Knowing Deeper the Five 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
There are 293 coaches, players, referees, contributors, and teams who are enshrined Hall of Famer by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since 1959.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is the highest honor one can get in basketball. Entering the Hall of Fame means one has outstandingly contributed to the sport.
In 2009, the institution enshrined five into the lists of, not only prominent but also, exceptional actors in basketball in the recent years. Let’s look at the five very closely.
Michael Jordan’s fame will likely indicate, if not prove, his superiority on court, thus surprises no one of his listing in the Hall of Fame. But it doesn’t mean it wasn’t celebrated—of course yes for this immortalized his greatness. Jordan, who won Finals MVP each basketball season, demonstrated excellence in playing.
During Jordan’s freshman season at UNC, he ended the game with a winning shot in the 1982 NCAA national title. That marked his happy days in basketball. Jordan entered the NBA Draft following his junior year. He was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls. In 1991, the Jordan-led Bulls won three straight world championships. He won Olympic gold in the next year before he retired. When he returned to NBA, the team won three consecutive titles.
Also enshrined in 2009 is David Robinson—born August 6, 1965. He was known as “The Admiral” at the US Naval Academy. For twenty years, he was a great rebounder, shot blocker, and all-around talent. All of which he carried to the NBA games.
In 1989, Robinson became part of the San Antonio Spurs, which by his power won NBA championships first in 1999 and second in 2003. He was a ten-time All-Star who torched the nets for 71 points in the final game of the season in 1994. He was also a three-time Olympian winning two gold medals in 1992 and 1996 and one bronze medal in 1988.
Among the two, he got more immortalized testimony to his astonishing career in basketball. John Stockton, a point guard of Utah Jazz, has a statue of him erected outside the arena where he played his NBA career and has a street in Salt Lake City is named for him.
Born in 26 March 1962, Stockton is “old school” in every aspect. In his 19 seasons, he was a ten-time All Star. He led Jazz in assists a record of nine consecutive seasons and won gold medals at 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Stockton also holds the single-season record for assists.
Another 2009 Hall of Famer is Jerry Sloan, who authored the book on loyalty in coaching. He took over Utah Jazz in 1988 and became the coach for twenty years. As such, he holds the longest coaching tenure with the same team in professional sports.
Two of his greatest feats include the only NBA coach to record 1,000 wins with the same franchise and be among the three coaches in NBA history to win at least 50 games in 10 or more seasons.
The last but not the least that are enshrined in 2009 into the Hall of Fame is Vivian Stringer. She won more than 800 victories. Her coaching career started at Cheyney State where she coached alongside John Chaney.
One of her achievements includes leading a historically black college into the first NCAA women’s Final Four in 1982. An annual event, the C. Vivian Stringer Coaching Award is given to a woman who has experienced excellent success as a coach.
