KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have been linked since their epic 1979 NCAA title game. Now they’re going into college basketball’s hall of fame together.
Bird and Johnson were inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame on Sunday in Kansas City. The honor comes 30 years after Johnson’s Michigan State team beat Bird and Indiana State in a game that reshaped college basketball.
Johnson will be joined by his coach, Jud Heathcote, and late Oklahoma star Wayman Tisdale will be represented by his wife, Regina.
Travis Grant, college basketball’s career scoring leader, longtime coach Gene Bartow, former NCAA executive director Walter Byers and USA Basketball executive director Bill Wall also will be inducted.
UCLA extends Dragovic’s suspension
UCLA will extend Nikola Dragovic’s suspension for at least another game following his arrest and subsequent charge of felony assault.
Coach Ben Howland said Sunday that Dragovic won’t play Monday against Pepperdine, although he will be allowed to sit on the bench in street clothes.
The 21-year-old senior from Belgrade, Serbia, was arrested Friday and charged by the Los Angeles district attorney’s office for his involvement in an undisclosed incident last month at a concert in Hollywood.
Howland declined to provide any details on the incident, saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment on a pending legal case. Dragovic has hired an attorney.
The starter was suspended for Friday’s victory over Cal State Bakersfield after playing in UCLA’s season-opening, double-overtime loss to Cal State Fullerton.
Dragovic was set to attend practice Sunday, but not participate in his first reunion with the team since being arrested.
Howland said he met with Dragovic after Friday’s game.
“He was obviously very apologetic and felt terrible about this entire situation,” the coach said.
James Keefe will make his second start in Dragovic’s place today.
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