BASKETBALL BRIEF

UCLA greats inducted to Hall of Fame

UCLA basketball greats Jamaal Wilkes and Don Barksdale were two
of 12 athletes inducted into the African American-Ethnic Sports
Hall of Fame July 7 in Oakland, Calif.

“It was an easy choice,” said Arif Khatib, the
hall’s founder and president. “I nominated and chose
each of them because I wanted to set the precedence of what the
hall is about.”

The players were awarded plaque-trophies at last
Saturday’s inaugural ceremonies and will have displays
dedicated to them in the hall. Pam Barksdale-Gore accepted the
posthumous honor for her brother, who died in 1993.

The hall, established in July 2000, serves to honor minority
athletes who have had a positive effect on sports and society.

“One must have excelled on the field of play, but also
must have demonstrated a sense of community,” Khatib said.
“Both of these gentlemen qualified under that criteria.

“Additionally, both of them are outstanding human beings,
and UCLA is an outstanding institution,” he added.

Wilkes, a forward on the dominant 1970s UCLA teams, was a
two-time All-American 1973-74. He went on to play with the Golden
State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers during
a 12-year NBA career. Wilkes was the Rookie of the Year in 1975,
earned three trips to the All-Star game and played on four NBA
championship teams.

Wilkes graduated with a degree in economics and went on to
become a financial consultant. He is currently vice president of
basketball operations for the ABA’s Los Angeles Stars. He is
heavily involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Barksdale played as a forward at UCLA in 1947, earning
second-team All-American honors ““ the first ever African
American to do so. He became the first African American to be
selected as an All-Star in 1953.

Barksdale later worked on and led Save High School Sports, a
non-profit organization that raises money for high school sports
programs. He died in 1993.

Brief compiled by Diamond Leung, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.