Mike Krzyzewski, Tyler Hansbrough headline 2023 college basketball Hall of Fame class

• Johnny Dawkins, Tom Konchalski and Herb Magee round out the full list of inductees.
• Coach K spent 42 seasons at Duke and retired in 2022 as the all-time winningest coach in Division I men’s basketball history with 1,202 victories. He was inducted into the inaugural class in 2006 but can now be officially added to the Hall of Fame in retirement.
• Hansbrough, the unanimous 2008 National Player of the Year, played at North Carolina from the 2005-06 season until 2008-09. He is the ACC’s all-time leading scorer, the fourth-leading scorer in NCAA Tournament history and the NCAA’s all-time leader in free throws made. He was also the only ACC player to lead his team in scoring and rebounding in all four seasons.
• Dawkins played at Duke before serving as an assistant at his alma mater, under Coach K, from 1998-2008. Dawkins then became the coach at Stanford and is currently the coach at UCF. He played for the Blue Devils from 1982-86 and was named the Naismith National Player of the Year as a senior.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

What’s the significance of Dawkins being inducted?

In case the recent ACC Network documentary didn’t make it obvious, Duke’s class of 1982 was kind of a big deal. In fact, if not for that six-man group — which, as seniors, led a then-unproven Krzyzewski to his first national title game appearance — there’s a decent chance Krzyzewski never becomes the Coach K we know today. So, as the centerpiece of that 1982 class, Dawkins more than earned this honor.

If it hadn’t happened 40 years ago, Dawkins’ college career would probably get more credit nowadays. But even still, winning Naismith Player of the Year in 1986 — the same season he led Duke to the national title game against Louisville — is the sort of award that endures. Dawkins left Duke as the program’s all-time leading scorer, a title he kept until the early 2000s when J.J. Redick finally surpassed him (he’s still ahead of legends like Christian Laettner, Danny Ferry and current head coach Jon Scheyer). Dawkins’ No. 24 is one of just 13 retired jerseys at Duke, another ode to his lasting legacy. Even now as the head coach at UCF, Dawkins remains one of the most influential people in Duke program history and someone whose presence altered the Blue Devils’ historic trajectory for the better.

All of which is a long way of saying, as one of the 10 best players Krzyzewski ever coached, Dawkins more than deserves to be inducted into the Collegiate Hall of Fame. — Marks

What’s the significance of Hansbrough being inducted?

This one’s long overdue, even by Hall of Fame standards. What Hansbrough accomplished in four seasons at North Carolina is unlikely to ever be repeated, if not flat-out impossible. He’s the only player in ACC history to be named a four-time First-Team All-American (three of those as consensus selections) as well as a four-time First-Team All-ACC player. He was the unanimous National Player of the Year as a junior in 2008, a feat he followed up in 2009 by leading North Carolina to the national title. He is unquestionably a top-10 player of all-time in the modern era.

Some have dinged Hansbrough’s overall legacy due to his lack of NBA success — he was a first-round pick in 2009 and played seven seasons — but at the college level, there were few better. Hansbrough still holds UNC’s all-time scoring record, and his career rebounding record didn’t fall until this season, when Armando Bacot passed him. Beyond North Carolina, Hansbrough is the fourth-leading scorer in NCAA Tournament history — behind only Laettner, Elvin Hayes and Danny Manning — as well the NCAA’s all-time leader in made free throws and the only ACC player to lead his team in scoring and rebounding all four seasons in college. The counting stats here are insane, as are the wins and the accolades. This is a slam-dunk selection for the most productive player in UNC history, and arguably one of the best talents to ever play at the college level. — Marks

Konchalski’s impact

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(Photo: Jeremy Brevard / USA Today)