Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME Adrian Dantley admitted it was a little awkward being honored as Notre Dame's second ACC Leg‑ end. The 61‑year‑old Dantley played for Notre Dame from 1973‑76 and averaged 25.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He also was the leading scorer for the USA Bas‑ ketball gold‑medal winning 1976 Olympics squad, and was the sixth overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft to the Buffalo Braves. Dantley was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, after playing in six NBA all‑star games, and he averaged 24.3 points and 5.7 re‑ bounds per game during his career (1976‑91). BGI: What is it like thinking about Notre Dame in the ACC? Dantley: "It's kind of strange with Notre Dame being in the ACC. Being from [Washington, D.C.], we were independent, and it's also strange not to see Maryland in the ACC. When you think of the ACC, you think of Tobacco Road, with the exception of Maryland. Now, you have schools all over. "I don't feel like I am an ACC Legend, I feel like I'm an Independent Legend. You have to get used to it." BGI: What are your thoughts on today's game and style of officiating? Dantley: "You have a lot of great athletes now that can run and jump. I still think we were pretty good in our era. "You have a lot of young players leaving early. I don't think it's necessarily good for the game. I don't think they are developed. There are a lot kids going after their freshman year. I'd like to see it two years instead of one‑and‑done." BGI: What was your attraction to attending Notre Dame during the recruiting process coming out of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic? Dantley: "There was four, five guys from the D.C. area that played for Notre Dame. They had a little rapport with the Washington area, and that is how I got interested in them. Notre Dame was a football school back then and always on TV. That was a good recruiting point to help me go to school. "When I visited Notre Dame and came down the street, and saw that Golden Dome, I was al‑ ready committed to going to Notre Dame. It wasn't a really tough re‑ cruiting chore for [head coach] Digger Phelps for me." BGI: What was it like to play for Phelps and in the big games you experienced at Notre Dame? Dantley: "Digger was all right and I got along with him, once you knew how Digger was. I had no problems at all. What I liked about Notre Dame was they were independent and we traveled all over. "Our rivalry was always UCLA when Digger was there." BGI: What are your thoughts on how the program is doing now under coach Mike Brey, who also is a DeMatha Catholic alum? Dantley: "It doesn't surprise me with as well as he is doing right now. He was always inquisitive or nosy in knowing the game of basketball. "He played on the team [at DeMatha], but he wasn't that good of a player. We knew he was going to be a good coach." — Jacey Zembal Five Questions With … FORMER NOTRE DAME MEN'S BASKETBALL STAR ADRIAN DANTLEY Dantley averaged 25.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game for the Irish from 1973‑76. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS