Jay Wright, Bob Huggins eligible for Naismith Hall of Fame

Villanova coach Jay Wright and West Virginia coach Bob Huggins are among those on the ballot for the   Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

With 779 career wins, Huggins ranks 10th all-time among Division 1 men’s basketball coaches, and fourth among active coaches, according to Sports-Reference.com. He has been to two Final Fours (1992, 2010).

Wright has 552 career wins and is one of only three active coaches with more than one NCAA championship. He led Villanova to NCAA titles in 2016 and 2018.

“They told me that, I didn’t know they announced it,” Wright said after Villanova beat UConn on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. “This is the first time I’m hearing that, so I really don’t know what to say. I’ll be honest with  you. I don’t know what to say about that.”

Six active coaches are in the Hall of Fame: Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Kentucky’s John Calipari, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Kansas’ Bill Self and North Carolina’s Roy Williams.

Put these men in the Naismith Hall of Fame pic.twitter.com/T8PyNqxarE

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) December 21, 2018

A press conference announcing the Finalists from the North American and Women’s committee for the Class of 2019 will be held during NBA All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for Friday, February 15th in Charlotte, North Carolina. The entire Class of 2019, including those selected by the direct elect committees, will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Enshrinement festivities will take place in Springfield, Mass., September 5-7, 2019.

Rick Adelman (COA)*