomping at the bit, eager to see who has been chosen today as the finalists, the next critical step to being named to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Without further delay, here are the names for the 12 finalists for the Hall of Fame class of '13 from the North American and Women's Committee. First from the Women's Committee, she is currently a collegiate head coach, whose outstanding career spans the collegiate, professional and international levels. At the University of Virginia, her prolific scoring led the Cavaliers to three Final Fours and two championship game appearances. She was a six‑time WNBA All‑Star, and internationally an even bigger star, winning gold in three consecutive Olympics. Selected as a finalist from the Women's Committee, Dawn Staley. Our second women's nominee is currently the second winningest women's college coach in basketball history. Her North Carolina Lady Tarheels have won four ACC regular championships, eight tournament championships and a national title in 1994. She is a three‑time NCAA Coach of the Year and was twice named National Coach of the Year. Recently she won her 900th career game. Selected as a finalist from the Women's Committee, Sylvia Hatchell. Continuing on with our nominees, this Chicago native has been involved in the NBA as a player or coach since 1978. As a player he was a four‑time All‑Star in named to the All Defensive Team four straight years. He won an NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983 and still holds team records for assists and steals. Currently an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder and nominated as a player from the North American Committee, Maurice Cheeks. He spent 15 seasons in the NBA. After an outstanding college at career at the University of Tennessee. This New York native, I can already hear the cheers from Manhattan right now, will be named an four‑time NBA All‑Star and twice to the all NBA First Team. He scored over 19,000 points and averaged over 22,000 points a game for his career. He is considered one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Bernard King. Already enshrined as a player, this Boston Celtic legend also left his mark as a Celtic head coach, his nine‑year win total is secondary only to the legendary Red Auerbach. He won coaching honors and guided the Celtics to two NBA championships. Enshrined as a player in 1986, he is now a finalist from the North American Committee as a coach, Tom Heinsohn. His 15‑year career spanned four teams and included an NBA championship back in 2002 with the LA Lakers. He won a gold medal for his country in 1996, was a six‑time NBA All‑Star, an All‑Star Game MVP and had his No. 2 jersey retired by the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 22 points for ten consecutive years and finished with over 20,000 points. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Mitch Richmond. He is the only coach in men's history to lead three different schools to NCAA Final Four appearances. His 600 wins include a National Championship while at the University of Kentucky. Overall he's made six Final Four appearances and is currently the head coach at the University of Louisville. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Rick Pitino. His 30‑year run as basketball coach at the University of Houston left a lasting legacy on the city and the program. He led the Cougars to 27 consecutive winning seasons, 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament and five Final Four appearances, including two National Championship game appearances with the renowned Phi Slamma Jamma. He was one of the first major college coaches to recruit African‑American players, and coach three Hall of Famers, Elvin Hayes, Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon. Guy B. Lewis, selected from the North American Committee. This 6'8" forward's impressive career included an Olympic gold medal, an NBA championship, and multiple All‑Star Game appearances. During his 14‑year professional career he matched over 17,000 points and 8,000 rebounds, being named an four‑time NBA All‑Star and two‑time all‑NBA First Team selection. Selected by the North American Committee as a player, Spencer Haywood. In the world of college basketball, "Tark the Shark", is known as one of the best and most colorful coaches in basketball history. You can think back to him chewing on that towel right now. He coached Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State to more than 700 career victories. His 78 percent all‑time winning percentage puts him in the top five all time among coaches. In 1990 he led one of the most exciting and famous teams in college basketball history, the UNLV Running Rebels to the National Championship. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Jerry Tarkanian. This Chicago native had a prolific 15‑year career with five NBA teams. He reach 5,000 points and 2,500 assists, faster than any other player, except Oscar Robertson. Best known for his devastating crossover dribble that is emulated by many in today's pro game. He teamed with Run TMC Warrior teammates, Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and 2013 nominee Mitch Richmond to form one of the most exciting fastbreak teams of the '90s. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Tim Hardaway. By the way, he's still got "skeels". Our final nominee was fittingly nicknamed "The Glove". He would leave his mark on the game as one of the top defensive players and point guards in the history of the NBA. His remarkable NBA career spanned 18 seasons including 13 with the Seattle Supersonics. Today he ranks in the top ten all time in assists and steals. His lone championship came in 2006 while a member of the Miami Heat. He was a nine‑time NBA All‑Star and named Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. Selected as a finalist from the North American Committee, Gary Payton. Gary, let's have you come on up here. Now, Gary, there's no Ahmad Rashad or Chris Webber to reenact the Fan Night hilarity, but what would it mean to you to be a first‑ballot Hall of Famer? GARY PAYTON: It would mean a lot. A guy coming from Oakland, California, I never dreamed of this. The things I did at the NBA, I never dreamed of that. I would be honored to be a first ballot. RICK KAMLA: Talk about the finalists, we've just run them off. It's a fabulous list, is it not? GARY PAYTON: The two guys I'm sitting next to, always used to battle against; I'm really close to both of them still. It would be great to go in. Spencer, who was a solid guy, it would be great. All the great coaches there, it's a great class. RICK KAMLA: What would it mean to join the gentlemen behind us and the ladies and all the great people and teams in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame? GARY PAYTON: I can't cope with all these guys back here. They're great, I looked at and grew up to, so just to be an honor of even going into the Hall of Fame with these guys would be a great honor for me. RICK KAMLA: We would like to thank you all for taking time to be with us this morning. And thank the Hall of Famers for joining us here today, each and every one of them for taking time out of their schedule to be here. A reminder that everyone will be available to the media on stage immediately following this event. So a round of applause, please, one more time for the 2013 finalists (applause.) Good luck to you all and congratulations to all. Now, being named as a finalist to the Hall of Fame is, by itself, a real honor. Now mark these important dates, the class of '13 will be introduced on Monday, April 8th at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta, and enshrinement 2013 will take place September 8th at the Naismith Memorial basketball Hall of Fame. I hope to see everybody there. Thanks to our host, NBA Entertainment, everybody for watching all around the world on NBA TV. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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