Wisconsin legend officially enshrined into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Wisconsin legend Bo Ryan was officially enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Ryan, who coached for the Badgers’ men’s basketball program from 2001-15, was among 13 basketball luminaries to represent the Hall of Fame’s class of ’24. 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, 22-year NBA veteran Vince Carter, five-time NBA champion Michael Cooper and 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year Walter Davis were among the legends recognized. 

Ryan first received word of his place on the ballot as a finalist on April 6. Roughly seven months later, the moment he’d been waiting for came to fruition.

“I’m still pinching myself,” Ryan told NCAA reporter Andy Katz on Sunday. “When I got the word, all the memories, all the players, all the camaraderie of the teams that were cohesive… those are the things that flashed into my head. Boy, do I have a lot of people to thank.”

The Badger legend retired from manning the sidelines in 2015 after serving as head coach for 15 years in Madison. He captained UW to a a 364-130 overall record, 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Final Fours and one national championship game during his tenure.

Oct 13, 2024; Uncasville, Conn, USA; Class of 2024 inductee Bo Ryan speaks during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Symphony Hall Springfield. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Ryan was a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2002, 2003, 2013, 2015) and established Wisconsin as one of the NCAA’s most respected programs across the nation. He was also inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

Story originally appeared on Badgers Wire