Congratulations poured in Friday and Saturday from coaches and former players celebrating Eddie Sutton's election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Below is a sampling of comments posted to social media, made on ESPN's announcement of the hall of fame class, or provided to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
"Congrats to Coach Sutton on getting the Naismith Hall of Fame. He is well deserving of this honor. Proud to have played for him!!" - Corey Williams, Arkansas assistant coach and former player for Sutton at Oklahoma State
"All of Coach Sutton’s players always knew he was a Hall of Fame coach. Now the whole world knows it." - Darrell Walker, Arkansas-Little Rock coach and former player for Sutton at Arkansas
"Coach was more then a coach to most of us, he became a father figure, then a mentor and advisor and friend. Not afraid to say, 'I love you coach, thank you, congratulations its more then past due more then deserved!'" - Scott Hastings, Denver Nuggets color analyst and former player for Sutton at Arkansas
"A well-deserved honor for a man who has done so much for so many young men and Razorback fans everywhere." - Charles Balentine, former player for Sutton at Arkansas
"My college coach Eddie Sutton has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. I could cry. Thanks, Coach. It’s about damn time." - Rex Chapman, former player for Sutton at Kentucky
"Jumping with Joy: finally EDDIE SUTTON elected to the @Hoophall HALL OF FAME / so happy for Eddie & his family!" - Dick Vitale, ESPN basketball analyst
"I’m happy for all of them, but I’m especially happy for Eddie Sutton to go into the hall of fame." - Jay Bilas, ESPN basketball analyst
"Congrats to Coach Eddie Sutton on being elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Much deserving and well overdue. Congrats to his family as well to see such an honor of a coach that touched so many lives along the way." - Ronnie Brewer, former Arkansas basketball player whose father, Ron, played for Sutton at Arkansas
"Congrats Coach Eddie Sutton on being voted into the Naismith Hall Of Fame. A great honor and well deserved!" - Mike Anderson, St. John's coach
"So happy for my college coach Eddie Sutton and his family. Dedication, Discipline, Defense.....Demanded fundamentals and defense. If you weren’t tough and didn’t defend, you did not play. Every guy was coached the same. And we loved it." - Jimmy Dykes, ESPN basketball analyst who played for Sutton at Arkansas
"Coach Eddie Sutton, well deserved and long overdue—Congratulations on your induction into the 2020 class Naismith Hall of Fame! Great coach, great man. Thank you for some of the greatest times!" - Houston Nutt, former player for Sutton at Arkansas
“I want to be one of the many thousands that are very, very happy tonight and offer our sincere congratulations to Coach Eddie Sutton for his induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. It is certainly an honor that is richly deserved, one that is long overdue and certainly anybody that has played for you and or coached under you knew that you were a hall of famer several decades ago.” - Bill Self, Kansas coach, Naismith Hall of Fame inductee and former assistant under Sutton at Oklahoma State
"He went to places — with the exception of Kentucky — and rebuilt programs that had fallen on hard times. Even at Kentucky he had success early. I think that says a lot.And he didn’t just win at the programs he coached, he took them to elite levels. He graduated his players and had numerous great players and great teams." - Joe Kleine, former player for Sutton at Arkansas
"I’m very pleased that Coach Sutton got in. We knew it was just a matter of time. Occasionally, things take long than what they should, but the bottom line is he’s made it and it’s well deserved." - Sidney Moncrief, Naismith Hall of Fame inductee and former player for Sutton at Arkansas
"I don’t care how long it took, this man deserves his recognition." - Doug Gottlieb, Fox Sports Radio host and former player for Sutton at Oklahoma State