Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Two basketball icons head into Hall of Fame

The FIBA Hall of Fame welcomed former UNC coach Dean Smith and Celtics Great Bill Russell into their elite group this week. It was a grand honor for two historic, notable central figures who were apart of basketball dynasties. Why the pair hadn't been inducted already was beyond me. They served their teams well during the decades ranging from the 60's to 80's. Bill Russell thanked all of his teammates from high school up to the pros. His speech of acknowledgment was heart felt.

Coach Smith is one of the all-time best college coaches, being in the top 3 in most wins. He lead a stellar group of Carolina players which included Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, and George Lynch. They'll reach some form of success in the NBA. Smith was also noted for taking the United States to championship to win the gold in the Montreal games in 1976. Russell on the flip side won 11 NBA titles and owned a career average of 22.5 rebounds. He also won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic teams. Yeah, the two sports legends earned their spot in the Hall and couldn't be more deserving.

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