Bird, Magic inducted into college hall together
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“I’m proud to be involved with what’s been called the greatest game in history and pleased that two of the prime players in that game are here to be inducted at the same time as I am,” Heathcote said.
Bartow had the unenviable task of being John Wooden’s successor at UCLA. He handled it pretty well.
A veteran of 34 years as a coach, Bartow took the Bruins to the Final Four in 1976 and later went on to build a successful Alabama-Birmingham program from scratch. Diagnosed with stomach cancer earlier this year, Bartow won 647 games at six schools, including Memphis State, which he led to the 1973 national championship game against Wooden’s Bruins.
“It’s been an interesting few months, but it’s really an honor for me to be here,” said Bartow, currently president of the company that owns the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. “It’s truly a humbling experience and I’m grateful to be here.”
Wall did most of his work behind the scenes.
He was executive director of National Association of Basketball Coaches and later had the same title at the organization that became USA Basketball. Hall was driving force behind USA’s basketball success at the Olympics and other international competitions, including the 1992 Dream Team with Bird and Johnson.
“People ask me, how did it happen?” Wall said. “Well, I was lucky. I was in the right place in the right time.”
Byers was the first executive director of the NCAA, landing the job as a 29-year-old and holding it until he retired in 1987. He helped turn the NCAA from a small organization into one with over 1,000 member schools and increase the number of championship sports (men and women) from 11 to 74.
Byers also was responsible for transforming the NCAA tournament, turning an eight-team event into the current multi-million-dollar-generating March Madness field of 64 teams. He wasn’t able to attend the induction ceremony.
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