Former K-State hoops coaching legend Jack Hartman nominated for Naismith Hall of Fame

Former Kansas State basketball coaching legend Jack Hartman has been nominated for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

A “veteran nominee” in the coaching category, Hartman led the Wildcats to three Big Eight regular-season titles, two Big Eight tournament championships and nine postseason appearances during his 16-year tenure in Manhattan, which ran from 1970-86.

His teams reached the NCAA Tournament seven times, making four trips to the Elite Eight (1972, 1973, 1975, 1981). His teams won 20 or more games seven times, including 24 in both 1976-77 and 1980-81.

Hartman died in 1998.

A former two-sport standout (football, basketball) at Oklahoma State, Hartman at Kansas State coached 10 All-Americans, five Big Eight Player of the Year and 16 all-Big Eight first team selections — including Rolando Blackman, Mike Evans, Lon Kruger, Ed Nealy and Chuckie Williams.

Hartman was selected UPI national coach of the year after the 1980-81 season, as his No. 8 seed Wildcats reached the NCAA West Regional final after wins over No. 2 Oregon State and No. 19 Illinois before falling to North Carolina. In 1983, he was the coach of the gold medal-winning U.S. Pan American team and over the course of his 30-year career compiled 589 wins.

Candidates for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s class of 2025 include KU great Marian Washington, Carmelo Anthony, Micky Arison, Jennifer Azzi, Sue Bird, Lisa Bluder, Billy Donovan, Mark Few, Sylvia Fowles, Marc Gasol, Chamique Holdsclaw, Dwight Howard, Maya Moore and Doc Rivers, among many others.

Finalists for the class of 2025 will be announced on Friday, Feb. 14, in San Francisco as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.

The Hall’s entire class of 2025 will be unveiled during a nationally televised broadcast at the NCAA Final Four on Saturday, April 5, in San Antonio.