By Skip Coopersmith

DETROIT, Mich. – This past summer, on Sunday, June 25, Oakland University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Greg Kampe was inducted into the American Basketball Hall of Fame by the association in a ceremony at the Bridge Center in Detroit.

“I’m thankful to the American Basketball Hall of Fame for the honor,” said Kampe, “It is hard for me to believe that my name will be enshrined with some of the great names in basketball history, but I’m also mindful that most of those names are there because of unbelievable talent that they possess as a player.” 

Kampe was bestowed the lifetime achievement award along with Michigan State University head coach Tom Izzo, an annual match-up for the Golden Grizzlies and Spartans. The former players inducted include Isiah Thomas, Larry Johnson, Cherryl Cook, Alvin “Bo” Dukes, Mike Richmond, Dana Joubert, and Dennis Hopson.

“My name will be there because of the unbelievable talents of the players and the coaches that I was fortunate enough to work with. It is those people that have truly made my life in basketball a success and I cherish them every day,” said Kampe. 

Recently, the Defiance, Ohio native was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in September of 2017, the same season he earned his 600th career victory. The Golden Grizzlies’ leader was enshrined with that class which included Jalen Rose, Jim Leyland, Dennis Rodman, and Andre Rison.

Kampe, who has been at Oakland since the 1984 season, enters his 40th year with the Golden Grizzlies with a 675-525 record as the longest-tenured NCAA Division I head coach and a 12th-place ranking in the active career wins category. 

This is the fifth class the American Basket Hall of Fame. 

2023 American Basketball Hall of Fame Class
Isiah Thomas
Larry Johnson
Cherryl Cook
Alvin “Bo” Dukes
Mike Richmond
Dana Joubert
Dennis Hopson
Greg Kampe
Tom Izzo
Ronnie Duncan

COURTESY OAKLAND ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS