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Dominique Wilkins not getting into NBA hof...

From the AJ Constitution:

Dominique Wilkins was informed Thursday that he will not enter the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, the former Hawks superstar told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"I was shocked," said Wilkins, the ninth leading scorer in NBA history. "I think everybody will be when they hear that announcement."

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The announcement of this year's inductees won't come until Monday, but Wilkins said he received word from a Hall of Fame official Thursday afternoon that he came up short in the voting.

"I got a call that I wasn't going in this year but that I'm eligible again next year," Wilkins said. "I'm disappointed about it, but I'm confident that I will be going in in the very near future. My career speaks for itself."

Wilkins' career seemingly brimmed with Hall of Fame-type credentials: 26,668 total points, 24.8 points per game, nine All-Star Game selections. The Hawks had considered him all but a shoo-in.

"The news is disappointing this year," Hawks part-owner Michael Gearon Jr., a longtime fan and friend of Wilkins', said Thursday night. "Dominique is a very special person, and he was a great basketball player.

"Hopefully the Hall will recognize Dominique's enormous accomplishments next year," Gearon said, "and hopefully he'll have an opportunity then to be in the Hall with the other great players."

The Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Mass., and officially called the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, includes not only former NBA stars, but also stars of women's and international basketball. Owners, pro and college coaches and other "contributors" also are eligible.

Wilkins was named one of this year's 16 finalists for the Hall in February. Finalists are chosen by screening committees and must get 18 of 24 votes - 75 percent - from the "honors committee" for induction.

"I have no idea" why the voters bypassed him, Wilkins said, "but over the years I've learned to be very strong and deal with things as they come. . . I just have to sit back and wait.

"Of course, I'm disappointed, definitely, not to go in on the first ballot. I have done just as much as some guys who have gone in. . . . Some of my peers have gone in, and I want to be in amongst those guys. But I've learned to stay hopeful and confident in my life.

"Hey, next year it's going to be a different ballgame," he said. "Hey, we might not be having this same conversation next year."

Wilkins, known as the "Human Highlight Film," played his college ball at the University of Georgia and his first 11-plus NBA seasons for the Hawks. He is the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

Traded by the Hawks in February 1994 in one of the most controversial deals in Atlanta sports history, Wilkins ended his NBA playing career in 1999.

Now a Hawks vice president, Wilkins had made preliminary plans to travel this weekend to college basketball's Final Four in St. Louis, where this year's Hall of Fame inductees will be named on Monday.

"I'll be staying home now," Wilkins said


Its a damn shame a player of his calliber will not be getting in...

Comments

  • frankhardyfrankhardy Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is ridiculous. Wilkens was one of the greats. Who can forget the shootouts he had with Michael Jordan. He really ought to go in on the first ballot.

    Shane

  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    THAT'S BS


    Dominique Wilkens is certainly deserving of being a first ballot HOFer. I feel bad for the guy. He was left off the all-time fifty greatest players when Ewing, Pippens, Parrish and a host of others were included. Take a look at the names below.....Dominique is as deserving as at least 10-15 of those guys.






    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

    Nate Archibald

    Paul Arizin

    Charles Barkley

    Rick Barry

    Elgin Baylor

    Dave Bing

    Larry Bird

    Wilt Chamberlain

    Bob Cousy

    Dave Cowens

    Billy Cunningham

    Dave DeBusschere

    Clyde Drexler

    Julius Erving

    Patrick Ewing

    Walt Frazier

    George Gervin

    Hal Greer

    John Havlicek

    Elvin Hayes

    Magic Johnson

    Sam Jones

    Michael Jordan

    Jerry Lucas

    Karl Malone

    Moses Malone

    Pete Maravich

    Kevin McHale

    George Mikan

    Earl Monroe

    Hakeem Olajuwon

    Shaquille O'Neal

    Robert Parish

    Bob Pettit

    Scottie Pippen

    Willis Reed

    Oscar Robertson

    David Robinson

    Bill Russell

    Dolph Schayes

    Bill Sharman

    John Stockton

    Isiah Thomas

    Nate Thurmond

    Wes Unseld

    Bill Walton

    Jerry West

    Lenny Wilkens

    James Worthy
  • Joe dumars also wasn't voted in the HOF this weekend...
  • I am surprised that 'Nique didn't make it, but I'm sure he will get in eventually. He was a human highlight type dunker and scorer. I don't want to start a debate, but he was not as player that made others around him better and never lifted the level of his team to championship caliber. Having said that, there are others in the Hall with lesser credentials than he has. I would have voted for him.
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  • Maybe his rep' as a highlight film hurt him. I had no idea he was in the top 10 scorers of all time until I heard that last weekend. Its one thing to be flashy, but to be top 10 means you had to be very good for a very long time.

    Who did make it?
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    I've never understood the mentality of not voting someone in one year, but doing it the next. What did they do in that year to make their career numbers better? What could they possibly do to affect their voting? Either you are good enough for the hall, or not. The fact that some voters try to hold out and say that first ballot guys are somehow more deserving...I don't know.

    I think we'd see a huge change in voting habits if you only 2 years to be voted in. Either first ballot, or if there were a ton of people that year, the next. Making guys wait year after year is just heartbreaking.

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