TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona men's basketball has announced that four former players will have their induction ceremonies at halftime of four separate home games during the remaining part of the 2022-23 season.
 
This Saturday, Jan. 21 will be Ernie McCray followed by the family of the late Albert "Al" Fleming on Feb. 2, Josh Green on Feb. 16 and Zeke Nnaji on Feb. 18.
 
McCray and the Fleming family were previously inducted virtually on Feb. 27, 2021 but were not able to attend in-person due to COVID-19 restrictions.
 
Earning a letter at UA from 1957-60, McCray set 12 school records during his senior season and became the first African-American men's basketball player to graduate from the University of Arizona. He has gone on to a distinguished career as an educator and activist. McCray finished his career averaging 17.8 points and 10.8 rebounds and was the first player in school history to record 1,250 points and 800 rebounds in a career. The unanimous First Team All-Border Conference selection as a senior finished his career holding UA records for points in a career (1,349), season (573) and game (46) as well as single-season scoring average (23.8) and most field goals made in a season (198). He currently ranks 22nd on the career scoring list at UA and his 10.8 career rebounds per game are still the second-most in program lore. His single-game scoring mark set on Feb. 6, 1960 still stands as the most points scored in a game by a Wildcat. McCray was also prolific in his day for getting to the foul line, logging 537 attempts at the charity stripe in his career. Following the 1960 season, McCray was named Third Team NABC All-District. He was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
 
Al Fleming Jr., who passed away in 2003, played at Arizona from 1972-76 and still holds the school record for career double-doubles (63), a stat that was not tracked during his playing days. He also continues to hold the school record for career rebounds (1,190). At the end of his playing career, he was Arizona's career leader in scoring with 1,765 points, a total that still ranks 10th in program lore. The Michigan City, Indiana native finished his illustrious career averaging 15.5 points and 10.4 rebounds while shooting 58.3% from the floor. During the 1973-74 season, Fleming Jr. connected at a 66.7% clip from the floor to lead the country and tie the NCAA single-season record at the time. On Jan. 10, 1976, he set the McKale Center record for points scored in a game, registering 41 against Detroit – with 33 coming in the second half. He was named First Team All-WAC and NCAA First Team All-District 7 in 1975 and 1976. Fleming was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
 
Green earned his spot in the Ring of Honor by winning a bronze medal with Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that were played during the summer of 2021. Green appeared in five of the six games and scored six points against Argentina in the quarterfinals. In his lone season at Arizona, he averaged 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 36.1% from the 3-point line. Before the 2019-20 season was prematurely cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Green was finding his groove from distance, connecting on 10 of 16 triples over the final six games of the year. In what ended up being the final game of the season, Green dropped 19 points against Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament. His 46 steals on the year rank sixth all-time among UA freshmen. Green was selected 18^th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and has averaged 4.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in his two-plus seasons with the Mavs.
 
Nnaji's dominant 2019-20 season that earned him Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors also cemented his spot in the Ring of Honor. He also earned First Team All Pac-12 accolades and was the Associated Press Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year. He led the conference with 14 double-doubles, the second-most by a UA freshman in program history. He averaged 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 57.0% from the floor. The Minnesota native scored in double figures 29 times, including 10 games of 20 or more points. In his first collegiate game, he scored 20 points to become the first UA freshman since Hassan Adams in 2002 to accomplish that. He was selected 22^nd overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets and has averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in his two-plus seasons so far.
 
 
Arizona Men's Basketball Ring of Honor Inductees
Here are the 31 players listed in order of enshrinement:

 

1. Bob Elliott, C, 1974-77
2. Steve Kerr, G, 1984-88
3. Sean Elliott, G/F, 1986-89
4. Jud Buechler, F, 1987-90
5. Sean Rooks, C, 1989-92
6. Chris Mills, F/G, 1991-93
7. Khalid Reeves, G, 1991-94
8. Damon Stoudamire, G, 1992-95
9. Miles Simon, G, 1995-98
10. Jason Terry, G, 1996-99
11. Mike Bibby, G, 1997-98
12. Michael Wright, F, 1999-2001
13. Richard Jefferson, F, 1999-2001
14. Jason Gardner. G, 2000-03
15. Luke Walton, F, 2000-03
16. Salim Stoudamire, G, 2002-05
17. Gilbert Arenas, G, 2000-01
18. Channing Frye, C, 2002-05
19. Chase Budinger, F, 2007-09
20. Derrick Williams, F, 2010-11
21. Andre Iguodala, F, 2003-04
22. Aaron Gordon, F, 2014
23. Nick Johnson, G, 2012-14
24. Stanley Johnson, G, 2015
25. Jerryd Bayless, G, 2008
26. Deandre Ayton, F, 2018
27. Al Fleming Jr., F, 1972-76
28. Ernie McCray, C, 1956-60
29. Zeke Nnaji, F, 2020
30. Josh Green, G, 2020
31. Bennedict Mathurin, G, 2022*
     

* Indicates player still needs to have in-person induction ceremony at McKale Center
 
The qualifications to be inducted into the Ring of Honor are as follows:

• First Team All-America recognition by one or more of the major national organizations or media
• Major national "player of distinction", e.g.Wooden Award, etc.; and/or national championship Most Valuable or Outstanding Player distinction
• Pac-10/12 Player of the Year or Pac-10/12 Freshman of the Year
• Arizona Career leader in 3 or more major positive "career" categories at the conclusion of their collegiate career, must hold the career record for a minimum of 5 years (e.g., does not include single game record(s), minutes played, etc.)
• 10+ years in the United States Major Professional Leagues of the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB and/or been selected as an All-Star/All Pro by the official league
• Olympic Medalist

 
Arizona Athletics regularly reviews and evaluates the criteria and candidacies for all departmental awards, inductions and recognitions based on new information, updated resources, and reflections on historical context. A Heritage Committee, formed in 2017 and made up of current and former longtime athletics department staff, conducts these thorough reviews and makes recommendations based on all available information and considerations.
 
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