Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – One of Stanford's all-time greats is set to be recognized among college basketball's all-time greats. Todd Lichti, who starred at Stanford from 1985-89, will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, the group announced Tuesday.   
 
Lichti is part of a prestigious 2019 class that includes Indiana's Calbert Cheaney, Duke's Shane Battier, Purdue's Terry Dischinger, Providence's Ernie DiGregorio, UNLV's Larry Johnson, and former coaches Homer Drew, Lute Olson and the late Rick Majerus. The induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, Nov. 24 at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City.
 
"I thought my basketball award days were long behind me," Lichti said. "It's humbling to be part of this conversation so many years on, let alone to now be a member of this select group. I struggle somewhat to put this into context coming from everyday beginnings, the son of two school teachers, and returning there in my life now where I suppose I'm most comfortable.
 
"I must thank my teammates and coaching staff while at Stanford," Lichti continued. "They worked as hard as I did to achieve what we did and from whom I learned much. My family has always been an incredible support system since my childhood – and now my wife and son are.
 
"One of the first things I did upon hearing the news was look at the list of players already inducted searching for one name – Hank Luisetti," Lichti added. "He was there and that made it ok for me to be included."
 
Lichti will be the second National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductee from the Stanford program in the last three years. Mike Montgomery was a 2016 inductee.
 
"When I arrived at Stanford, there was a group that was very hungry for success," said Montgomery, who coached the Stanford program from 1987-2004. "Todd was the clear leader of this group and commanded the respect from everyone around him. He was very talented and possessed the charge to lead our program to success it had not seen in nearly five decades. I am very proud of his accomplishments at Stanford and beyond. He is an outstanding person who deserves to be recognized among college basketball's greatest of all-time. I look forward to celebrating his enshrinement this November." 
 
A three-time All-America selection, Lichti is one of only four players in conference history and the lone Cardinal to earn all-conference honors each of his four years. One of the most decorated players in program history, Lichti completed his career as Stanford's leading scorer with 2,336 career points. More than three decades after his graduation, the total ranks second all-time. He scored in double figures in 121 of his 124 career games on The Farm.     
 
Noted as the pioneer behind Stanford's national rise to basketball prominence, Lichti guided Stanford to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 47 years as a senior in 1989. The guard was honored as a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press in 1989, also receiving All-America laurels from the United Press International his junior and season seasons. He led Stanford to 76 wins over his four years in a Cardinal uniform.   
 
Lichti's career scoring average of 18.8 ppg ranks third all-time. Along with his scoring totals, the standout guard ranks among the leaders in program history in field goals made (2nd, 820), rebounds (15th, 697), assists (11th, 304), steals (4th, 156), three-point field goal percentage (2nd, .477), field goal percentage (14th, .538), free throws made (3rd, 584), free throw percentage (5th, .840), and starts (4th, 119).
 
"Todd was the greatest player I had the good fortune to play with," said Andrew Vlahov, Lichti's Stanford teammate for two seasons. "His intelligence, competitive spirit and friendship played a large role in shaping my own attitudes as a student-athlete at Stanford and beyond. His basketball talents were incredible and are well documented, but people should also know that his character, integrity and humanity are also world class. A deserving recipient and one that all Stanford past and present students and faculty can be extremely proud of."
 
Lichti was the 15th overall selection and first pick of the Denver Nuggets in the 1989 NBA Draft. He played five seasons in the NBA, where he averaged nearly eight points per game for his career. He later starred for several seasons in the Australian National Basketball League for the Perth Wildcats until his retirement from basketball.
 
Lichti was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. 
 
"Todd is certainly one of college basketball's all-time greats," Stanford head coach Jerod Haase said. "It has been a true privilege to get to know him since I arrived at Stanford. His tremendous achievements on the court are only a piece of what he has accomplished as a professional, a husband and a father. This is a well-deserved honor and we look forward to celebrating along with Todd in Kansas City in November."
 
The Hall of Fame's 14th induction celebration in Kansas City will precede the 2019 Hall of Fame Classic, which will feature Stanford in its four-team field along with Butler, Missouri and Oklahoma.