The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2023 is stacked. Recent NBA stars Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker are among the finalists elected to the Hall of Fame. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was voted in, according to ESPN, as was WNBA legend Becky Hammon. An official announcement revealing the full class is expected to be made this weekend during the NCAA Final Four.
Wade retired from the NBA in 2019 after a 16-year career that included three championships with the Miami Heat and 13 All-Star appearances. He is widely regarded as one of the top two guards and most clutch players of all time. In addition to his tenure with the Heat, Wade also served time as a member of the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Nowitzki also retired from the league in 2019 after spending two decades with the Dallas Mavericks. He led the Mavs to their only NBA title in 2011, establishing himself as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. He also helped revolutionize the game by being a down-to-earth big man before it was fashionable.
Gasol last played in the NBA in 2019 after a career that spanned nearly two decades and included stints in Memphis, LA, Chicago, San Antonio and Milwaukee. Gasol won two LA titles alongside Kobe Bryant, and his number was recently retired by the Lakers. He also made six All-Star teams and had a distinguished international career. At his peak, he was one of the most consistently productive players in the NBA.
Then there are the Spurs. Popovich is the NBA’s most successful coach of all time and has been running things in San Antonio since 1995. He has led the Spurs to five championships and he also has a gold medal, having served as the head coach for Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. One of Popovich’s top students was Tony Parker, who played under him in San Antonio for 17 seasons. Parker won four championships in San Antonio and was named Finals MVP in 2007.
Becky Hammon also has Spurs connections, having served as an assistant under Popovich from 2014-22, although that’s just part of her impressive resume. Hammon, who currently serves as the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, is a six-time WNBA All-Star and led the league in assists in 2007.
All of these individuals are well deserving of induction, and the Hall of Fame is enhanced by their induction.