Ewing, Olajuwon Head Hoops Hall Class

Riley, Vitale, Dantley among others honored
By Doug Sweeney,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 7, 2008 9:51 PM CDT
Ewing, Olajuwon Head Hoops Hall Class
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Hakeem Olajuwon, left, shakes hands with Patrick Ewing at a news conference Monday, April 7, 2008, in San Antonio.    (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Dick Vitale cried when he heard he was selected to basketball’s Hall of Fame. The former NBA coach turned college basketball analyst joins Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley, among others, in the Class of 2008. "I can't run, can't jump, can't shoot, but just have had a tremendous…passion about the game," said Vitale, according to the Associated Press.

It’s an interesting twist of fate that Olajuwon and Ewing should join the Hall of Fame together. The two each won a title at the other’s expense; Ewing winning the 1984 national championship game before Olajuwon got revenge in the 1994 NBA finals. Player Adrian Dantley, coach Cathy Rush and Pistons owner William Davidson will also be inducted Sept. 5. (More basketball stories.)

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