Reggie Miller, Don Nelson biggest names in 2012 Class of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – NBA Update
Seven of the 12 members to be inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 have been announced. Former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller and long-time NBA coach Don Nelson are two of the standout would-be members.
The full list is as follows:
• Reggie Miller: 5-time All-Star; 1996 Olympic gold-medal winner
• Don Nelson: 5-time NBA champion as player and coach with most wins in league history
• Ralph Sampson: 3-time NCAA player of year, 4-time NBA All-Star
• Jamaal Wilkes: 2-time NCAA champion, 4-time NBA champ, 3-time All-Star
• Katrina McClain: 2-time All-American, 1988, '96 gold-medal winner
• Hank Nichols: Refereed 10 Final Fours, six national title games; coordinated NCAA officials
• All-American Red Heads: Female version of Harlem Globetrotters
Five members have previously been announced. They include: Nike co-founder Phil Knight, ABA star Mel Daniels, 7-time NBA All-Star Chet Walker, Olympian Don Barksdale and Lydija Alexeeva, who led Soviet Union to two Olympic gold medals.
Miller is one of the most well respected and loved players to ever set foot in an NBA court. He was the league’s all time leader in 3-point shots made until Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics recently over took him.
Miller played his entire career with the Indiana Pacers, a love affair that left amazing memories for both Reggie and the Pacers fans. A 5-time All-Star, Reggie was perhaps unlucky to play for a franchise that never had enough strength to mount a serious
challenge for the NBA World Championship.
Still, Reggie was a standout performer in his carrier and one who would be remembered for much time to come.
Joining the Hall of Fame also holds a special importance for the former guard. His sister, Cheryl, who was a pioneer of women’s basketball, is already a member of the club, inducted in 1995.
She was the first person Miller informed after getting news of his inductance. The older sister was understandably excited.
"I can still hear her screaming in my ear," Miller said with a smile.
Cheryl had a huge role in Reggie’s basketball career. He learned the game playing against her again and again in his childhood. In fact, Reggie continued playing against her, and getting beaten, until he grew 6-foot-7 and was ready for the NBA.
"She was a role model. She is a role model. She set the bar high for the family," Miller said, "and I'm just glad I'm on her coat-tails, dragging me along to the Hall of Fame."
Don Nelson, the other high profile inductee in this year’s class, is indeed one even Reggie would look up to.
Nelson is someone who would go down in the history of basketball. As a player he won 5 NBA World Championships. However his association with the game had only started, as he took up one coahing role after another, finally retiring from the game with the
most wins in NBA history under his belt.
The wily old man was also ecstatic at his induction.
"It was a great moment for me. I'm the luckiest man in the world," Nelson said. "I've been involved with the game of basketball for over 60 years, and I've never had a bad day, even when we lost games. They've all been great days."
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