SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Former Furman men’s basketball player Clyde Mayes has been selected for induction into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame. He is the fifth and final member of the Class of 2022, joining Chattanooga’s Michelle Fuzzard LaCourse, Georgia Southern’s Anita Buggins, Western Carolina’s Kirk Roach and ETSU’s DeShawne Blocker, who were all announced earlier this week.
 
Mayes, who competed for the Paladins from 1972-75, was a three-time first-team All-SoCon pick. He was the league’s player of the year in 1973-74 and 1974-75 and was a first-team All-American and the SoCon Male Athlete of the Year in 1974-75.
 
In 89 varsity games over three years, the Greenville, South Carolina, native scored 1,589 points, which was sixth in school history at the conclusion of his career and now ranks 14^th. Nearly 50 years after donning the purple and white for the final time, he still ranks third in Furman history with 1,118 career rebounds, while his average of 12.6 per game ranks fourth.
 
Mayes led the SoCon in rebounding twice, pacing the league with 13.0 in 1973-74 and 13.5 in 1974-75. He was a six-time SoCon Player of the Week in his career.
 
The dominant frontcourt presence led Furman in rebounding and field-goal percentage each year of his career, with his 402 total boards in 1974-75 still ranking second in a season in program history. Mayes, who has three of Furman’s top 12 seasons for total rebounds and posted a career-high 25 rebounds against NC State in 1974-75, also led the Paladins in blocked shots in 1973-74, swatting 2.4 per contest.
 
Mayes helped Furman to an overall 64-25 record in his three seasons, including a 34-3 SoCon mark as the Paladins won a pair of regular-season league titles and three tournament titles. Mayes earned All-Tournament first-team distinction all three times, taking Tournament MVP honors in 1973 and 1975. He helped Furman make a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 1973-74 and was named the South Carolina Player of the Year in 1974 by the S.C. Sportswriters.
 
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Mayes was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the fourth pick of the second round of the NBA Draft (22^nd overall pick). He played in 74 NBA games over two seasons for the Bucks, the Indiana Pacers, the Buffalo Braves and the Portland Trailblazers.
 
Mayes becomes the seventh Furman Paladin to earn a spot in the SoCon Hall of Fame and the second men’s basketball player, joining Frank Selvy, who was a member of the inaugural class in 2009. Mayes, who was named to the SoCon’s 100^th Anniversary Team in 2021, was inducted into the Furman Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983 and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. He is one of six players in Furman history to have his number (34) retired.
 
Student-athletes who competed for a minimum of two seasons in the Southern Conference were eligible for consideration for the Hall of Fame, along with coaches and administrators who spent at least five years in the league. A pool of more than 200 candidates from the conference’s current and former member institutions were nominated for consideration. The pool of former student-athletes, coaches and administrators was cut down to 40 individuals who comprised the final ballot. A voting panel of 20 media members and league administrators made the selection of the induction class.
 
Clyde Mayes on his selection to the SoCon Hall of Fame:
“I’m very, very appreciative and thank God for being inducted into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame.”
 
2022 Induction Class
DeShawne Blocker, ETSU, Women’s Basketball
Kirk Roach, Western Carolina, Football
Anita Buggins, Georgia Southern, Women’s Tennis
Michelle Fuzzard LaCourse, Chattanooga, Softball
Clyde Mayes, Furman, Men’s Basketball
 
2020 Induction Class
Lynne Agee, UNCG, Women’s Basketball
Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Football
Terrell Owens, Chattanooga, Football/Men’s Basketball/Men’s Track & Field
Rod Thorn, West Virginia, Men’s Basketball/Baseball
Wayne Tolleson, Western Carolina, Baseball/Football
 
2018 Induction Class
Mike Ayers, ETSU/Wofford, Football
Ron Carter, VMI, Men’s Basketball
Susan Gardner Mayhorn, Western Carolina, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country
Chal Port, The Citadel, Baseball
*Les Robinson, The Citadel/ETSU, Men’s Basketball/Administration
Debbie Southern, Furman, Women’s Tennis
 
2016 Induction Class
Stephen Curry, Davidson, Men’s Basketball
Armanti Edwards, App State, Football
Brad Faxon, Furman, Men’s Golf
Keith “Mister” Jennings, ETSU, Men’s Basketball
Karen Pelphrey, Marshall, Women’s Basketball
 
2014 Induction Class
Rushia Brown, Furman, Women’s Basketball
Eddie Cameron, Duke, Football/Men’s Basketball
Clint Dempsey, Furman, Men’s Soccer
Jerry Moore, App State, Football
Charlie Teague, Wake Forest, Baseball
 
2012 Induction Class
Angie Barker, ETSU, Women’s Track & Field
Percy Beard, Auburn, Men’s Track & Field
*Jim Burch, Southern Conference
Dick Modzelewski, Maryland, Football
Paul Scarpa, Furman, Men’s Tennis
 
2011 Induction Class
Dexter Coakley, App State, Football
Lefty Driesell, Davidson, Men’s Basketball
Regina Kirk, Chattanooga, Women’s Basketball
Gen. Robert Neyland, Tennessee, Football
Vic Seixas, North Carolina, Men’s Tennis
Shannon Wommack, Chattanooga, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country
 
2010 Induction Class
Everett Case, NC State, Men’s Basketball
Mary Jayne Harrelson, App State, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country
Fred Hetzel, Davidson, Men’s Basketball
“Hot” Rod Hundley, West Virginia, Men’s Basketball
Banks McFadden, Clemson, Football/Men’s Basketball
Wallace Wade, Alabama/Duke/SoCon, Football/Commissioner
*J. Dallas Shirley, Southern Conference
 
2009 Induction Class – Inaugural Year
Megan Dunigan, Furman, Women’s Tennis
Dick Groat, Duke, Men’s Basketball/Baseball
Sam Huff, West Virginia, Football
Charlie Justice, North Carolina, Football
Melissa Morrison Howard, App State, Track & Field
Arnold Palmer, Wake Forest, Men’s Golf
Adrian Peterson, Georgia Southern, Football
Frank Selvy, Furman, Men’s Basketball
Jerry West, West Virginia, Men’s Basketball
Valorie Whiteside, App State, Women’s Basketball
 
* Special Contributor
 
 
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
The Southern Conference, in its 101st season of intercollegiate competition, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and helping build lifelong leaders and role models. The conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issues of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women’s championships (1984) to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Southern Conference is the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association.
 
The conference currently consists of 10 members in six states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 21 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships.