For Enshrinement Tickets Click Here

April 2, 2007

SPRINGFIELD, MA - Phil Jackson, who led the Lakers and Bulls to a record nine NBA titles, the 1966 NCAA Champions from Texas Western, University of North Carolina Coach Roy Williams, four time WNBA Championship coach Van Chancellor, referee Mendy Rudolph and international coaches Pedro Ferrandiz and Mirko Novosel were announced today as the newest members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2007. The announcement was made today in Atlanta, Georgia, site of the 2007 NCAA Men's Final Four.

Jackson and Texas Western were elected in their first year of consideration for election into the Hall of Fame. Novosel, Rudolph and Williams were first-time Finalists this year who had previously been reviewed by Screening Committees. Chancellor and Ferrandiz had been named Finalists in prior years.

To be elected a Finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2007 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass. September 6-8, 2007. Tickets to the 2007 Enshrinement Gala and Induction Celebration are on-sale now and available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 781-6500. Additional Enshrinement Weekend information can also be found at www.hoophall.com.

PHIL JACKSON - Coach, has been at the helm of not one, but two of the great dynasties in NBA history. A native of North Dakota, where he also starred in college before playing professionally for the Knicks and Nets, Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) and the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight titles (2000, 2001, 2002). His nine Championships tie him with the legendary Red Auerbach, and he was the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 900 wins. Under Jackson the Chicago Bulls posted the best regular season record in NBA history at 72-10, and was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1996. Jackson also claimed a CBA title and coach of the year honors with Albany in 1984, and was a player on the NBA Champion New York Knicks in 1973.

MARVIN "Mendy" RUDOLPH - Referee, officiated 2,112 NBA games in his career, a record at the time of his retirement. Born in Philadelphia, PA, Rudolph was considered one of the greatest officials of all time, and was selected to referee eight NBA All Star Games and at least one NBA Finals game for 22 consecutive seasons - including the 1961 Finals, when along with Earl Strom, he officiated all seven games, the only time in NBA history the same officials worked an entire Finals series. As the NBA Head of Officials, Rudolph wrote the NBA Official's Manual and Case Book, and was widely respected by fellow officials, coaches, players and members of the media. Mr. Rudolph passed away in 1979 at the age of 53.

Texas Western, 1966 NCAA Champions

TEXAS WESTERN - Team, the 1966 NCAA National Champions, became the first team in NCAA history to win a title with five starting African-American players, beating an all-white Kentucky squad in the Championship game. Regarded by many as a key turning point in integration and increased equality in athletics, the highly publicized and inspirational Championship game also capped an amazing 28-1 season for Texas Western, led by Bobby Joe Hill and David Lattin. Coached by Hall of Famer Don Haskins, this true 'team' was comprised of African-American and white players, with seven different players leading the team in scoring. In 2006, forty years after the Miners captured the national title, their story was made into a major motion picture, Glory Road, the team visited the White House and was honored at halftime of the 2006 NCAA Men's Championship Game.

Coach Roy Williams

ROY WILLIAMS - Coach, a native of Asheville, NC, is the third coach in history to lead two schools to an NCAA National Championship game, and has led both Kansas and North Carolina to a total of five Final Fours (1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2005), three national title games (1991, 2003, 2005), and won an NCAA Championship with North Carolina in 2005. Williams also played on the freshman team at North Carolina and was an assistant in Chapel Hill before accepting the head coaching job at Kansas in 1988. His teams have made 18 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, winning at least one tournament game in each. Williams is a six-time National Coach of the Year, and in his 18+ years of coaching he has become the fastest coach ever to reach the 500 win mark.

VAN CHANCELLOR - Coach (Finalist in 2005, 2006), a native of Louisville, Mississippi, led the Houston Comets to four straight WNBA Championships (1997-2000) and won 439 games as the Head Women's Coach at Ole Miss (1978-1997). Chancellor coached the undefeated United States gold medal team at the 2004 Olympic Games, and has a spotless 38-0 record in international competition. In leading the Comets to a 211-111 record (1997-2006), Chancellor has been named WNBA coach of the year three times (1997, 1998, 1999). In addition, the 1998 Comets hold the record for the highest winning percentage in the history of NBA and WNBA basketball (27-3, .900 winning percentage). Chancellor was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year three times (1987, 1990, 1992).

PEDRO FERRANDIZ - Coach (Finalist in 2001, 2003, 2006) a native of Alicante, Spain, is considered one of the greatest coaches in European history and has compiled an overall coaching record of 437-90 while leading Real Madrid to a record 12 Spanish League titles, 11 Spanish Cup titles, and four European Cup championships. He recorded three undefeated Spanish League seasons and was known for bringing the concept of the "fast break" to the European game. Along with Cesare Rubini, Ferrandiz founded the World Association of Basketball Coaches and served as the organization's first president. He is the recipient of the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, the only such basketball coach in history to earn the award (1977). He was honored by the Central Board of FIBA and conceded Order of Merit (2000). Ferrandiz has also been awarded the Blue Cross of Mention in Sport (2002).

Coach Mirko Novosel

MIRKO NOVOSEL - Coach, born June 30, 1938 in Zagreb, helped to lead the Yugoslavian team to the 1980 Olympic gold medal, 1976 silver medal and a bronze in 1984. Novosel also coached the Yugoslavian national team to a silver medal at the World Championships of Basketball in 1974. While coaching on the professional level in Europe, Novosel led Cibona to three national titles, a record seven Yugo-Cups, two Cup of Cup titles and captured the Cup of Champions in 1985. Novosel was named European Coach of the Year in 1985 and is one of only four coaches to win 3 or more Olympic medals.

Detailed Guidelines for Nomination and Election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level worldwide - professional, collegiate, men and women. For more information, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.