Two of the greatest Bulldogs in Georgia basketball history join hall of fame

This Friday, The National College Basketball Hall of Fame will induct Georgia basketball greats Hugh Durham and Dominique Wilkins into the 2016 class.

Before they arrived in Athens, the Georgia basketball program had never enjoyed much success. While both men were at Georgia, they took the program to new heights. And when they left, the Georgia basketball was much better than it was before.

Wilkins is definetely the greatest basketball player in program history. He was to basketball at Georgia, what Herschel Walker was to football. The fact that they played around the same time makes me envious of the Georgia fans who lived to watch them both wear the red and black.

In three seasons at Georgia, Wilkins scored 1,688 points, 588 rebounds and 142 blocked shots. Prior to his time at Georgia, the Bulldogs basketball team had never made a post season appearance. In his sophomore and junior years Georgia made the National Invitational Tournament. As a junior, Wilkins lead Georgia to the NIT semifinals.

No greatest of all-time countdown for basketball is complete without Wilkins. He was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Wilkins is often seen as the greatest college basketball player to never play in the NCAA Tournament.

Wilkins left for the NBA after his junior year and without him, Durham lead the greatest team in Georgia basketball history. With Vern Fleming leading on the court, Georgia went 24-10, won the SEC Tournament and made it all the way to the Final Four. They defeated Micheal Jordan and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight before losing to Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State Wolfpack.

It’s not a stretch to say that Georgia could have won the 1983 NCAA Tournament had Wilkins stayed for his senior year.

Durham was never able to get Georgia over the hump, but he did lead the best 17 years in program history. He tallied a 298-216 record at Georgia. The Bulldogs won the SEC Tournament once and finished first in the SEC during the 1989-90 regular season.

Before Durham became head coach in 1978, Georgia had only two players recognized as All-Americans (Zippy Morocco, 1953. Bob Lienhard, 1969 and 1970). While Durham was head coach, six of his players earned All-American honors and three earned All-American twice.

Wilkins was the first in 1981 and 1982. Flemming was next in 1983 and 1984. James Bank (1984), Cedric Henderson (1985), Litterial Green (1989, 1991), and Alec Kessler (1990) were the others.

Since Durham left Georgia, the Bulldogs have made 13 post season appearances, six in the NIT and seven in the NCAA Tournament. They also won the 2008 SEC Tournament.

To say that Wilkins and Durham gave Georgia a better basketball program is an understatement. Prior to Durham’s arrival in 1978 and Wilkins in 1979, the program was known for mediocrity. While they aren’t a powerhouse now, the program is in a much better place today than they were in 1977.

More from Dawn of the Dawg

Wilkins gave Georgia their first superstar, their first player they could watch in the NBA and say “he’s one of ours”. Durham made the program consistent and competitive. Without the two of them, who knows what the status of the Georgia basketball program is today. They could still be one of the bottom programs in the SEC.

But Georgia isn’t, right now they are bringing top recruits and playing tough games with powerhouses like Kentucky. Today’s success goes back to what Durham and Wilkins began in the early 1980’s. Because of that, Coach Hugh Durham and the Human Highlight Film Dominique Wilkins are the two most important individuals to ever be clad in red and black on the hardwood.

Home/Georgia Basketball

Two of the greatest Bulldogs in Georgia basketball history join hall of fame together

By Kyle Funderburk | Nov 17, 2016

This Friday, The National College Basketball Hall of Fame will induct Georgia basketball greats Hugh Durham and Dominique Wilkins into the 2016 class.

More from Dawn of the Dawg