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On Sunday, with the defending-champion Milwaukee Bucks in the building, the Wizards honored franchise legend Bob Dandridge, whose career spanned 13 total seasons in both Washington and Milwaukee and was immortalized in September with an induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The day-long celebration, presented by Moet & Chandon, included a pregame toast with former teammates friends, family, former teammates and members of the organization – as well as media interviews, in-game tribute videos, on-court recognition at halftime and fan giveaways.
Dandridge said the last two months have included a “whirlwind” of calls from friends and accolades from the different places he called home throughout his career.
“It’s been a blast,” Dandridge said Sunday. “The accolades – it keeps me humble…It becomes humbling to feel that you’ve been accepted into a special society.”
“It’s also motivating,” he continued. “The fact that I can use the energy that I feel from this Hall of Fame induction to maybe help others. Motivating them to be better or to do well or to let them know that the world is wide open for them no matter where you come from. It’s a lot of hard work. Hard work, luck and building relationships.”
Sunday’s on-court action between the Wizards and Bucks was a collision of so many elements of Dandridge’s past. In his four years with Washington, Dandridge was a part of the 1978 title team and earned All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense honors. He averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in D.C. He spent the other nine years of his career playing in Milwaukee, where he won another championship and was named to three All-Star teams.
In D.C., Dandridge played alongside fellow Hall of Famer Wes Unseld Sr. and spent plenty of time around a young Wes Unseld Jr.
“He couldn’t have been no older than five or six – and he was just like our kids, running around in the family room, flipping over and being a five-year-old,” Dandridge said. “I’ve seen Wes Jr. over the years – a young man with a lot of character, a guy who has more than paid his dues.”
The long-lasting memories of Dandridge’s career and the 70s-era Bullets team can be found all throughout the arena. In addition to the championship banner that hangs in the rafters, the organization unveiled earlier this season a bronze bust of Unseld Sr. on the concourse – and now, a display near section 113 that includes a plaque with dates and symbols significant to the 1978 NBA Championship run, a caricature of the 1978 Championship team and a Dandridge Bullets jersey and warm up sweats.