Dec. 21, 2017
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Former San Diego State men's basketball head coach Steve Fisher is one of 179 candidates eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018, the Hall of fame announced today, which coincided with the birthday of basketball.
Fisher is one of 10 first-time nominees and one of two college coaches up for induction for the first time on the North American committee nomination list. The other coach is Bob Huggins of West Virginia.
Fisher, who guided the Aztecs to a 386-209 record in 18 seasons, led SDSU to a Mountain West-record 10 conference titles, eight NCAA tournaments and 13 postseason appearances. Along the way, Fisher picked up his second career national coach-of-the-year award (Naismith, NABC, Adolph Rupp) in 2011 when San Diego State reached the NCAA Sweet 16, finished with a school-record 34 victories and was ranked as high as No. 4 nationally.
The all-time winningest coach in San Diego State and MW history reached the Sweet 16 once more, this time in 2014, when the Aztecs finished with a 31-5 record. That year's effort, which saw SDSU reach No. 5 in the national rankings, was one of 12 seasons of at least 20 wins. Then in 2015, Fisher was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.
A news conference announcing the finalists from the North American and Women's committee for the Class of 2018 will be held during NBA All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 17, in Los Angeles, California. The entire Class of 2018, including those selected by the direct elect committees, will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.
Enshrinement festivities will take place in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 6-8, 2018. Tickets for the various Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Enshrinement events are on sale at www.hoophall.com.