Jordan leads Hall of Fame honorees

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Five-time MVP Michael Jordan headed a list of superstars inducted Friday into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and Vivian Stringer joined Jordan in receiving their sport's top honor.

"The game of basketball has been everything to me," Jordan said at the induction banquet. "It has been my refuge, my place that I have always gone when I need comfort and peace.

"It has been a relationship that has evolved over time. It has provided me with a platform to share my passion with millions. I hope it has given the millions that watched me the courage to follow their dreams."

Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA with Chicago and Washington after leading North Carolina to an NCAA championship in 1982. He won six NBA titles with the Bulls and was named the MVP of the Championship Series each time. He played 1,072 NBA games and averaged 30.1 points per contest, the best in NBA history.

Robinson played 14 years with the San Antonio Spurs and helped them to championships in 1999 and 2003.

Stockton spent his entire 19-year NBA career with Utah and finished as the all-time leader with 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals.

Sloan was an assistant coach with Chicago before beginning his long and continuing career as coach at Utah. He is the only coach in NBA history with more than 1,000 wins with a single team.

Stringer, already a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, coaches at Rutgers University. She has led three different schools to the women's Final Four.