Reggie Miller, Don Nelson Among 12 Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Basketball Hall Of Fame 2012: Reggie Miller Thanks Sister, Peers In Emotional Speech

Former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller started off his acceptance speech at the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame by thanking the committee and saying he was excited to be inducted with Jamaal Wilkes, who he grew up admiring. Miller was also grateful that Mel Daniels was being inducted at the same time, because Daniels was one of the first people he met as a rookie with the Pacers.

While Miller was a trash talker during his career, he was the complete opposite and very grateful to have played with every player during his career, which is what he said Thursday. During his speech, he asked players who he played with who were in attendance to stand up and he gave those players a round of applause.

Miller also gave a huge thanks to his sister, Cheryl Miller, by saying that he would not be on this stage if not for her, teared up as he spoke. She is already a member of the hall of fame.

At the end of the speech, he once again went back to thanking all of those who supported him along the way during his NBA career.

Stick with this stream for more on the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies, or head to our dedicated SB Nation NBA hub for more basketball.

Basketball Hall Of Fame 2012: Don Nelson Was Thankful For Working With Great Assistant Coaches

Don Nelson gave his Hall Of Fame speech on Friday night, and he basically gave an oral history of his playing career all the way through his coaching career, which included his first head coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks back in 1976.

Nelson recalled that he did not think he was ready to be a head coach but was given the job anyway, and at the end of the season, options would be discussed. He ended up keeping that job for the next 11 years, and that would be the beginning of a very long and successful coaching career.

Nelson was grateful for all of his assistant coaches that he worked with over the past 30-plus years of being an NBA head coach, and he gave them all credit Friday night. One touching moment was when Nelson mentioned how great it was to be able to work alongside his son Donnie Nelson for so many years, and encouraged anyone who has that chance to work with their child to do that.

It's known that Nelson is a bit of a character, and at the end of his speech, for whatever reason, he gave a shout out to a watch company in Detroit for making American-made watches.

He then mentioned that he was off to Hawaii because he said there is "life after basketball," and at 72 years old Nelson has finally realized that after being inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.

Stick with this stream for more on the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies, or head to our dedicated SB Nation NBA hub for more basketball.

Pioneer Don Barksdale To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Former Boston Celtics forward and African-American basketball pioneer Don Barksdale will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a part of the 2012 class on Friday night. Barksdale accomplished many firsts during his career. He became the first African-American to be named an NCAA All-American in 1947 as a member of the UCLA Bruins, the first to play on a United States men's Olympic basketball team -- the gold medal team from 1948 -- and the first to play in an NBA All-Star Game in 1953 as a member of the Baltimore Bullets.

Barksdale averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game over his four-year NBA career that was cut short due to ankle injuries, but his biggest achievement is that fact that he blazed the way for African-Americans in the NBA. He passed away at the age of 69 on March 8, 1993 after a battle with throat cancer.

For a schedule of the ceremony and information on the other 11 inductees for 2012, be sure to stop by SB Nation NBA's Hall of Fame storystream.

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Jamaal Wilkes, A Star At UCLA And With Lakers, To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Four-time NBA champion Jamaal Wilkes, a forward who starred at UCLA and with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1970s and '80s, is one of 12 basketball legends set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today in Springfield, Mass.

Wilkes' list of achievements are certainly Hall-worthy. He was the 1975 NBA Rookie of the Year, a three-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NCAA champion under John Wooden with the Bruins, and had such a smooth jump shot that he was given the nickname "Smooth as Silk." Legendary Lakers announcer Chick Hearn famously referred to his corner jump shot as the "20 foot layup."

Wilkes won an NBA title in his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors before joining the Lakers later in his career, with whom he won NBA titles in 1980, 1982 and 1985. In Game 6 of the 1980 Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wilkes put up 37 points and 10 rebounds. This was the same game that then-rookie point guard Magic Johnson started at center in place of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and scored 42 points with 15 rebounds and 7 assists.

Wilkes converted to Islam in 1975 and legally changed his name to Jamaal Abdul-Lateef, but still uses his birth-given name for public-recognition purposes.

Also being inducted in the 2012 class are Reggie Miller, the NBA's all-time winningest coach Don Nelson, three-time National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, two-time Olympic gold medalist Katrina McClain, basketball official and coordinator Hank Nichols and the first women's professional basketball team, the All American Red Heads.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBA TV.

Stick with this stream for more on the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies, or head to our dedicated SB Nation NBA hub for more basketball.

Chet Walker To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Former NBA forward Chet "The Jet" Walker will be inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night, along with other basketball greats like Reggie Miller, Don Nelson, Ralph Sampson and Jamaal Wilkes. Over the course of his 13 seasons in the NBA, Walker scored 18,831 points (No. 55 all-time) and posted averages of 18.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 47.0 percent shooting from the field and a 54.0 percent true shooting percentage. According to Basketball-Reference, his closest statistical comparisons are Kevin McHale, Rick Barry, Bailey Howell and Dominique Wilkins.

Walker burst onto the NBA scene as the No. 12 pick in the 1962 NBA Draft after earning AP All-American honors in each of his three years at Bradley. He joined the NBA's '62-63 All-Rookie First Team after putting up 17.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a member of the Syracuse Nationals. The 6'6 baller from Benton Harbor, Michigan went on to become a seven-time NBA All-Star He played a key role as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers' 1967 championship team -- he put up 21.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game during 15 playoff games that season.

Walker played one season for the Syracuse Nationals, six seasons for the 76ers and six more season for the Chicago Bulls on the back end of his career.

For a schedule of the ceremony and information on the other 11 inductees for 2012, be sure to stop by SB Nation NBA's Hall of Fame storystream.

For the latest on the Chicago Bulls, be sure to check out Blog A Bull and SB Nation Chicago. Head over to SB Nation's NBA hub for even more news.

Mel Daniels, Pacers Powerhouse, To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Former Indiana Pacers center Mel Daniels will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2012 class on Friday. Daniels finished his career with seven All-Star appearances and averages of 18.4 points and 14.9 rebounds per game over nine professional seasons. He won ABA MVP honors in the 1968-69 season and again in '70-71. Daniels also claimed First-Team All-ABA honors four times and Second-Team All-ABA honors one time. According to Basketball-Reference, his closest statistical comparisons are Yao Ming and Brad Daugherty.

The 6'9 big man from Detroit first joined the ABA as the No. 9 overall pick of the 1967 Draft, and he went on to play six seasons for the Indiana Pacers (ABA), one season for the Memphis Sounds (ABA) and one season for the New York Nets (NBA). He played as a member of three championship teams for the '70, '72 and '73 Indiana Pacers.

According to Pacers.com, Daniels has fallen ill and will not be in attendance at the enshrinement ceremony.

For a schedule of the ceremony and information on the other 11 inductees for 2012, be sure to stop by SB Nation NBA's Hall of Fame storystream.

Read more on the NBA at the SB Nation hub page and be sure to visit Indy Cornrows for more on the Pacers.

Nike's Phil Knight To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Phil Knight, the co-founder and chairmain of sports apparel giant Nike, will be enshrined at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Knight, who founded Nike in 1972, has seen his company grow because of partnerships made with players such as Michael Jordan.

Knight graduated from Oregon in 1959. He co-founded Nike with his former track coach Bill Bowerman. Knight was able to grow Nike along with the NBA in the 1980s. He signed Jordan to a sponsorship deal in 1984 and his commercials with director Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon was a large part in the growth of Nike.

Today, hundreds of NBA players are sponsored by Nike such as LeBron James of the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Lakers. Knight, along with 11 others, will be enshrined at the Basketball Hall of Fame Friday night.

For discussion on Knight's enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame, head over to Addicted to Quack. Hit up the SB Nation NBA hub for more comprehensive pro basketball coverage.

Ralph Sampson, Virginia Legend, To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame

Ralph Sampson, who will be remembered for his tremendous career at the University of Virginia and seemingly unlimited potential, will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Friday.

The 7-foot-4 Sampson had one of the greatest collegiate careers of all time, earning three Naismith Awards and two Wooden Awards while averaging 16.9 points and 11.4 rebounds over the course of his four seasons at Virginia. He led the Cavaliers to an NIT Championship, a Final Four, and an Elite Eight.

Upon leaving Virginia, he was an easy choice for the Houston Rockets with the No. 1 pick in the 1983 draft, and he won Rookie of the Year by averaging 21 points and 11.1 rebounds. The Rockets again had the No. 1 pick in 1984, and famously opted to choose Houston center Hakeem Olajuwon to pair with Sampson, creating the Twin Towers. The tandem would make the NBA Finals in only their second year together, with Sampson hitting an off-balance game-winner to finish off the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

Sadly, Sampson's career went downhill from there. Although he averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds over the course of his first three seasons, knee and back injuries began to toll the talented big man from there on out. He would only play more than half a season two more times, and was traded from Houston in 1987-88. He'd be out of the league by the end of the 1991-92 season.

Sampson was a four-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Although his pro career never reached the heights it could have, the star's contributions to the game are worth honoring.

Reggie Miller Highlights: Legendary Pacer To Be Enshrined In Hall Of Fame

Reggie Miller will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame on Friday.

Don Nelson, Winningest NBA Coach Ever, To Be Enshrined In Hall Of Fame

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2012 Basketball Hall Of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony: Schedule, TV Info And More

TV coverage information for the 2012 Basketball Hall Of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.

Basketball Hall Of Fame Class Of 2012 Includes Players, Coaches Spanning The Decades

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