The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed 15 new members to the induction ceremony for the 2021 class on Saturday.
With Chris Bosh, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Toni Kukoc, Bob Dandridge, Paul Pierce, Ben Wallace, Pearl Moore, Chris Webber and Clarence “Fats” Jenkins At the forefront entering on their merits as players, this class of 16 featured a host of champions and legends of the sport.
They were joined by eight Bill Russell (now as coach), Rick Adelman, Jay Wright, Val Ackerman, Howard Garfinkel and Cotton Fitzsimmons entering for other roles and contributions to sport.
The event began with Ray Allen presenting a heartfelt tribute to those who died in the September 11, 2001 tragedy that saw Grammy Award-winning artist Anthony Hamilton perform “America The Beautiful.”
The first featured of the night was Chris webber, accompanied on stage by Charles Barkley and Isiah Thomas. The former Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons player averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists during his career, was a five-time All-Star and 5-time All-NBA, won the rookie award of the year in 1994 and was a finalist for the NCAA in 1992 and 1993 with the University of Michigan.
Webber thanked his parents in attendance, his siblings, and the rest of his family. He said his love for the game began in history class, where he learned about how athletes of color were discriminated against in the early 21st century and thanked Isiah thomas for the support he gave him since his teens, when Webber was a figure in school basketball (“he protected me from the vultures”). There were also words of affection for his fellow members of the Michigan “Fab Five”.
“We were five young black men who changed the culture of modern sports. We played representing the new era that was coming ”. He also remembered the fans of the Sacramento Kings, the team in which he spent the best part of his career, and expressed fond memories of being able to play for the Detroit Pistons at the end of his years in the NBA.
Val ackerman, president of the WNBA from 1996 to 2005, president of USA Basketball from 2005 to 2008 and commissioner of the NCAA Big East conference since 2013, she was inducted by Russ Granik and Rick Welts for her contribution to the sport.
Bill russell He was the third person honored of the night: he entered now for his role as coach. Russell directed for eight seasons at the NBA, with Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings, finishing with a 341-290 record and becoming champion as player-coach with Boston Celtics in the 1967-1968 and 1968-1969 seasons, thus being the first coach of the color champion in the NBA.
He was accompanied to the stage by Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, Spencer Haywood, Alonzo Mourning, Bill Walton and Rick Welts and previously a video recorded by Barack Obama was presented, which highlighted Russell as a player and coach but also as a citizen. Russell, 87, is present at the event in Springfield but spoke with a previously recorded video.
Toni Kukoc He was the player who this year entered by choice of the international committee. Three-time champion of the Euroleague and the NBA, three times MVP of the Euroleague and best Sixth Man of the NBA in 1996, a two-time Olympic medalist and champion of the 1990 World Cup in which he was MVP.
Kukoc averaged 11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 13 seasons in the NBA. They accompanied him to the stage Michael Jordan and Jerry Reinsdorf and thanked, among others, the people of the Bulls (“thanks to Jordan and Scottie pippen for kicking my butt at the Olympics and then motivating me to work harder to be an important part of the Bulls.
Yolanda griffith was the first legend of the WNBA honored of the night. One of the best indoor players and best defenders in the history of the WNBA, was champion in 2005 with the Sacramento Monarchs (being MVP of the Finals) and averaged 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds during 11 seasons with Sacramento, Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever.
Howard Garfinkel created High School Basketball Illustrated and the Five-Star Basketball Camp (a campus they went through for example Michael Jordan and Lebron James), really important tools in the development of adolescent basketball players in the United States. Deceased in 2016, the scout entered the Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport, presented by John Calipari, Grant Hill and Bob Hurley.
Rick adelman played seven years in the NBA and then he was head coach for 23 seasons (he qualified for the Playoffs at 16), managing the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves and reaching the 1990 and 1992 Finals with the Trail Blazers, in addition to get great success with Sacramento and Houston.
Four-time best defensive player (record shared with Dikembe Mutombo), four-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA and 2004 champion with Detroit Pistons, Ben wallace is the first player of the NBA not chosen in the Draft to reach the Hall of Fame. The Pistons legend, who also played for the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, was inducted by his former coach Larry Brown.
“Life did not give me a chance from the beginning. Life is about competing, standing tall, with your head held high and your chest puffed out. “
Pearl moore was chosen for him Hall of Fame by the women’s committee of veterans. Induced by Sylvia Hatchell, Moore was one of the best scorers of the 1970s and 1980s.
Cotton fitzsimmons, who died in 2004, spent more than 40 years working in basketball as an executive, coach, and analyst. He enters the Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport, prompted by other Phoenix Suns references such as Jerry Colangelo and Charles Barkley.
The last coach to be featured on the night was Jay wright, inducted by Charles Barkley, Bill Cunningham, Herb Magee and George Raveling. Wright, still active as the Villanova Wildcats coach in the NCAA, was a college champion in 2016 and 2018 and was voted top college-level coach in 2006 and 2016.
Clarence “Fats” Jenkins He was one of the superstars of American sports in the 20s and 30s, standing out in baseball and basketball.
Bob dandridge, champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971 and with the Washington Bullets in 1978, entered the Hall of Fame as a choice of the veterans men’s committee. Four times All-Star and once All-NBA and All-Defensive, Dandridge averaged 18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists during 13 seasons from 1969 to 1981. He is recognized as one of the most complete forwards in the league. NBA from the 70s.
Paul pierce he will forever be one of the great legends of the Boston Celtics. And now his legacy will also remain in the Hall of Fame. Champion and MVP of the Finals with the Celtics in 2008, he was 10 times All-Star, 4 times All-NBA and averaged 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists throughout 19 seasons in the NBA, a league in which he also defended the colors of the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and LA Clippers.
He is the second leading scorer in the history of the Celtics and the 16th leading scorer in all of NBA history. He was inducted by his former partner Kevin Garnett.
Lauren Jackson is one of three players who won three MVP awards in the WNBA. Successes like that, her two championships won with the Seattle Storm, her seven All-Star and eight All-WNBA selections, and her three Olympic medals with Australia (she was also a world champion in 2006) lead her to be Australia’s first basketball player in the world. the Hall of Fame.
Chris Bosh had to withdraw from the NBA At age 31 due to a health problem, but still his time in the league was enough to leave a mark. He was champion with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, Olympic champion with the United States in 2008 and in 13 seasons in the league he was chosen as an All-Star in 11 (in addition to having an All-NBA nomination).
He averaged 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2 assists in 893 games in the NBA. They induced him to Hall of Fame Ray Allen and Pat Riley, two people he shared his success with in Miami after playing for the Toronto Raptors.
(With information from NBA Mexico)
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