Layden dispels notions that Dantley was selfish or didn't defend. He was an "above average" defender trying to guard bigger, stronger men or quicker small forwards.

Layden also said Dantley, with a reputation as a tough interview, was quiet and reserved.

"Sometimes people would take his soft manner and turning away as arrogance, but I think it was more (that he was) shy."

Dantley was good about doing things off the court, too, Layden said. "Asking him to do something, sign autographs for the kids, or do anything, I never once heard him turn anybody down."

"We're putting up his number," Layden said of tonight's ceremony, "and we should be getting ready to celebrate his Hall of Fame admittance because we could just line up the guys that he was better than them."

But Naismith voters again passed the six-time NBA All-Star over nine days ago for the sixth time.

"It blows my mind that he didn't get in," Layden said. "I would think if Adrian had been on a New York, a Chicago or an L.A. for the years that he was with us, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

"When you look at his high school career, his college career, his Olympic career — a gold medal winner — and then his success in the NBA, also, he went back to Notre Dame and got his degree, there are so many pluses."

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E-mail: lham@desnews.com