Former Sixers Bobby Jones, Chris Webber are Hall of Fame finalists

CHARLOTTE – Former 76ers Bobby Jones and Chris Webber are one step away from reaching basketball immortality.

The two are among 13 finalists selected Friday for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in April at the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis. The Class of 2019 will be enshrined during Hall of Fame festivities in Springfield, Mass., in September.

Jones and Webber are repeat finalists.

Jones is recognized for being the standout sixth man on the Sixers’ 1983 NBA championship team. He was an eight-time NBA All-Defensive first-team selection. The winner of the 1983 Sixth Man award was also a four-time All-Star.

The Charlotte native played four seasons with the Denver Nuggets of the ABA and NBA before being traded to the Sixers on Aug. 16, 1978.

He averaged 15.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks during his eight seasons with the Sixers.

Webber became a five-time All-Star and winner of the 1994 Rookie of the Year award in his 15 NBA seasons. The Sixers acquired him in a trade from the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 23, 2005. They waived him on Jan. 11, 2007. Webber averaged 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals in three seasons in Philadelphia.

Webber also played for the Golden State Warriors, the Washington Bullets/Wizards, and Detroit Pistons during his career.

Marques Johnson, Jack Sikma, Ben Wallace and Paul Westphal are this year’s four first-time finalists.

The other finalists are Hugh Evans, Bill Fitch, Sidney Moncrief, Leta Andrews, Barbara Stevens, Eddie Sutton and Theresa Weatherspoon.