by By MIKE MONROE, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS , The Houston Chronicle

Slater Martin

Enshrined: 1982 Highlights: Led Longhorns to 1947 Final Four ... won five NBA titles ... seven-time All-Star.

Elvin Hayes

Enshrined: 1990 Highlights: Three-time All-American for Houston ... 81-12 NCAA record, two Final Fours ... 1978 NBA title ... 12-time All-Star.

Calvin Murphy

Enshrined: 1993 Highlights: With Rockets, one year in San Diego, 12 in Houston.

George Gervin

Enshrined: 1996 Highlights: The "Iceman" spent 11.5 years with Spurs ... one of three in NBA with four or more scoring titles (1978-80, '82) .

Don Haskins

Enshrined: 1997 Highlights: "The Bear" coached Texas Western to 1966 NCAA title, the first with five black starters .

Jody Conradt

Enshrined: 1998 Highlights: Was 900-306 in 38 seasons coaching the Sam Houston State, UTA and Texas women's teams ... led Longhorns to 1986 title with 34-0 record.

Moses Malone

Enshrined: 2001 Highlights: Six years with Rockets, 17 games with Spurs ... 12-time All-Star ... three-time MVP, twice as Rocket.

Clyde Drexler

Enshrined: 2004 Highlights: "The Glide" took Houston's "Phi Slama Jama" teams to two Final Fours ... 10-time All-Star ... 1995 NBA title with Rockets and Hakeem Olajuwon ... 22,195 points.

Van Chancellor

Enshrined: 2007 Highlights: Coached Comets to first four WNBA championships (1997-2000) ... 211-111 in 10 years with Comets.

Texas Western

Enshrined: 2007 Highlights: Now UTEP, starters Bobby Joe Hill, David Lattin, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley and Harry Flournoy and entire 1966 NCAA champions were inducted for changing college basketball.

Hakeem Olajuwon

Enshrined: 2008 Highlights: Led Houston to three straight Final Fours (1982-84) ... 12-time All-Star ... 1994 MVP and NBA champion 1994 and 1995 3,830 blocks, first.

Also:

Bruce Drake, Oklahoma coach, 1938-55, born in Gentry

Bill Sharman, one of three in Hall as a player and coach, born in Abilene

Larry Brown, Spurs coach, 1988-92

Sue Gunter, Stephen F. Austin coach, 1964-80Source: San Antonio Express-News

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Nearly four months before he was recognized Friday as a member of basketball's most prestigious circle, San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson picked up his Sunday newspaper and knew his basketball legacy had been stamped in the lexicon of greatness.

There, in the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, to be entered into the seven spaces making up the answer to 104 Across, was this clue: Nickname of the NBA's David Robinson, with "the:"

A dedicated crossword solver, the man basketball fans long have known as "The Admiral," smiled, and filled in his distinctive basketball moniker.

Another honor

"You know you've made it when you're a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle," Robinson said a few hours before the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame afforded him even greater acclamation. "Maybe now they'll use: Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson."

Indeed, The Admiral was inducted Friday into the Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Springfield Symphony Hall, part of an induction class being called one of the greatest in the Hall's 50 years.

Heading the class: Michael Jordan, a player many regard as the greatest. The others: Robinson, John Stockton, basketball's all-time assists leader; longtime Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer, who coached three schools to the women's NCAA Tournament.

Robinson addressed the audience Friday with typical humility and eloquence. He thanked most of the major influences in his life and career, including his parents, his wife, friends and teammates from the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Spurs organization.

He saved a special recognition for a special teammate.

"Timmy, my man," Robinson said, gazing at Tim Duncan in the audience, in a group that included Spurs owner Peter Holt, coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford.

Then, he turned back to the general audience and said: "Have you ever gotten down on your knees and prayed for something real hard?

"(Timmy) was my answered prayer."

Ovation for Jordan

The 2009 inductees shared in the emotions of the evening, but Jordan, the final honoree, was momentarily overwhelmed after the audience stood, as one, and gave him a long ovation before his speech.

Wiping tears from his eyes, he spoke for 20 minutes about the factors that drove him throughout his career, emphasizing one.

"I'd do anything to win," he said.

mikemonroe@express-news.net

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