Elvin Hayes and Guy Lewis are both members of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar
For the 23 years after his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, basketball legend Elvin Hayes never thought he would be enshrined with his college coach Guy V. Lewis.
Since April, the duo have been honored in the same Hall twice.
On Monday, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Hayes would be a part of its nine-man and one-team induction class in November — Lewis was selected in 2007 and joined Hayes in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in April.
It was only fitting that it happened this way, Hayes said.
“I just think that it is a great omen to say, hey, we both deserved it,” Hayes said. “I was elated (when I found out) because coach got in there and Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and some of the greatest players to play the game were in the first class.”
The 2013 class includes former U.S. Congressman Tom McMillen of Maryland; UCLA great Marques Johnson; Bob Hopkins of Grambling State, a two-time all-American and former Wichita State star Xavier McDaniel. In addition, former Purdue coach Gene Keady and architect of Villanova’s upset defeat of top-seeded Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA final Rollie Massimino, made the Hall. Contributors George Raveling of Nike and George Killian of FIBA are also included. The 1963 Loyola University team will become the first inducted into the Hall.
“Having Elvin Hayes, the most dominant player from the Game of the Century, solidifies this class as a strong entry into the Hall of Fame,” said Reggie Minton, deputy executive director of the NABC and chair of the Hall of Fame selection panel in a statement.
It has been an exciting few weeks for Hayes, who, before this honor was a part of the Houston Rockets’ pitch to land free agent center Dwight Howard. Hayes was the Rockets’ first dominant center when the team first played its games in San Diego. A litany of great big men followed, including another UH great Hakeem Olajuwon.
“It was great to see the Rockets focused on getting the big man that they needed. I was elated that it happened,” Hayes said.
Hayes said he neglected to inform the 6-foot-11 Howard that he was the shortest of the Rockets’ great big men.
“(Howard is) probably the strongest of us too. He’s like a couple of us combined,” Hayes said. “He plays big too.”
For Hayes, who averaged 31 points and 17.2 rebounds per game during his UH career, the induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and inclusion in the Rockets’ pitch are just more pelts on the wall of one of the most illustrious careers in University history.
