Milwaukee Bucks great Marques Johnson bypassed for Basketball Hall of Fame

The phone rang at about 12:15 p. m. , and Marques Johnson couldn’t help but feel a rush.

Unfortunately, the news on the other end from Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame president and chief executive officer John Doleva was too familiar: The Milwaukee Bucks legend was once again informed that he would not be enshrined with the latest class. “In the droning voice that I’m so accustomed to, ‘I’m sorry to tell you, you didn’t make this time,’” Johnson told the Journal Sentinel on April 4. “He kept telling me don’t get discouraged, just hang in there, it’ll happen, they don’t know when.

It was frustrating once again. ” Johnson acknowledged there was some anger that swept through him, but only briefly, and said the one year he truly wanted to get in was his first year of eligibility when his mother was still alive. But he did laugh that he might be becoming more famous for not getting in at this point.

The 70-year-old was voted as a finalist by the veteran’s committee this year, which was the second straight year he reached the last stage before induction. Johnson has had a whirlwind candidacy, as he did not reach the finalist stage from 2022-23 after being a finalist from 2018-22. “Now, you know, I’m kind of used to it,” Johnson said.