Former University of Kentucky men's basketball coaches Joe B. Hall and Rick Pitino were among a group of 26 former players, coaches and contributors nominated Tuesday for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The nominees will be reduced to a list of finalists during the NBA's All-Star weekend, with the inductees to be announced the weekend of the NCAA's men's basketball Final Four.
Hall coached the Wildcats from 1973-85, posting a record of 297-100 over 13 seasons. He led three UK teams (1975, 1978 and 1984) to the Final Four, winning the national championship in 1978.
Pitino coached the Wildcats from 1990-97, posting a record of 219-50. He took over a Kentucky program on NCAA probation and led the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1993, 1996 and 1997, winning the national championship in 1996.
Other nominees from the Hall of Fame's North American committee included Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Bernard King, Chris Mullin, Don Nelson, Dennis Rodman, Maurice Lucas, Jamaal Wilkes, Rudy Tomjanovich, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Tex Winter, Spencer Haywood, Maurice Cheeks, Ralph Sampson, Bill Fitch, referee Dick Bavetta, Jim Valvano, George Raveling and Marty Blake, the longtime head of the NBA scouting bureau.
Chet Walker was nominated by the Veteran's committee. Arvydas Sabonis and Sarunas Marciulionis were candidates from the International committee, while Tara VanDerveer and Teresa Edwards were nominated by the Women's committee.
Nominees must receive approval on at least seven of nine ballots in the North American group, and five of seven in the others, to become a finalist.
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