Philadelphia 76ers: Bobby Jones makes Hall of Fame; Chris Webber bypassed
Philadelphia 76ers standout Bobby Jones showed that superb defense will be recognized as he was elected to the 2019 class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Chris Webber, who spent parts of three seasons with the Sixers, was a finalist but did not get selected. Al Attles, who started his NBA career with the then Philadelphia Warriors, also made it.
The news that many Philadelphia 76ers fans thought was long overdue finally came on April 6:
"The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the honorees in the Class of 2019 to be celebrated September 5-7, 2019 during this year’s Enshrinement festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts.This year’s class includes … eight-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member Bobby Jones. Ticket packages to the 2019 Enshrinement Ceremony and all Enshrinement events are on sale now and available online at www.hoophall.com or by calling the Basketball Hall of Fame at (413) 231-5513."
Chris Webber played in 111 games for the 76ers between 2004-07 as part of a 15-year NBA career. He was a finalist but did not get selected, which upset some people, particularly in his native Michigan, where he was part of the legendary ‘Fab Five’ collegiate team.
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Jones will not be the only former Philadelphia NBA player getting inducted in Springfield.
Al Attles was a selection from the Contributor Committee. He was a seventh-round pick of the Philadelphia Warriors in 1960 and played his first two seasons for the Warriors in Philadelphia before they moved to the San Francisco area.
He has been part of the Warriors organization in some capacity for 60 years and coached the team to the 1975 NBA championship.
Jones was a 6-foot-9 forward who began in the ABA with the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the 76ers for George McGinnis in 1978. He finished his career in 1986 with the Sixers, three years after helping them win the NBA title.
Jones joins players Maurice Cheeks, Julius Erving and Moses Malone plus coach Billy Cunningham as member of the 1983 Sixers team now in the Hall of Fame.
In its press release, the NBA ran down Jones’ many accomplishments, including his standout amateur career at North Carolina and the Olympics for Team USA.
"Jones is an eight-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member (1977-84) and NBA Champion with the Philadelphia 76ers (1983). He is also a four-time NBA All-Star (1977, 1978, 1981, 1982) and the recipient of the 1983 NBA Sixth Man Award. Prior to the Nuggets joining the NBA, Jones was named to the ABA All-Rookie Team (1975), ABA All-Defensive Team twice (1975, 1976) and ABA All-Star Team (1976). As a collegiate athlete, Jones led North Carolina to an NCAA Final Four (1972) and was named a consensus second team All-American (1974). In 1972, Jones represented the USA in Munich, Germany, bringing home an Olympic silver medal."
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Usually, the closer to the end of a player’s career the better their chances are to make the Hall of Fame, as their play is still fresh in people’s minds. However, Jones had been retired for 33 years before getting enough votes to make it.
It might have taken awhile for basketball people to gain perspective on Jones’ career and the real contribution he made on the court. Jones was not hyped as a major star during the era he played, but he was indeed a superstar on the defensive end.
After putting in players who could pour in the points but were not so hot on the defensive end (George Gervin?), the Naismith voters might have felt it was time to reward a player noted for defense (although four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace was bypassed), even though Jones was certainly a contributor on the offensive end.
After he was officially selected, Jones told NBATV what he remembered about that 1983 Sixers team.
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“The chemistry and camaraderie we had. Putting aside any individual goals to win any game that we could,” Jones said.