A former Pirate will join the likes of Tracy McGrady, Bill Self and Rebecca Lobo when the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame welcomes its Class of 2107.
It was announced on Saturday that Nikos "Nick" Galis will be enshrined, too. The former Seton Hall icon became the Euroleague’s all-time leading scorer while playing in his home country of Greece after starring for the Pirates in the late-1970s.
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Photo via SHU Athletics[/caption]
In the 1978-79 season, Galis was superb for the Pirates, averaging 27.5 points per game as a senior. He finished third in the nation in scoring and just one spot behind Larry Bird. Galis shot 57 percent from the field and won the Haggerty Award for being the top player in the Metropolitan Area. He ranks 11th on the Pirates’ all-time scoring list with 1,651 points.
Galis and Bird could have been potential NBA teammates, as Galis was drafted by the Celtics in 1979 but was cut due to an injury suffered during training camp. That lead him back to Greece, where he would become a five-time MVP in the Greek League and would stay abroad as one of the best players in the Euroleague while also leading the Greece National team to a European title in 1987. He also represented Greece in FIBA international play.
Galis will become the fourth Seton Hall Pirate to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, joining Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, and Honey Russell. Seton Hall alumn Dick Vitale is also a member, but was not a part of the program.
Matt Lamb can be reached at matthew.lamb@student.shu.edu.
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