SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Rick Welts has zero points, assists or rebounds in the NBA, but he got his call to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.
The Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer joined an impressive class that included Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Maurice Cheeks, Lefty Driesell, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Dino Radja, Charlie Scott, Katie Smith, Tina Thompson, Rod Thorn and Ora Mae Washington.
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Welts has over 40 years of NBA experience. He started as a ball boy for the Seattle Supersonics and worked his way up to public relations in Seattle, before joining the NBA league office in New York. He was the president of the Phoenix Suns for nine years and is entering his eighth season with the Golden State Warriors.
Welts is responsible for NBA innovations like the Slam Dunk Contest and The Dream Team. He also launched the WNBA and is overseeing the construction of the Chase Center in San Francisco. In 2011, he became the first openly gay executive in major professional sports.
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ABC7 Sports Director Larry Beil sat down with the Warriors president prior to taking the trip to Springfield, Mass., to learn about Welts' impressive path to the Hall of Fame.