Moncrief, Ryan named finalists
NEW ORLEANS - Former Milwaukee Bucks guard Sidney Moncrief was named a first-time finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and former Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan was named a finalist for the third time Saturday.
The announcement was made in New Orleans during the NBA all-star weekend.
Moncrief was a two-time NBA defensive player of the year with the Bucks and a five-time allstar. Drafted by the Bucks in the first round in 1979, Moncrief played 10 seasons in Milwaukee and averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists over 695 games. He was part of the winning Bucks teams in the 1980s under coach Don Nelson. Moncrief played one final season with Atlanta in 1990-’91.
He also served as an assistant coach under Scott Skiles when he was with the Bucks from 2008-’13 and was a broadcaster with the team.
Moncrief, 59, and Ryan, 69, are among 14 finalists named for consideration in the 2017 class. The class is to be announced April 3 before the NCAA championship game.
A finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Hall of Fame. The Class of 2017 will be enshrined during festivities set to be held Sept. 7-9 in Springfield, Mass.
Other first-time finalists include NBA referee Hugh Evans, former Connecticut basketball star Rebecca Lobo, former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino, two-time NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady, former Baylor coach and twotime NCAA national champion Kim Mulkey, Kansas coach Bill Self, former Houston coach and two-time NBA champion Rudy Tomjanovich and five-time NBA allstar Chris Webber.
Ryan spent 32 seasons as a collegiate head coach before retiring in December 2015. He finished his career 26th on the NCAA’s all-time victory list with a record of 747233 (.762), including a mark of 364-130 (.737) in 14-plus seasons at UW. He recorded the most victories in UW annals and the best winning percentage in Big Ten history, leading the Badgers to seven Big Ten titles, back-toback Final Fours and an appearance in the ‘15 national championship game.
A native of Chester, Pa., Ryan was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (2002, ‘03, ‘13, ‘15) while coaching at UW. Before his time in Madison, he coached at UWMilwaukee (1999-2000) and UW-Platteville (1984‘99), where his team won four NCAA Division III Championships (1991, ‘95, ‘98, ‘99).
Ryan led UW to four Big Ten regular-season championships (2002, ‘03, ‘08, ‘15), three Big Ten tournament championships (2004, ‘08, ‘15) and the NCAA Final Four twice (2014, ‘15).
Ryan is a recipient of the Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award (2007), NABC Outstanding Service Award (2009) and Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award (2013).