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Rebecca Lobo, Muffet McGraw Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame

By Mike Peden

Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw speaks while NBA former player Tracy McGraw and WNBA former player Rebecca Lobo listen during the Naismith Hall of Game Press Conference at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw speaks while NBA former player Tracy McGraw and WNBA former player Rebecca Lobo listen during the Naismith Hall of Game Press Conference at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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They didn’t have a hand in Mississippi State’s landmark upset win over UConn, but Rebecca Lobo and Muffet McGraw are still in a class by themselves…and a few of their closest friends. Lobo and McGraw are two of 11 inductees in this year’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Other selections include the late Jerry Krause, NBA legend Tracy McGrady, and Kansas men’s head coach Bill Self. All honorees were announced on Saturday.

Lobo wasn’t part of UConn’s historic 111-game winning streak, but she was an iconic figure of their 1995 championship team. The 1995 title is the first of UConn’s 11 national championships, a Division One record for women’s basketball. Lobo would go on to play seven seasons in the WNBA, five of them with the New York Liberty.

These days, Lobo remains iconic to women’s hoops through her contributions in broadcasting. A member of ESPN’s team for over a decade, Lobo is a fixture in their college basketball and WNBA coverage, with the Hall of Fame an overdue honor.

Speaking of fixtures, McGraw is virtually synonymous with the Notre Dame women’s basketball team. Taking command of the Fighting Irish in 1987, McGraw has reached the Final Four seven times, including a national championship in 2001. Completing her 35th season as a head coach this year, McGraw has 853 career wins, good for 11th on the all-time list. Notable players who received McGraw’s tutelage are Ruth Riley, now the General Manager for the San Antonio Stars, and Dallas Wings guard Skylar Diggins.

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