(Joe) Dumars a finalist for Hall of Fame (Also Bernard King, Dennis Johnson, Adrian Dantley, others)

AP ^ | 2-20-05

[Dan from Michigan]

Dumars a finalist for Hall of Fame
2/20/2005, 12:42 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Big East coaching rivals Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun, and former NBA stars Joe Dumars and Dominique Wilkins are finalists for election into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Calhoun is back for a second try, and Hubie Brown was named a finalist for the first time, as a contributor to the game. The 16 finalists were announced Sunday, and winners will be presented April 4 at the NCAA Final Four in St. Louis.

Previous finalists Bernard King, Maurice Cheeks, Adrian Dantley, Dennis Johnson, and Chet Walker are back on the ballot this year.

Wilkins and Dumars are finalists in their first year of consideration, as are women's coaches Van Chancellor and Sue Gunter.

Italian coach Sandro Gamba, Brazilian player Hortencia Marcari; player John Issacs; and contributor John Kerr from the Veterans Screening Committee round out the list.

Induction requires 18 of 24 votes from the Hall of Fame's Honors Committee.

Boeheim and Calhoun are both closing in on 700 career victories.

Calhoun has led Connecticut to two NCAA championships (1999, 2004), eight Big East regular-season titles, and 17 consecutive postseason tournaments.

Boeheim and Syracuse won the NCAA championship in 2003, and have eight Big East regular-season championships. Under Boeheim, Syracuse has made 23 NCAA tournament appearances and has been to the Final Four three times.

Dumars played his entire professional career for the Detroit Pistons, and helped them win back-to-back NBA championships (1989, 1990). He currently is president of basketball operations for the Pistons, credited for assembling the team that won the 2004 NBA title.

Dumars was a six-time NBA All-Star and MVP of the 1989 NBA Finals.

Wilkins' above-the-rim acrobatics earned him the nickname "The Human Highlight Film."

A prolific scorer, Wilkins played most of his NBA career for the Atlanta Hawks (1982-93), who retired his jersey. He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic. Wilkins was a nine-time NBA All-Star, and a two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion.

Brown's career touches nearly every aspect of the game. He's been NBA Coach of the Year twice (1978 in Atlanta; 2004 in Memphis), and is well-known as a TV analyst. Eight of his former assistants have gone on to become head coaches in the NBA.

Chancellor and Gunter were named finalists from the Women's Selection Committee.

Chancellor led the Houston Comets to four straight WNBA titles (1997-2000) and won 439 games as the head women's coach at Ole Miss (1978-1997).

Gunter coached LSU for 22 seasons (1982-2004) and spent 16 seasons at Stephen F. Austin (1964-1980) after beginning her coaching career at Middle Tennessee State (1962-1964). She stands is the third winningest coach in women's NCAA history with 708 wins, and led LSU to 14 NCAA tournament berths, including one Final Four appearance.

Candidates remain eligible until going three consecutive years without receiving a vote from the screening committee. At that point, a nominee is removed from consideration for five years before he or she can be nominated again.

[Dan from Michigan]

Dumars spent much of his career in the shadow of Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, and Bill Laimbeer, but he was quietly one of the best two way players of all time and IMO deserves to make the Hall of Fame.

[MikefromOhio]

I always figured Joe Dumars was a lock. Bernard King will have a tougher go IMO.....

[Colonel Kangaroo]

In their prime, I'd rather have Bernard King than anybody on that list . Injuries cut down his accomplishments, but in his prime he was an amazing player and a very tough competitor. In his freshman year at Tennessee, his first game against Kentucky, a UK fan tossed a lighted cigarette on King as the game, a Kentucky win, ended. Enraged, King announced in the locker room after the game that he'd never lose to Kentucky again. And he backed up his statement as he went 5-0 versus some great Kentucky teams the rest of his Vol career.

[Dan from Michigan]

I missed King at his best with the Knicks, but even in his Washington Bullet years, he gave us some fits.

[Tallguy]

I agree on BK. I also think Joe Dumars deserves the recognition. Surprised that Chet Walker isn't already in. Mo Cheeks probably deserves to be in, but his scoring numbers weren't that impressive. He was a pretty pure Point Guard and good Floor General. Dennis Johnson should get in too.

Never been high on Adrian Dantley, though. He didn't play for a lot of good teams. His scoring numbers were good.