Enshrinement highlights another year of basketball legendsDate: 8/22/2023 SPRINGFIELD — The world’s biggest and brightest basketball legends and stars once again gathered at Symphony Hall on Aug. 12 for the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.
Headlining the newly enshrined class of legends are Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich. The mix of American and international talent being honored brought out a large crowd of fans from all over the world to Springfield that Saturday night.
Nowitzki, drafted in 1998, came to America from his home country of Germany at 20 years old and after 20 years in the NBA became arguably the greatest European player in league history. Spending his entire career on the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki — sixth all time in scoring — became a basketball icon for his signature one legged fadeaway jump shot and helped bring the Mavs to relevance with owner Mark Cuban through the franchise’s first and only NBA title in 2011.
“I’ll always remember when you [Cuban] bought the team and you came to your first practice and said, ‘let’s play some one-on-one, I can play a little bit,’ so of course, I drove left like I always do and I dunked it right on your head, and we’ve had a great friendship and relationship ever since,” Nowitzki said with laughter.
Wade spent 16 years in the NBA, playing for the Miami Heat for the majority of it. Wade won three titles total in his career and notably teamed up with LeBron James in Miami where they won two titles over four seasons.
Considered the greatest player to ever don a Heat jersey, Wade solidified himself as one of the greatest players of his era and set the foundation for the team’s culture. Born and raised in Chicago, Wade reflected on his upbringing and brought his father on stage to accept the accomplishment of being inducted into the Hall together.
“When I would cry and say ‘I can’t,’ you would make me go harder. You pushed me to limits that I didn’t know were inside of me. The hard work I put in was because I didn’t want to let you down,” Wade said in his speech to his father. “We in the Hall of Fame, dawg.”
Gasol spoke about his relationship with the late Kobe Bryant during his speech and how Bryant impacted him over the years they were teammates. Bryant tragically passed away in 2020 following a helicopter crash. Gasol said he, “elevated my game like no other,” and shared a story about Bryant’s no-nonsense approach to winning. The two went to three straight NBA Finals, winning back-to-back in 2009 and 2010.
“I wouldn’t be here without you, brother,” Gasol said as he glanced up.
San Antonio fans showed out and were loud outside and in Symphony Hall during enshrinement activities. Being honored from the Spurs was Parker — four-time champion — head coach Popovich — entering season 28 of coaching this fall — and former WBNA star and first ever female assistant coach in the NBA and for the Spurs Becky Hammon. Hammon credited Popovich for taking a chance on her and making history for women’s rights in sports.
“I knew you weren’t trying to be courageous when you hired me, but you did something no one in professional sports has ever done,” Hammon said. “You said, ‘just be you.’ You’ve changed the trajectory of my life and of so many other girls and young women. Thank you, I love you.”
Among the inductees was David Hixon, longtime coach at Amherst College. Over his 42 years coaching for the Division III the team secured two national championships and finished with a career record of 826-293. Hixon retired from coaching in 2020.
Outside Symphony Hall on the red carpet, NBA legends past and present including Jayson Tatum, Ray Allen and Jason Kidd graced the Springfield streets and took photos and signed autographs for children from the Springfield Boys and Girls Club.
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