Class of 2014
The 10 new entrants in the Basketball Hall of Fame:
PLAYERS
Sarunas Marciulionis: Marciulionis, from Kaunas, Lithuania, was the first NBA player from the Soviet Union.
Alonzo Mourning: Mourning was a seven-time NBA All-Star (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002) and a member of the Miami Heat’s NBA championship team in 2006.
Mitch Richmond: A six-time NBA All-Star (1993-1998), Richmond is a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, a 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and won the 2002 NBA championship with the Lakers.
Guy Rodgers: Before becoming a four-time NBA All-Star (1963, 1964, 1966, 1967), Rodgers led Temple University to the NCAA Final Four twice (1956, 1958).
COACHES
Bob Leonard: Nicknamed “Slick,” Leonard is the winningest coach in ABA history, having compiled a record of 387-270 (.589).
Nolan Richardson: The 1994 Naismith and NABC coach of the year, Richardson led the University of Arkansas to the 1994 national championship and to three Final Four appearances (1990, 1994, 1995).
Gary Williams: As coach of the University of Maryland from 1989-2011, Williams had 11 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (1994-2004) and a national championship in 2002.
CONTRIBUTORS
Nat Clifton: Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton was one of the first African Americans to sign an NBA contract.
David Stern: Stern served as NBA commissioner from 1984 until 2014, was executive vice president from 1980-84, and was the league’s general counsel from 1978-80. Stern oversaw more than 30 years of NBA development and expansion.
TEAM
Immaculata University: Coached by Hall of Famer Cathy Rush, the tiny Pennsylvania school won three straight AIAW national championships (1972-74), compiling a record of 60-2 in three seasons. The Mighty Macs were the first women’s college team to play in a nationally televised game, first to play at Madison Square Garden, and first to play in Australia.