Milwaukee Bucks: Sidney Moncrief finally gets his due
By Jordan Foote
One of the greatest players in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history became a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night.
The Basketball Hall of Fame’s class of 2019 was enshrined Friday evening. Among those inducted was Milwaukee Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief.
A five-time All-Star as a member of the Bucks, former head coach Don Nelson had one of the most reliable players in the NBA from 1981-86. Moncrief was a jack-of-all-trades, winning the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award twice.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
He flew under the radar when compared to other stars of the 1980s, but nevertheless, Moncrief went down as a Milwaukee legend.
As a member of the Bucks, Moncrief averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field. During his five consecutive All-Star campaigns, those numbers were 21.0, 5.8, 4.7 and 50.3.
NBA legend Michael Jordan certainly noticed Moncrief’s effort level night-in and night-out:
"“When you play against Moncrief, you’re in for a night of all-around basketball. He’ll hound you everywhere you go, both ends of the court. You just expect it.”"
Following a one-year retirement for the 1989-90 season, Moncrief returned to the NBA as a member of the Atlanta Hawks for one final season. At the age of 33, though, he was a shell of himself.
Averaging 4.7 points per game and starting just three games all year, the legendary guard returned to the ranks of the retired at the end of the season.
Injuries may have robbed Moncrief of the back end of his prime, but he still managed to put up five elite-level seasons. His No. 4 jersey is in the rafters at the Bucks’ Fiserv Forum. On Friday night, the legend of “Sir Sid” was finally be capped off with a one-way ticket to the Hall of Fame.
Next. Each NBA team's greatest coach ever. dark
The Milwaukee Bucks’ third-leading scorer in franchise history has finally been immortalized. Ranking among the best players of the early and mid-1980s, Sidney Moncrief finally received his well-deserved Hall of Fame bid.