Bobby Dandridge, Put Him In the B-Ball Hall of Fame, Okay.

I am going to make the case here right now for Bob Dandridge to be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. There are a lot of players who do deserve entry into the Basketball HOF but Dandridge’s case is especially egregious considering during his career, his statistics are very good and he has been the part of two NBA championships, and not as some role player either or a specialist. Bobby D, as we fondly called him, was a central part of the Bucks championship run in 1970–71, and the win by the Bullets in 1977–78.

But, for the sake of the data guys, let us look at Bobby D’s career, all of it.

Bobby Dandridge played 13 years in the NBA. He won two titles and appeared in four NBA Finals. His finals averages are roughly 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, per game. For the first 10 years he played at least 70 games and he always averaged at least 30 minutes or more per game (35–37 is about the norm) for the first 11 seasons. He shot 78 percent from the free throw strike, and 48 percent from the field.

Dandridge also had 4 seasons where he averaged 20 points per game, a 19.9 points per game season, and three other seasons of 18 points per game. Dandridge is a 4 time NBA All Star, and made the NBA All Rookie team.

So what are the intangibles that should get him over the hump? For one, not only was Bobby D an oustanding season player, in the playoffs, he played even bigger. For his career, he averaged 20.1 points per game and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field. During the two NBA Finals seasons for the Bullets, Dandridge averaged 22 points and 7 rebounds per game. Remember also, he did this playing with Kareem in Milwaukee, the leading scorer in NBA history, and Elvin Hayes, in Washington, one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. Dandridge played an efficient, fundamental game and that is likely why players such as Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, and so many others, players who never answered the bell like Dandridge did when the chips were down, are in the HOF, and he isn’t.

But Dandridge’s performance on the big stage is no accident. He played at Division II Norfolk State University during some of their most successful years and he was a key part of that run. Norfolk State made it to the NCAA Division II Tournament twice when Dandridge played there from 1965–1969. He had a high average of 17 points and 7 rebounds.

In 1979, when Dandridge was still playing in Washington D.C. for the Bullets, his then coach, Dick Motta said he “could be the best player I’ve ever been around,” (meaning all around player — offense, defense, and situations). In 1977, in the early years of free agency, Dandridge was considered one of the top free agents available on the open market. He proved to be well worth it too become the last key piece of the Bullets team that won the title in 1978 and made it to the Finals in 1979. This clip here during their series win over George Gervin’s San Antonio Spurs says a lot about Dandridge as a real star in the NBA:

Of course, Bobby D isn’t the only legitimate basketball great to be denied entry into the HOF. But his humble nature has hidden him for long. Lets make this happen finally.