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Vlade Divac, Sidney Moncrief, Paul Westphal and Bobby Jones are among those elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as members of the class of 2019.
Chuck Cooper, the first African American player drafted in NBA history, will also be inducted this year. Five-time WNBA All-Star Teresa Weatherspoon, seven-time NBA All-Star Jack Sikma, former Boston Celtics coach Bill Fitch, former Warriors coach Al Attles and the late Carl Braun are also being enshrined.
https://t.co/3Ui9IcM90cFormer Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace, former Sacramento Kings forward Chris Webber and former Milwaukee Bucks forward Marques Johnson were among the finalists not selected for enshrinement, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Divac played 16 years in the NBA, suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers (eight seasons), Charlotte Hornets (two) and Sacramento (six). He averaged 11.8 points and 8.2 rebounds for his career, earning one All-Star selection. As Wojnarowski noted, Divac is one of seven players in league history to record 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocks.
The Kings retired his No. 21.
Divac also had a noteworthy FIBA career. Not only did he help Yugoslavia win the 1990 FIBA World Cup, but he guided his country to a silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Remember, Divac and Webber are finalists in different categories. Webber, North American group; Divac, International. Every year, there’s one international inductee slotted into Springfield. Divac’s international resume is Hall-worthy on its own — even if he never came to NBA. https://t.co/AId38ikUr7
His international career previously earned him a spot in the FIBA Hall of Fame class of 2010.
He currently serves as Sacramento’s general manager.
Moncrief, meanwhile, played 11 seasons in the Association, spending a decade in Milwaukee. He averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was a five-time All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
The Bucks retired his No. 4.
Westphal played for four teams across his 12 years in the league, most notably for the Phoenix Suns—who retired his No. 44—from 1975 to 1980. He averaged 15.6 points for his career, making five All-Star teams and winning a championship in 1974 with the Boston Celtics.
Westphal has served as an NBA head coach in 10 different seasons, going 318-279 (.533 winning percentage) during the regular season and 27-22 in four postseason appearances. In his first year as a head coach, he led the Suns to a 62-20 record and an appearance in the 1993 Finals.
Jones played two years in the ABA and 10 years in the NBA, spending the final eight years of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. He won a title in 1983, made four All-Star teams, was the Sixth Man of the Year in 1983 and was named to the All-NBA Defensive first team eight times.
Philadelphia retired his No. 24 jersey.
The Celtics selected Cooper in the second round of the 1950 NBA draft. He went on to play four years in Boston before spending one-plus year with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks and part of one season with the Fort Wayne Pistons.
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