NEW ORLEANS — Even after knowing he’d received the honor for a few days, longtime Knicks broadcaster John Andariese still had a hard time accepting he’d been named the Curt Gowdy Award winner for electronic media Friday, the same day the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which gives out the Gowdy Award, announced the first five members of its 2014 induction class.
“It was a surprise during this past week, and it was a very nice thing to go into,” Andariese told The Post by phone. “I almost thought, ‘My gosh. How can this happen?’ I guess I’m a little older here now or something, though I have the feelings of someone more youthful, believe it or not.
“It’s just a thrill. It’s still inside of me right now that [feeling of], ‘Is this really happening?’ It’s been a long time.”
The five-member class of direct-elect inductees include former Knick Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton and recently retired NBA commissioner David Stern, former Pacers coach Bob “Slick” Leonard (ABA Committee), Sarunas Marciulionis (International Committee) and former Temple star Guy Rodgers.
The 10 finalists for election to this year’s class are Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson, Mitch Richmond and Spencer Haywood as players; coaches Eddie Sutton, Nolan Richardson and Gary Williams; women’s basketball coach Harley Redin, and the women’s team at Immaculata University in the early 70s, which won three straight national titles from 1972-74. Those who are elected will be announced at the Hall of Fame in April.
Andariese, affectionately known as “Johnny Hoops,” was the Curt Gowdy Award winner for electronic media, joining longtime Phoenix columnist Joe Gilmartin, who was the print media selection. Andariese was a staple on Knicks broadcasts over the last 40 years, serving as a color analyst both on the radio and television, with many of those years spent alongside Marv Albert.
“I did it with Marv for 20 years,” Andariese said. “Needless to say, it was thrilling for me.
“We had 20 years together, and that was really something.”
Clifton, the second African-American player to sign an NBA contract, was sent directly into the Hall via nomination by the African-American Committee. He spent six years with the Knicks after playing for the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters following serving in World War II, helping lead the franchise to three straight conference championships in his first three years on the team.
The headliner of this year’s class is Stern, who only stepped down after 30 years on the job two weeks ago. His successor, Adam Silver, said it was an emotional day for Stern and anyone who had worked for him.
“I wanted to be here for David, because I knew he wasn’t in New Orleans this weekend,” Silver said of Stern. “While David is a modest guy, I know he was moved by the fact this was all happening so quickly.”
Even though he hasn’t played in this year’s All-Star Game yet, LeBron James is already looking forward to being in the Big Apple for next year’s contest.
“The city of New York, it will be my first time being there All-Star weekend,” he said. “The only problem is, what if New York City next year is like New York City today? I don’t know what the NBA would do with that. Would they cancel it?
“But having the All-Star Game Sunday, if I’m fortunate enough to make it, being in the Garden for the All-Star Game? Wow. That’s going to be big time. That might be my favorite. That might be my favorite. If I’m fortunate enough to play good enough basketball and I’m injury free, that would probably be my favorite.”