Archive from Georgia State Digital Library | The Signal
A member of the first Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 and a National Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer, former Georgia State head coach Charles “Lefty” Driesell has been named a 2016 finalist for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
While at Georgia State, Driesell won 103 games and three conference championships in just over five years at the program. Lefty was at the helm when the Panthers defeated Wisconsin in the 2001 NCAA tournament. The court in the GSU Sports Arena has since been named after Driesell. The Coach is only in NCAA history to win 100 games with four different programs. His 786 career victories rank forth all-time in Division I history only behind Dean Smith, Bob Knight and Adolph Rupp.
This is the third time the 84-year-old was named a finalist for the Hall of Fame and only Eddie Sutton has more overall victories as a current finalist.
According to an article in The Baltimore Sun, Driesell said the 18 necessary votes to be elected this year would mean a great deal to him, as he’s remained hopeful for years now.
“I’ve had enough wins, I thought, to get in,” he said, according to the article. “When you wait for something, it means more. I’ve been waiting, praying and hoping I would get in.”
Other finalist in the 2016 nomination class include Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, former Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan, four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal, eleven-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson and four-time WNBA Champion Sheryl Swoopes.
The official class announcement will be made on April 4, shortly before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
Editor’s note: The Baltimore Sun story was sent by former Signal sports editor David Norwood II.
