Virginia Beach, VA (WTKR) – After a year, the weekend of the enthronement of the Temple of the Fame of Sport Virginia returned to Virginia Beach, taking control of the Westin on Saturday.
Nine new members were added to the distinguished group of the best sports figures in Commonwealth.
One of them was the former big basketball in Maury, Joe Smith. He became the national player of the year Naismith in Maryland and was the first choice of recovery at the draft of the NBA 1995. Smith played for 12 teams during a 16 -year NBA career.
“It means a lot to go to a class with these guys,” said Smith about his renowned colleague. “It’s just a humiliating feeling for me.”
Smith is joined by the longtime football coach of Hampton High School, Mike Smith. He raised 506 victories during his career with the Crabbers, well enough for the third on the list of victories of all time among high school coaches. Smith directed Hampton for 51 years and guided the program to a VHSL record 12 state titles.
“People attribute rewards to us and you always appreciate them,” he noted. “The guys you have worked with, the children you have trained, your family and the coaches, I think God is rewarding you with them.”
Brandon Adair also represented 757 in this year’s class. Princess Anne secondary school then won the honors of the national player of the year in male basketball at Virginia Wesleyan and led the Marlins to a national championship. His 2,100 career points are always the most marked in VWU.
“It’s humiliating, to be honest,” said Adair. “I think I’m going to my speech this evening, so I can’t wait to withdraw this and then sit down and listen to what everyone has accomplished and listen to their stories.”
Dan Bonner, Murray Cook, Ed George, Ali Krieger, Harry Minium and Lou Whitaker joined the Two Smith and Adair as a class of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame of 2025.
The group was celebrated on Saturday morning during the breakfast of the Champions, with the official enthronement held on Saturday evening at the Westin in the city center of Virginia.