Pizza Hut All-Star Basketball Classic

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College All-Star Basketball Classic
StatusInactive
Inaugurated1971–72
Most recent1981–82
Organized byNCAA
NAIA
Pizza Hut

The Pizza Hut All-Star Basketball Classic was an annual American all-star game featuring senior men's college basketball players in the United States. The event was sanctioned by the NCAA and NAIA. It was one of the country's longest-running[citation needed] college all-star basketball games[a] starting in 1972 it was sponsored by Pizza Hut.

The All-Star Classic drew star players such as Larry Bird, Rolando Blackman, Kevin McHale, Vinnie Johnson, Bo Ellis, Nick Galis, and Ricky Pierce, while some legendary coaches like Larry Brown, Al McGuire,[2] Joe B. Hall, and Ralph Miller, coached the All-Stars. The event lasted for a decade.

History

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The Las Vegas Convention Center hosted all the editions.

The All-Star Classic was started in 1972 by Pizza Hut with all its proceeds going to charity, the Pizza Hut Charities Foundation.[3][4][5] It was held on April 15, 1972, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. The following editions were also played at the same venue.

Former, Los Angeles Lakers player Elgin Baylor, was the commentator of the first Pizza Hut Basketball Classic which was televised by the CBS.[6]

The game was played annually between East and West selections. Pizza Hut cancelled the Classic after the 1982 edition to explore a "more all-encompassing approach" to their charitable contributions.[7][8]

Overall, the East recorded 6 wins and the West 5.[9]

Voting

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Bird jumping into a layup
Larry Bird won a record amount of votes in 1979.

Eight players of each team (East and West) were elected by popular vote, while the remaining two were selected by a national coaching media panel. The ballots for the players' selection were available at all Pizza Hut restaurants of the country and the participating colleges. USA's top 100 senior College basketball players were eligible for election. The majority of the voted players were also elected as NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans during the season.

List of games

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Bold: Team that won the game.

Season Venue Team Score Team MVP
1973[10][11] Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars 92–93 West All-Stars Netherlands Swen Nater
1977 [12] Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars 95–97 West All-Stars
1978 [13][14] Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars won West All-Stars
1979 Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars 107–92 West All-Stars United States Larry Bird
1980 Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars won West All-Stars
1981 [15][16][17] Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars won West All-Stars
1982 Las Vegas Convention Center East All-Stars 88–102 West All-Stars United States Ricky Frazier

Topscorers

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Season Player Points Team
1979 United States Earl Evans 21 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
1982 United States Scott Hasting 16 Arkansas Razorbacks

Notable players

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Distinctions

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FIBA Hall of Fame

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Basketball Hall of Fame

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Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "West's All-Stars Win Aloha Classic". The New York Times. April 12, 1982.
  2. ^ "Al McGuire, Thinking Back, Can't Suppress the Tears". The New York Times. March 29, 1977.
  3. ^ "Pizza Hut Basketball Classic". The New York Times. April 5, 1972.
  4. ^ "PIZZA HUT BASKETBALL CLASSIC". thecrimson.com. January 1, 1973.
  5. ^ "1973 PIZZA HUT CLASSIC BASKETBALL PROGRAM". February 17, 1985.
  6. ^ "TV Commentary Role Goes to Elgin Baylor". The New York Times. March 26, 1972.
  7. ^ "Pizza Hut Basketball Classic Dropped". The Wichita Eagle-Beacon. August 7, 1982. p. 4C. Retrieved November 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Pizza to go". The Miami News. September 9, 1982. p. C1. Retrieved November 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Seniors in 1981 Classic". Google Books. Bulletin Journal. April 2, 1981.
  10. ^ "West over the East, 93-92, in the second annual Pizza". Deseret News from Salt Lake City, Utah. April 16, 1973. p. 29. Retrieved November 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "UCLA's Nater may go high in pro drafts". Ventura County Star-Free Press. April 16, 1973. p. B2. Retrieved November 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Steele, Ben (July 8, 2024). "Do you remember Al McGuire's last game as a coach? It's not Marquette's 1977 title game". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  13. ^ "Pizza Hut squads completed". The Vidette. March 30, 1978.
  14. ^ "Television". The New York Times. April 1, 1978.
  15. ^ "SPORTS WORLD SPECIALS". The New York Times. February 2, 1981.
  16. ^ "1981 Pizza Hut All-Star Basketball Classic". Google Books. March 1, 1981.
  17. ^ "1981 Pizza Hut All-Star Basketball Classic tonight". Google Books. The Times-News. April 2, 1981.
  18. ^ "A legacy of decency: Maurice Cheeks, forever helping others fit in". gordiejones.com. March 14, 2021.
  19. ^ "PRO AGENTS PLAY THE RECRUITING GAME". The New York Times. May 25, 1981.
  20. ^ "Matt Hicks Bio". niuhuskies.com.

Notes

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  1. ^ Behind the Aloha All-Star Classic (1969-1987) and the NABC College All-Star Game (1963).[1]

Sources

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