Sports

Shane Battier, Larry Johnson, others set for hall of fame enshrinement in Kansas City

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski hugs Shane Battier as Mike Dunleavy, and Carlos Boozer watch a video following the trophy presentation after the Blue Devils 82-72 NCAA championship win over Arizona in 2001.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski hugs Shane Battier as Mike Dunleavy, and Carlos Boozer watch a video following the trophy presentation after the Blue Devils 82-72 NCAA championship win over Arizona in 2001. cliddy@newsobserver.com

Former UNLV standout Larry Johnson and Duke star Shane Battier heads a class of nine to be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday at Kansas City’s College Basketball Experience.

Johnson and Battier were national players of the year and helped their teams win national championships.

Johnson captured several national top player honors in 1991, a year after leading the Runnin’ Rebels to the NCAA title. In 2001, Battier was the player of the year in the Blue Devils’ championship season.

They’ll be joined at the 14th annual ceremony by players Calbert Cheaney of Indiana, Providence’s Ernie DiGregorio, Purdue’s Terry Dischinger and Todd Lichti of Stanford.

Johnson (1990) and Cheaney (1993) were national players of the year. Johnson, Dischinger and DiGregorio became NBA rookies of the year.

Also enshrined will be coaches Homer Drew of Valparaiso, Lute Olson of Arizona and Iowa, and the late Rick Majerus, who coached at Marquette, Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis.

Drew, who also coached at Bethel and Indiana-South Bend, played at William Jewell in the 1960s.

The ceremony is part of the Hall of Fame Classic tournament weekend. On Monday, Missouri takes on Butler and Oklahoma meets Stanford at Sprint Center, with the championship and third-place games on Tuesday.

Blair Kerkhoff
The Kansas City Star
Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989. He was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
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