Chris Mullin Is Ready For His Hall Of Fame Close-Up

The Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend began Thursday afternoon with a press conference at center court. One by one the 10 newest inductees took their place on stage. Sitting front and center was the 16-year NBA veteran Chris Mullin. The Brooklyn native looked calmed and poised. He had nothing to be nervous about; he had done this all before.

It was just one year ago when Mullin enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the Hall of Fame spotlight, as he and his teammates from the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” were inducted as part of the class of 2010.

“It was fun going in with a group,” said Mullin. “It was nice to see all those guys again and rehash some great memories.”

Mullin certainly enjoyed being honored with his teammates last year. However, there’s a special sense of achievement being recognized for his individual accomplishments.

Mullin grew up in Brooklyn where he was a high school All-America before he took his game to nearby St. John’s University. Mullin would go on to have an illustrious career for the Johnnies, being named Big East Player of the Year a record three times and receiving the Wooden Award in 1985, and leading St. John’s to the Final Four.

From there, Mullin moved onto the NBA, where he scored more than 17,000 points in his 16 seasons with the Golden State Warriors and the Indiana Pacers. Mullin, one of the game’s best shooters, was named to five All-Star games and an NBA First Team selection in 1992.

Even though it is Mullin’s second consecutive enshrinement, the Hall of Fame is something that never crossed his mind when he was younger.

“I always dreamed of being an NBA player. I never dreamed about being a Hall of Fame player because it seemed so farfetched,” said the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter.

“Now that it’s here, it’s the pinnacle of a career. It’s a great way to put a bow on a career.”

Last year Mullin was one of the Dream Team dozen, but this year the stage is all his.

“I look at [my enshrinements] the same way in a lot of respects, but this time I’ll be the one up there speaking.”

How will you remember Mullin?

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