Birmingham, Ala. – Featuring former greats from all 14 Southeastern Conference member institutions, the 2014 SEC Basketball Legends will be honored at the men's tournament on March 12-16 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.
"The SEC Basketball Legends program allows us to honor our past and show everyone why the SEC is one of the nation's premier basketball conferences," said Commissioner Mike Slive.
The 2014 class includes Eddie Phillips, Alabama; Clint McDaniel, Arkansas; Gerald White, Auburn; Greg Stolt, Florida; D.A.
Layne, Georgia; Tony Delk, Kentucky; Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Chris Jackson), LSU; Ansu Sesay, Ole Miss; Erick Dampier, Mississippi State; John Brown, Missouri; Gary Gregor, South Carolina; Dr. Ed Wiener, Tennessee; Dr.
John Thornton, Texas A&M; Matt Freije, Vanderbilt
Each SEC Basketball Legend will be recognized at halftime of his institution's first game at the tournament.
Highlighting the schedule of events at the Sunkist Soda SEC FanFare will be appearances by selected legends. FanFare will be open Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16.
This marks the 16th year of the SEC Basketball Legends program.
Last year's group included Wimp Sanderson, Alabama; Jerry Carlton, Arkansas; Ronnie Battle, Auburn; Bill Koss, Florida; Tim Bassett, Georgia; Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky; Geert Hammink, LSU; Rahim Lockhart, Ole Miss; Horatio Webster, Mississippi State; Norm Stewart, Missouri; Eddie Fogler, South Carolina; Len Kosmalski, Tennessee; John Beasley, Texas A&M; Mike Rhodes, Vanderbilt.
2014 Allstate® SEC Basketball Legends
ALABAMA – Eddie Phillips, Forward, 1979-82
A four-year letterwinner at Alabama from 1979-82, Eddie Phillips is Alabama’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,937 points and currently ranks fifth in the UA record books with 1,129 rebounds. One of only six players in school history to record more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his Alabama career, he was named an AP Honorable Mention All-America in 1982, becoming Alabama’s first All-American honoree in the 1980s. Phillips was a key component of Wimp Sanderson’s 1982 team that won the SEC Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16, finishing the season ranked No. 13 in the nation. He earned All-SEC honors in each of his final three seasons at the Capstone. Following his collegiate career he was taken with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets.
ARKANSAS – Clint McDaniel, Guard, 1992-95
A key player on Arkansas’ 1994 NCAA Championship team and the 1995 NCAA National Runner-up squad, McDaniel was considered one of the best defensive players in the country during his time in Fayetteville. A starter in 59 of his 125 career games, he scored 1,007 career points and stands tied for fifth on the school’s career steals list with 266. McDaniel can be found on most steals records lists at Arkansas, including steals as a senior with 102, an SEC record, second in single-game steals and steals in a single SEC game, fourth in steals over an SEC season and fifth in SEC career steals. McDaniel was a member of the 1995 Final Four All-Tournament team as well as a member of the AP All-SEC third team in 1995.
AUBURN – Gerald White, Guard, 1983-87
Gerald White quarterbacked Auburn to an 82-47 record during his four-year career (1983-87), including four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and three 20-win seasons. White, Auburn’s all-time assists leader with 624, received his bachelor’s degree in education in 1988.
FLORIDA – Greg Stolt, Forward, 1995-99
A career 1,000-point scorer and three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Greg Stolt received the 1999 Doug Belden Award presented by the University Athletic Association to the top graduating student-athlete for academic achievement, athletic achievement, community involvement and leadership. Stolt was named co-captain along with Eddie Shannon for his senior season, and he helped UF to the Sweet Sixteen and led the SEC in 3-point percentage (.438). He finished his career with seven double-doubles and 10 20-point games, including a career-high 33 in 1996 vs. USF. Stolt now serves as the NBA’s Associate Vice President for Basketball Operations in China.
GEORGIA – D.A. Layne, Guard, 1999-2001
D.A. Layne ranks as one of the most productive and highest-scoring guards in Georgia basketball history. The Marietta, Ga., native was a unanimous Freshman All-SEC choice in 1999, when he averaged 13 points per game and earned a starting job for the second half of the season. As a sophomore in 2000, Layne averaged 18.3 points per game and was a second-team All-SEC selection. The following year he earned first-team all-conference honors, averaged 17 points per game and guided the Bulldogs toward the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in four years. Layne finished his Bulldog career with 1,451 points, which still ranks 10th in UGA history, and at one time he held school records in 3-pointers made and attempted.
KENTUCKY – Tony Delk, Guard, 1993-96
First-team All-America and SEC Player of the Year as a senior … Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four and the Midwest Regional in leading UK to the 1996 national championship … Led the Wildcats in scoring three straight years … First-team All-SEC his last two seasons, also third-team All-America as a junior and second-team All-SEC as a sophomore … UK career leader in three-pointers, second in career steals, and fifth in career scoring … Team had a four-year record of 119-18, with four berths in the NCAA Tournament and two trips to the Final Four, including one national title … Played 10 seasons in the NBA.
LSU – Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Chris Jackson), Guard, 1988-90
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played two seasons at LSU, earning Consensus First Team All-America and Consensus SEC Player of the Year honors both seasons. In 1989 he set the Freshman NCAA scoring average record of 30.2 a game on his way to winning 1989 USBWA National Freshman of the Year honors. He scored 1,854 points in just 64 games (two-year scoring average of 29.0) and was the third pick of the 1990 NBA draft of the Denver Nuggets. He played basketball in the NBA and abroad through 2011.
OLE MISS – Ansu Sesay, Forward, 1995-98
A member of the Ole Miss Basketball All-Century team, Ansu Sesay was a near consensus All-America selection in 1998 when he was named a finalist for both the John R. Wooden and Oscar Robertson Player of the Awards, while being named SEC Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and league coaches. Sesay, who scored in double figures in his last 53 games, averaged 18.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as he became one of only two Rebels to ever record 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 200 assists in a career. Prior to his senior year, he won a gold medal with Team USA at the World University Games in Italy. After being drafted in the second round in 1998, Sesay played four seasons in the NBA, three with Seattle and one with Golden State, and then played five years in Europe.
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Erick Dampier, Center, 1994-96
Despite playing just three years for Mississippi State, Erick Dampier ranks 21st all –time at MSU in scoring with 1,231 points and is fifth with 859 rebounds. In his three seasons with the Bulldogs, Dampier was a three-time All-SEC selection and honorable-mention All-American. The New Hebron, Miss., native guided MSU to a 66-27 ledger and two NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 1995 Sweet 16 and the 1996 Final Four. A first-round draft choice of the Indiana Pacers, Dampier spent 15 years in the NBA and retired following the 2012 season after scoring 7,309 points and grabbing 7,005 rebounds. In 2011-12, Dampier was named to MSU’s Starting Five All Century Team
MISSOURI – John Brown, Forward, 1970-73
One of the elite players in school history, John Brown led Missouri in scoring and rebounding his final two seasons and averaged nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for his three-year career. A member of the school’s Hall of Fame and All-Century Team, Brown ranks 16th in career scoring at Missouri with 1,421 points (just three seasons) and is fourth in career rebounding average. A native of Dixon, Mo., Brown was a member of the 1972 United States Olympic Team (did not play due to injury) and was drafted 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 1973, being named to the 1974 NBA All-Rookie Team. He finished his NBA career scoring 3,616 points and played for Atlanta, Chicago and Utah during his NBA career.
SOUTH CAROLINA – Gary Gregor, Center, 1965, 67-68
Gary Gregor, a 2003 inductee in the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame, led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding and earned all-conference honors in 1967 and 1968. He averaged 15.6 points and 12.6 rebounds per game during his career in the Garnet and Black and was a first-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns and went on to earn NBA All-Rookie honors. During his time in the NBA he played for the Suns, the Atlanta Hawks, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks, and he also spent time with the ABA’s New York Nets.
TENNESSEE – Dr. Ed Wiener, Forward, 1952-55
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Dr. Ed Wiener was a standout forward for the Volunteers under head coach Emmett Lowery from 1952-55. He led Tennessee in both scoring and rebounding as a sophomore in 1953 and then earned consecutive All-American honors from Converse in 1954 and 1955. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection during his senior season in Knoxville before being selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round of the 1955 NBA Draft. Still a practicing dentist in Memphis, Tenn., Wiener was just the third Vol ever to reach the 1,000-point milestone, and he now ranks 31st on Tennessee’s all-time scoring list with 1,212 career points.
TEXAS A&M – Dr. John Thornton, Forward, 1974-75
Dr. John Thornton came to Texas A&M after playing two seasons in junior college and was named the Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year for the 1973-74 season and as a senior led Texas A&M to the SWC Championship in 1974-75 and earned All-SWC honors and was voted the team captain at Texas A&M advanced to NCAA Championship play against Cincinnati. Thornton served as an A&M assistant coach under Shelby Metcalf and as the interim head coach of the Aggies in 1990.
VANDERBILT – Matt Freije, Forward, 2001-04
Matt Freije was one of Vanderbilt’s brightest stars, ranking as the all-time leading scorer upon his graduation. He still is third on Vandy’s career scoring charts with 1,891 points. He led the Commodores to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2004. He earned All-America honors in 2004 along with first-team all-SEC accord. He later played professionally, both in the NBA and Europe.
TENNESSEE'S SEC LEGENDS
1999 - Reggie Johnson
2000 - A.W. Davis
2001 - Ernie Grunfeld
2002 - Tony White
2003 - Tom Boerwinkle
2004 - Dale Ellis
2005 - Ron Widby
2006 - Bill Justus
2007 - Allan Houston
2008 - Bernard King
2009 - Paul “Lefty” Walther
2010 - Don DeVoe
2011 - Jimmy England
2012 - Gene Tormohlen
2013 - Len Kosmalski
2014 – Ed Wiener
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com)