Dennis Rodman, Tex Winter part of Hall of Fame class

Dennis Rodman earned plenty of labels during his sometimes turbulent NBA career.

Here’s one the player who created chaos on — and sometimes off — the court never expected: Hall of Fame member.

Rodman headlined the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2011 class announced on Monday at the Final Four in Houston, a group that includes former Dream Team member Chris Mullin and Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer.

“It’s just unreal,” Rodman said.

And somewhat unexpected, at least to the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and five-time NBA champion, who believed his extracurricular activities would overshadow his on-the-court accomplishments.

“I looked at the way I am, and I thought I wouldn’t get in,” Rodman said.

Also part of the class were: coaches Tex Winter, innovator of the triangle offense, and Herb Magee from Philadelphia University; longtime NBA and ABA star Artis Gilmore; former Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis; Olympic gold medalist Teresa Edwards; Harlem Globetrotter Reece “Goose” Tatum; and Boston Celtic Tom “Satch” Sanders.

Winter refined the triangle offense and helped the Lakers and Chicago Bulls win nine NBA championships as an assistant to Phil Jackson. He retired following the 2006 season, capping a career that included a successful stint at Kansas State, where he led the Wildcats to two Final Fours.

Virginia Commonwealth Coach Shaka Smart is staying with the Rams after leading them on a surprising Final Four run.

The school said that Smart has agreed to a new eight-year contract. Details of that deal will be released once the contract is signed.

The second-year coach led VCU from one of the “First Four” games in the NCAA tournament to upsets of prominent programs including Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas to reach the Final Four. VCU (28-12) became only the third No. 11-seeded team to get that far, losing to Butler, 70-62, in Saturday’s national semifinals.

Miami Coach Frank Haith resigned to take the Missouri job, Hurricanes officials said.

Missouri officials hadn’t confirmed the hiring. University curators were meeting Monday night in a closed session to consider Haith’s contract, and an official announcement could come Tuesday.

Oklahoma State basketball player Darrell Williams will stand trial on rape and other felony charges alleging that he inappropriately touched two female students, a judge ruled.

Payne County Special Judge Michael Stano ruled after a preliminary hearing that there was enough evidence for Williams to face one count of sexual battery and four counts of rape by instrumentation.

Williams, who has been suspended indefinitely from the basketball team, has pleaded not guilty. He remains free on bond.

ETC.

Report: Hope Classic has new sponsor

A magazine reported that the Bob Hope Classic has a new title sponsor and a new format.

Golfweek magazine reported on its website that Louisville, Ky.-based Humana has agreed to become the title sponsor for the tournament in La Quinta that traditionally starts the continental West Coast swing.

It cited two people who were not identified.

The Bob Hope Classic has been without a title sponsor since Chrysler bailed out after 2008 during the financial crisis.

The magazine also reported that the tournament will change its format from a five-day event to a four-day tournament. That had been seen as one of the problems the Hope had in attracting a better field. It also reported the tournament would be played on three courses instead of four.

South African Chanelle Scheepers upset No. 13-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, 6-4, 6-4, and American Vania King stunned No. 16-seeded Verna Dushevina, 6-4, 7-6 (7), in the first round of the Family Circle Cup at Charleston, S.C.