http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5800001465 What Took Dantley So Long? Apr 7, 2008 Posted by: John Hareas “It took a long time but it happened.” We couldn’t agree more with Adrian Dantley’s statement at this afternoon’s Hall of Fame press conference in San Antonio. Dantley finally crossed the HOF threshold on his seventh try and you wonder what took so long for one of the NBA’s most prolific and consistent scorers to receive his due in Springfield, Mass. Dantley was an offensive machine in an era dominated by the likes of Kareem, English, Ice Man, Magic, Bird, MJ, ’Nique and Bernard King. Here is a snap shot of his numbers … --From 1980-81-1985-86, Dantley averaged between 26.6 and 30.7 points --Four seasons he averaged more than 30 ppg (1980-81 – 30.7; 1981-82 – 30.3; 1982-83 –30.7; 1983-84 – 30.6) --Two-time NBA scoring champion (1981, ’84) --Set an NBA record for fewest field-goal attempts (18.2 per game) to average at least 30 points (1983-84). --Penchant for getting to the Free Throw Line: Led the NBA in free throw attempts four times ….tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 28 free throws (vs. Rockets) and ended up with 46 points for the game (Wilt ended up with 100) and averaged nearly 10 free throw attempts per game for his career … --23,177 career points (ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list upon retirement) --Career FG – 54% What prevented Dantley from being inducted earlier? No doubt, not playing on an NBA championship team hurt his chances. Actually, Dantley’s overall lack of postseason success left him vulnerable in the eyes of many of the voters. Dantley and the Jazz made two trips to the Western Conference Semifinals his seven years in Salt Lake and the 1977 NBA Rookie of the Year didn’t reach the Conference Finals until 1987, his 11th in the league, this time as a member of the Pistons. Dantley was on the cusp of championship greatness with the Pistons only to be traded mid-point during the first of back-to-back title seasons in ’88 and ’ 89. Many felt the Pistons were due to win it all whether Dantley was filling the lanes or Mark Aguirre, the player for whom he was acquired. We’ll never know but what we do know is that the hallowed Hall in Springfield and its 267 members, just welcomed a worthy (and long overdue) one. --

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