"The Chick-Fil-A SEC Basketball Legends Program allows us to
honor our past and show everyone why the SEC is one of the nation's
premier basketball conferences," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.
The 2008 class includes Leon Marlaire, Alabama; Corliss Williamson, Arkansas; Wesley Person, Auburn; Dan Cross, Florida; Hugh Durham, Georgia; Kyle Macy, Kentucky; Frank Brian, LSU; Joe Harvell, Ole Miss; Wiley Peck, Mississippi State; Ronnie Collins, South Carolina;
Bernard King, Tennessee and Barry Goheen, Vanderbilt.
Each Chick-fil-A SEC Basketball Legend will be recognized at
halftime of his institution's first game at the tournament.
Highlighting the schedule of events at the Dr Pepper SEC Fan
Fare will be appearances by the legends on the Chick-fil-A Press Box
Stage. Complimentary posters of the legends will be available in the
autograph area near the press box stage. FanFare will be open
Thursday-Saturday, March 13-15 in the Georgia World Congress Center,
adjacent to the Georgia Dome.
This marks the 10th year of the SEC Basketball Legends program.
Last year's group included Mike Nordholz, Alabama; U.S. Reed,
Arkansas; Henry Hart, Auburn; Andrew DeClercq, Florida; Litterial Green,
Georgia; Kenny Walker, Kentucky; Collis Temple Jr., LSU; Elston Turner,
Ole Miss; Richard Williams, Mississippi State; Zam Fredrick, South
Carolina; Allan Houston, Tennessee and Jan van Breda Kolff, Vanderbilt.
2008 Chick-fil-A SEC Basketball Legends
ALABAMA - Leon Marlaire, Guard, 1952-56
An All-SEC performer in 1954, Marlaire helped lead Alabama to
the 1956 SEC Championship with a perfect 14-0 SEC record. Nicknamed
"Alabama's Hardwood Quarterback" and "Mr. Outside" and "Mr. Long
Distance" for his shooting, he was a key member, playing point guard, of
Alabama's famed "Rocket 8" basketball team that was ranked 5th in the
nation in 1956. He scored 833 career points for an average of 9.2 points
and averaged 4.6 career rebounds. Marlaire went on to play
professionally on the 1956 ADA Oil Team and with the Denver Truckers. He
graduated from Alabama in 1956 with a business degree and has been
married since 1956 to his wife Vicki, also a University of Alabama
graduate. Marlaire founded the Birmingham Tip-Off Club in 1974, an
organization that still thrives today with more than 500 members.
ARKANSAS - Corliss Williamson, Forward, 1993-95
A three-time All-SEC selection, Williamson was also an
All-American in 1994 and 1995, leading Arkansas to NCAA championship
game appearances both seasons with a national title in '94. He averaged
26 points and 10.5 rebounds to earn Final Four MVP honors in 1994. He is
eighth on Arkansas' all-time scoring list with 1,728 points, averaging
19 points per game for his career, fifth on the career field goal
percentage list at 58.3 percent, ninth with 647 rebounds and sixth with
413 free throws made. A lottery pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, he was named
the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2002 and won an NBA championship with
the Detroit Pistons in 2004 before retiring following the 2007 season.
AUBURN - Wesley Person, Guard, 1991-94
Wesley Person was an Associated Press All-American in 1994, a
three-time All-SEC selection and is third on the Tigers' all-time
scoring chart with 2,066 points. The Brantley, Ala., native is Auburn's
all-time leader in 3-pointers made (262) and 3-point percentage (.441).
Person averaged 22.2 points to lead the SEC in both scoring and in
3-point field goals made in 1993-94. A 1994 NBA first round draft pick,
Person finished his 11-year NBA career in 2005 and was named to the
Rookie All-NBA second-team in 1994. Wesley (#11) and his brother, Chuck
(#45), both had their Auburn jerseys retired Feb. 18, 2006, and both
were named to the Tigers' All-Century team in 2006.
FLORIDA - Dan Cross, Guard, 1991-95
A two-time First-Team All-SEC selection (1994 and 1995) and a
two-time Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American (1994 and
1995), Dan Cross helped lead the University of Florida to the school's
first Final Four in 1994...He finished his career ninth on UF's all-time
scoring list (now 12th) with 1,451 points and in the top five in school
history in assists, three-point field goals, steals and games
played...Cross was a part of 81 victories at Florida, including a
then-school record 29 in 1994...He played in two NITs and two NCAA
Tournaments while at Florida.
GEORGIA - Hugh Durham, Head Coach, 1978-1995
Hugh Durham served as the head basketball coach at Georgia from
1978 until 1995. He remains the school's all-time winningest coach with
a 297-215 record that included its only SEC Championship in 1990, as
well as its only SEC Tournament title in 1983. That same year, the
Bulldogs produced the crowning achievement in the program's history, a
thrilling ride to the '83 NCAA Final Four. Three times, in 1985, 1987
and again in 1990, Durham was selected SEC Coach of the Year.
KENTUCKY - Kyle Macy, Guard, 1978-80
A two-time All-American, Kyle Macy helped lead the Wildcats to
the 1978 NCAA Championship. One of the all-time most popular Wildcats,
Macy transferred to Kentucky from Purdue and was forced to sit out the
1977 season due to NCAA transfer rules. In his senior year of 1979-80,
he became the first Kentucky player ever to be named consensus
Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. He ranks sixth on UK's
all-time assist list (470) and 19th on UK's all-time scoring list
(1,411), however he's noted most for his free throw shooting. Macy still
holds the Kentucky record for free-throw shooting percentage at 89
percent (331-372).
LSU - Frank Brian, Forward, 1942-43; 1945-47
Brian was All-SEC as a sophomore in 1943 in basketball and also
SEC Champion in track in hurdles, broad jump and the mile relay. After a
military stint, Brian again earned All-SEC honors in 1947. He later
signed with the Anderson Packers of the NBA and was named the league
Rookie of the Year. Brian was named to two NBA all-star teams and ranked
in the top six in scoring in the NBA three times in 10 years.
OLE MISS - Joe Harvell, Forward, 1989-93
As a freshman, Harvell earned Freshman All-America honors and he
earned All-Southeastern Conference accolades for the next three years as
the scoring machine racked up 2,078 career points, which still ranks
among the top 20 totals in league history and second on the Ole Miss
charts. As a freshman Harvell was the SEC Tournament's leading scorer
while helping Ole Miss to the championship game, and in his junior
season Harvell topped the SEC with 25.0 points per game, edging LSU's
Shaquille O'Neal for the scoring title. Harvell is now the district
manager with Dunlap & Kyle Co., overseeing several Gateway Tire stores
in the Memphis area.
MISSISSIPPI STATE - Wiley Peck, Forward, 1975-79
Peck was a two-time all SEC performer who ranked 21st on MSU's
all-time scoring list (1,136 career points) and third in rebounding
(964) entering 2007-08. He stands sixth all time among MSU's career
field goal percentage leaders (57.8%) and led the team in FG% during
each of his four seasons. Peck topped the SEC in rebounding (11.3 rpg)
and FG% (64.4%) during his senior year. He is a three-time recipient of
MSU's prestigious Babe McCarthy Memorial Award and served as team
co-captain for his final three seasons. He was selected 19th overall in
the 1979 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
SOUTH CAROLINA - Ronnie Collins, Forward, 1962-64
Collins led USC in scoring in 1964 and rebounding in 1962. He
also led the team in field goal percentage and free throw percentage in
1964. Collins was an All-ACC selection in 1964 and named to the All-ACC
All tournament team in 1962. He was # 4 all-time for his season scoring
average (23.7) in 1964; was #1 in free throw percentage in 1962
(.88.4%).
TENNESSEE - Bernard King, Forward, 1974-77
Considered one the of best players in Southeastern Conference
history, King earned first team All-America honors in each of his three
seasons at Tennessee, including consensus All-America honors following
his junior campaign in 1977. One of five players selected to the 25-Year
All-SEC Team in 1986. Teamed with Ernie Grunfeld to comprise the "Ernie
and Bernie Show", King was a three-time SEC Player of the Year. He
finished his career ranking second all-time at Tennessee with 1,962
career points and 1,004 rebounds. He led the Southeastern Conference
with 25.8 points and 14.4 rebounds per game as a junior and 26.4 points
as a freshmen ...King was drafted in the first round (seventh overall
selection) by the New Jersey Nets in the 1977 NBA Draft ... He played 14
seasons in the NBA and led the NBA in scoring during the 1985 season
when he averaged 32.9 points for the New York Knicks ... King was a
two-time first team All-NBA selection (1984 and 1985) and was Comeback
Player of the Year in 1981.
VANDERBILT - Barry Goheen, Guard, 1986-89
Barry Goheen is one of the greatest clutch shooters in
Southeastern Conference history, hitting six game-winning buzzer beaters
in his career. ESPN coined the term "Goheened" to refer to a game
decided on the last shot. Goheen ranks as the 10th leading scorer in
Vanderbilt history, was first-team all-SEC in 1989, three times was
academic all-SEC and played on two NCAA Tournament teams including
Vandy's 1988 Sweet 16 team.