University of Tennessee Athletics
Tormohlen Honored as SEC Hoops Legend
February 16, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2012
Former Tennessee first-team All-America selection Gene Tormohlen (1956-59) will be UT's representative among the former greats from all 12 Southeastern Conference member institutions who will be honored as the 2012 Allstate® SEC Basketball Legends at the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament March 8-11 at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, La.
Tormohlen was a 1959 Converse first-team All-America performer and a two-time consensus first-team All-SEC honoree. Considered Tennessee's first accomplished big man, he holds virtually all Tennessee's career (1,113 rebounds; 16.9 rpg) and single-season (384 rebounds in 1957-58; 17.7 rpg in 1958-59) rebounding records.
Tormohlen led UT in scoring two seasons and finished his Big Orange career with 1,020 points.
He was drafted by Syracuse in the second round of the 1959 NBA Draft. After playing nine seasons professionally, he spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach in the NBA and was an NBA scout for several years after that (most recently for the Los Angeles Lakers).
A native of Holland, Ind., Tormohlen is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
"The Allstate® SEC Basketball Legends Program allows us to honor our past and show everyone why the SEC is one of the nation's premier basketball conferences," SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said.
The 2012 class also includes Jack Kubiszyn, Alabama; Nolan Richardson, Arkansas; Chris Morris, Auburn; Mike Miller, Florida; Willie Anderson, Georgia; Adrian "Odie" Smith, Kentucky; Jack Waters, Ole Miss; Chuck Evans, Mississippi State; Henry Martin, South Carolina; and Drew Maddux, Vanderbilt.
Each SEC Basketball Legend will be recognized at halftime of his institution's first game at the tournament.
Highlighting the schedule of events at the Sunkist Soda SEC FanFare will be appearances by selected legends. FanFare will be open Thursday-Saturday, March 8-10.
This marks the 14th year of the SEC Basketball Legends program.
TENNESSEE'S SEC LEGENDS
1999 - Reggie Johnson
2000 - A.W. Davis
2001 - Ernie Grunfeld
2002 - Tony White
2003 - Tom Boerwinkle
2004 - Dale Ellis
2005 - Ron Widby
2006 - Bill Justus
2007 - Allan Houston
2008 - Bernard King
2009 - Paul "Lefty" Walther
2010 - Don DeVoe
2011 - Jimmy England
2012 - Gene Tormohlen
