INDIANAPOLIS — At long last, Bob Hurley is headed to the Naismith Hall of Fame.
The Jersey Journal reported Friday on its Website that Hurley, 62, will be inducted Aug. 13 along with the 1992 Dream Team members Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone.
The legendary Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony coach failed to gain admission into the Hall three previous times, but was reportedly notified of the honor and an official announcement will be made here Monday.
Hurley is here in Indianapolis and appeared in a celebratory mood when I just saw him with his wife, Chris, but politely declined to comment.
“It would be the pinnacle of my coaching career if that happened,” Hurley, who has led St. Anthony to more than 950 victories, 24 state championships and nine New Jersey Tournament of Champions titles, told SNY.tv in 2009.” “I’m loving going to practice. Coaching games has nothing to do with any individual aspirations anybody has. We just love to do this.”
“Bob Hurley is a Hall of Famer — period,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams told NJ.com in2009 when Hurley was not named to the Hall of Fame. “It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when.”
Dan Hurley, Bob’s younger son and the coach of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, said in 2009 he believed his father deserved to be in the Hall.
“I would think so. He’s an iconic figure,” he said. “He’s a coach’s coach. If anyone is deserving, it’s him. The time that he’s spent coaching kids and helping kids, I would think that the Hall of Fame would be proud to induct him
“He’s given his life not just to a coaching career, but to coaching. A lot of guys give their life to a coaching career where they can make the most money and get the best most high-paying job, as opposed to a coaching career. I would think that would be worth a couple of votes.”
The elder Hurley becomes only the third boys’ high school coach ever to join the Hall of Fame, following Ernest “Prof” Blood of Passaic (N.J.) High School and Morgan Wootten of Washington D.C. DeMatha Catholic.
Derrick Williams, a 6-7, 235-pound senior forward at St. Anthony, said he’s never met a coach with the “aura” that Hurley has, and that all the players hang on his every word, even if those words are shouted in their faces.
“When he talks, everybody listens, parents, other coaches,” Williams said. “It’s fascinating. [I’ve never met ] a guy that has that aura, that power that he has on the court.”
Derrick’s father said the coach has had a dramatic impact on his son.
“I’ve never met a coach like Hurley,” said Derek Williams, Derrick’s father. “The man is phenomenal. The way he teaches the kids discipline and structure, he stays on top of them and that’s good.”
During the 2007-08 season, Hurley coached a team that finished a perfect 32-0, won the Tournament of Champions and a mythical national championship and sent six players to Division 1.
That team was featured in the documentary “The Street Stops Here,” which aired nationally Wednesday night on PBS.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said on the film’s official Website:
“Bob Hurley is a teacher and coach of substance and fiber in an age of flash.”
(Photo courtesy Jersey Journal)
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