Glen Rice Honored
Michigan Basketball Legend Glen Rice Joins College Hoops Hall of Fame Class of 2026
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Glen Rice, the star who led Michigan to the 1989 NCAA championship, is headed to the College Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 inductee class, according to Kearney Hub. Rice was the tournament's Most Outstanding Player that year and went on to a long NBA career.
Rice is joined in the 2026 class by a notable group of players and coaches. Buffalo News reports the class also includes Danny Ainge, Walt Hazzard, and coaches Jay Wright, Tubby Smith, and Ted Owens.
Glen Rice's Championship Run That Defined His Legacy
Rice put together one of the most dominant NCAA Tournament performances ever in 1989. He averaged 30.7 points per game across six tournament games for Michigan. His scoring helped the Wolverines beat Seton Hall in the title game. That run made him the clear choice as the tournament's best player.
Rice was later drafted by the Miami Heat and played 15 seasons in the NBA. He made three All-Star teams and won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. His college career, though, is what set everything in motion, according to Missoulian.
Jay Wright and Tubby Smith Join as Coaching Honorees
Jay Wright built Villanova into a powerhouse. He won two NCAA titles with the Wildcats, in 2016 and 2018, before retiring in 2022. Tubby Smith won a national championship with Kentucky in 1998. Both men are widely seen as some of college basketball's best coaches ever, according to WCF Courier.
Ted Owens also joins the coaching group. Owens led Kansas for 19 seasons and took the Jayhawks to two Final Fours. His career record was 348 wins. All three coaches left programs better than they found them, Greensboro News & Record noted.
Danny Ainge and Walt Hazzard Round Out the Player Class
Danny Ainge was a two-sport star at Brigham Young University. He won the Wooden Award as the nation's best player in 1981. He later became a key guard for the Boston Celtics. Ainge is already in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, according to Columbus Telegram.
Walt Hazzard played at UCLA in the early 1960s. He helped the Bruins win the 1964 national title. Hazzard was also the 1964 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He later coached UCLA and led the team to a 1987 NIT title, Post-Star reported.
College Basketball Hall of Fame Class Spans Multiple Eras
The 2026 class covers decades of college basketball history. From Hazzard's 1960s UCLA teams to Wright's back-to-back Villanova titles in the 2010s, the group reflects the sport's long and varied past. The Hall of Fame is based in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Wisconsin State Journal.
The induction ceremony for the 2026 class will take place in Kansas City. Each member built a record that changed their program or era. Rice's selection, in particular, closes the loop on a Michigan legacy that fans have celebrated for more than 35 years, Post-Star noted.
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