The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2022
- Class:
- 1979
Ovie Dotson was one of the few who would be a pathfinder for many in the history of Texas Men’s Basketball. Recruited as an all-city and all-district selection out of San Antonio Sam Houston High School in 1975, Dotson helped lead the Longhorns to two Southwest Conference Championships. He also was a part of the Texas team that won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title in 1978, when the significance of that event was far greater since the NCAA only took 32 teams in that era’s version of March Madness. One of only a handful of Black players at UT in the mid-1970s, Ovie’s leaping ability and super-human “dunks” were part of a golden age of Longhorn basketball. He was recruited and coached in his freshman season by Leon Black before being tutored by Hall of Fame coach Abe Lemons in his final three years. Dotson joined with teammates Johnny Moore, Jim Krivacs, Ron Baxter, Tyrone Branyan and Gary Goodner for a then-school record 26 wins en route to their magical ride to Madison Square Garden in New York City and the NIT Championship. The Horns bested a Final Four field that included North Carolina State, Georgetown and Rutgers on the way to that title. In the opening season of what would become the Frank Erwin Center, the team charmed sold-out crowds with its victories and its flash. And for the very popular fan favorite Dotson, the fun was just beginning. Dotson would go on to carry the banner of The University of Texas Longhorns with him as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Beginning in 1980, Dotson would lead the famed traveling ambassadors of goodwill on to the court for eight seasons, starting each game and playing in more than 100 countries around the world, while entertaining crowds with his spectacular soaring slam dunks. Before he retired following the 1987 season, Dotson was part of a Globetrotters legacy that featured as many as 400 games annually and appearances in 96 countries, plus TV commercials, movies, a TV series featuring the team, and audiences with world leaders, including the Pope. He, his teammates, and those who preceded him on the world’s stage transformed the image of the skills of Black basketball players of his era. He ended his career as a member of the Retired Basketball Association. The organization serves former professional basketball players, supporting them in life after their playing days, and helping them to leverage their inspirational influence to promote and teach basketball in their communities. Members of the Board of Directors include such NBA and WNBA legends such as Dave Cowens, Sam Perkins, Grant Hill, Robert Horry, Sheryl Swoopes, Caron Butler, Choo Brown, Shawn Marion and Thurl Bailey. Dotson now lives in the Houston area and serves as regional manager for an air-conditioning filter distributing company with outlets throughout Texas, including H-E-B stores.
