ORLANDO – UCF men's basketball head coach Johnny Dawkins has been selected for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
The 2023 induction celebration – honoring the Hall of Fame's 18th induction class – will be held on the evening of Aug. 30 in Chicago. Details on attending the induction celebration will be announced soon. The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame is an initiative of the NABC Foundation.
"I'm humbled and grateful to be selected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame," said Coach Dawkins. "Every step of this journey has been filled with incredible teammates and mentors who have made an impact along the way. To be enshrined along Coach K and several other great players and coaches is an incredible honor as well."
The 2023 induction class includes former players Tyler Hansbrough from North Carolina and Dawkins from Duke, longtime Jefferson coach Herb Magee, and the late talent scout Tom Konchalski. They are joined by former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who will be officially honored in the class of 2023 after initially being among the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame's Founding Class in 2006.
Coach Dawkins will be entering his eighth season at the helm of the Knights' program. UCF has made three trips to the postseason during his tenure, including the first NCAA Tournament win in school history as UCF beat VCU 73-58 in the first round on Mar. 22, 2019. The Black and Gold have been a part of two NITs, the first of which came in 2016-17 as the Knights made a run to the semifinals in Madison Square Garden. The most recent NIT run saw UCF earn its first program win in Gainesville, taking down the fourth-seeded Gators by 18 points, 67-49.
Coach Dawkins, who is being inducted for his playing days as a Blue Devil, is one of the most decorated players in Duke history and is regarded as a key early figure in the program's ascent to becoming a national power. From 1982-86, Dawkins piled up 2,556 points – a mark that stood as the school's scoring record until 2006 and remains second all-time. He was a two-time consensus All-American, a four-time All-ACC selection, and was the recipient of the 1986 Naismith National Player of the Year award.
As a senior, Dawkins led Duke to the ACC regular season and tournament titles, and an appearance in the NCAA national championship game. The 10th overall pick by the Spurs in the 1986 NBA Draft, Dawkins saw action in nine NBA seasons with the Spurs, 76ers and Pistons. He averaged 11.1 points and 5.5 assists through 541 career NBA games.
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