Vincent Hamilton Experience: 1980-85 Sport: Basketball

For a guy who was not highly touted coming out of high school, Vincent Hamilton made the most of his opportunities. Despite a thin frame at 6'-4" and 170 pounds, he became one of the top guards in Tiger history, especially when it came to rebounding.

When he came to Clemson in 1980, Clemson was coming off an Elite Eight season, thanks to the play of senior guards Bobby Conrad and Billy Williams. There would be openings in the lineup, but few thought Hamilton would be a factor because he was a June signee, a late throw-in to the class recruited by Bill Foster.

But by the seventh game of the 1980-81 season, Hamilton was starting. He helped the Tigers to a 12-1 start and the championship of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, HI. Along the way, the Tigers defeated an Indiana team that would eventually win the national title that season. Hamilton ended the year as one of the top rookies in the ACC, as the Tigers recorded a 20-win season.

In the 1981-82 season, Hamilton was named Second-Team All-ACC, becoming the only sophomore guard from Clemson to be picked to an All-ACC team in the 1980s. Hamilton's 58.6 field-goal percentage led the ACC during that season, a feat that has not been matched by an ACC guard since.

A broken wrist suffered in a tournament in Alaska to open the 1982-83 season ended his year, and the Tigers finished with an 11-20 mark, a direct result of his absence. He came back strong, however, and led the Tigers in scoring in both 1983-84 and 1984-85. He led Cliff Ellis' first team in scoring and rebounding, and to a berth in the NIT.

Hamilton had many notable games in 1984-85, but two stand out. Against South Alabama, Hamilton had 21 points, seven assists, and 18 rebounds in a Tiger victory. It is the closest a Clemson guard has come to getting a triple-double, and the rebound total is a Tiger record for a guard. In January in Atlanta, and in Coach Ellis' first ACC game, Hamilton "shot the lights out," going 12-16 for 27 points in leading the Tigers over #8 Georgia Tech.

Twenty years later, Hamilton still ranks as one of the top 10 Tigers in many statistical categories. Hamilton is eighth in Tiger history with 1,530 total points and fourth in field goals (652). He is still the #1 rebounding guard in school history and ranks as one of just four players in ACC history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists in a career.

A fourth-round pick of the Pacers (72nd overall), Hamilton played in the CBA for nine years. He led that league in field-goal percentage five times, more than any other player. He shot 56 percent from the field for his career and played in more games than anyone in league history. When he returned in 1994, his jersey was retired by the franchise and he went to work for the club, an indication of his level of respect. He now lives in Wisconsin.

"This is a great honor," said Hamilton of his selection to the Hall of Fame. "Those were terrific years. I learned so much and have great respect for my teammates and the coaching staff at that time. Bill Foster had a very positive effect on my life."