Arizona Wildcat legend Sean Elliott named to Class of 2018 Collegiate Hall of Fame
By David Rosen
One of the greatest players to put on a Arizona Wildcats uniform, Sean Elliott, was named to the Class of 2018 Collegiate Hall of Fame.
The tradition continues for Arizona Wildcats basketball. Conference Championships, a National Championship, NBA Draft Picks, awards, records, now add collegiate hall of fame player to that list. Sean Elliott was selected to the Class of 2018, becoming the first Wildcat player to be inducted into the hall of fame, joining Lute Olson who was part of the founding class in 2006.
What Elliott accomplished during his four-year career as a Wildcat was one for the records books. From multiple individual conference awards to national awards, their is a reason why he ended up getting his No.32 jersey retired in McKale Center.
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The highlight of his career and a record that still remains intact is when he set the all time Pac-10 scoring record, becoming the all time leading scorer in program history. Elliott finished his college career with 2,555 points. That’s almost 639 points per season!
With all the great Wildcat players before and after Elliott’s time, for him to still have this record is impressive. Staying four years didn’t hurt. Now a days, a lot of players are only staying one or two years. Just imagine if Deandre Ayton stayed four years, that record might be in jeopardy.
Being named to the collegiate hall of fame is a long time coming for No. 32. He joins five other players, including two coaches who were inducted: Sidney Moncrief, Sam Perkins, Otis Birdsong, Marvin Webster, Paul Westphal, John Kresse and Danny Miles.
A very special congratulations to @seanelliott_32 for being selected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2018. #APlayersProgram pic.twitter.com/nfV9s7B4I9
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) March 28, 2018
His stats, from his freshman to senior year speak for themselves. In Elliott’s first year he averaged 15.6 points per game and by his fourth year he averaged 22.3 points per game. For his career, he averaged 51.2% from the field and 42.8% from beyond the arc.
| Season | G | MP | FG | FG% | 2P | 2P% | 3P | 3P% | FT | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-86 | 32 | 33.7 | 5.8 | .486 | 3.9 | .749 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 15.6 | ||||
| 1986-87 | 30 | 34.9 | 7.0 | .510 | 5.9 | .548 | 1.1 | .371 | 4.2 | .770 | 6.0 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 19.3 |
| 1987-88 | 38 | 32.9 | 6.9 | .570 | 5.8 | .594 | 1.1 | .471 | 4.6 | .793 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 19.6 |
| 1988-89 | 33 | 34.1 | 7.2 | .480 | 5.2 | .499 | 2.0 | .437 | 5.9 | .841 | 7.2 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 22.3 |
| Career | 133 | 33.8 | 6.7 | .512 | 5.6 | .548 | 1.4 | .428 | 4.7 | .793 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 19.2 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/28/2018.
When watching Elliott shoot the ball, he had one of the purest shots in the game. He also loved driving the ball and throwing it down with authority. Enjoy this tribute video of his college career.
Highlights of his Wildcat career:
- AP Player of the Year in 1989
- All-American in 1988 and 1989
- Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989
- John Wooden Award Winner in 1989
Elliott would go on to have a hall of fame like career in the NBA, where he spent 12 season (11 of those with the San Antonio Spurs). Similar to his career in college, he had many accomplishments including being a two-time NBA All-Star and a NBA Champion. He even got his No.32 jersey retired by the Spurs!
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What Sean Elliott achieved while at Arizona and for the San Antonio Spurs will never be forgotten. He brought fans to their feet and opponents left scratching their heads. No. 32 knew how to Bear Down and score those buckets!