Sutton nominated for Basketball Hall of Fame

<br>STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton has been nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame. <br><br>Sutton was among 14 players and coaches nominated Wednesday by the North American

Wednesday, April 24th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton has been nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Sutton was among 14 players and coaches nominated Wednesday by the North American Screening Committee in Springfield, Mass.

Sutton is a four-time national coach of the year (1977, 1978, 1986 and 1995) and has compiled a 702-278 record in 32 years, sixth-best among active coaches and 14th-best all time.

Sutton last season became the 14th Division I coach with 700 victories. He is one of only three coaches to take four schools to the NCAA tournament.

He reached the Final Four in 1978 with Arkansas and again in 1995 with Oklahoma State.

Nominated as players were former Los Angeles Lakers great Magic Johnson, Portland Trail Blazers coach and former 76ers guard Maurice Cheeks, scoring star Adrian Dantley, defensive ace Bobby Jones, seven-time all-star Chet Walker and former Laker James Worthy.

Coaches nominated included Larry Brown, who won an NCAA championship at Kansas and last season led Philadelphia to the NBA finals; Lefty Driesell, the fourth-winningest coach in Division I history with 782 victories in his 40-year coaching career; Lute Olson, who led Arizona to the 1997 NCAA championship and has coached 29 years at Long Beach City College, Long Beach State, Iowa and Arizona, and Bill Sharman.

Nominees need 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for induction.

The 2002 inductees will be announced June 5 in Los Angeles.