The program first announced in September that Finley’s number would be retired, but did not have a date set for the ceremony.
Finley was the first Badgers men’s basketball player to ever score 2,000 points in his collegiate career, and he helped usher in a revival of the Badgers basketball program in the early-to-mid 1990s, including helping the team make the NCAA tournament in 1994 — the first time in 47 years the Badgers had gone to the “Big Dance.”
He’s also the only Badger to score at least 500 points in three different seasons and average 20 points per game in three different seasons. All of those accolades helped Finley become a first-round pick in the 1995 NBA draft, getting selected 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns.
Finley played 15 years in the NBA, with most of his professional career spent with the Dallas Mavericks. He made two All-Star appearances with Dallas in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. He also was a member of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2007 NBA championship team.
Finley finished his pro career averaging 15.7 points per game and still ranks in the Top 20 on the NBA’s all-time list for most career three-pointers.
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