The official announcement will be made this weekend during the NCAA Final Four in Houston.
Adrian Wojnarowski, however, has already dropped the Woj bomb to announce that NBA greats Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, and Becky Hammon have been elected to the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class. Looking at those names, one could say that it’s one of the most loaded batches of HOFers in recent memory. They stack up pretty well even against the 2020 class, which included Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Tamika Catchings.
If you vehemently disagree, just look up their credentials.
D-Wade is widely regarded as the third-best shooting guard of all time behind Michael Jordan and Kobe. He’s a three-time NBA champion, a 13-time NBA All-Star, an eight-time All-NBA Team member, and an Olympic gold medalist. His accolades are just too many to mention just like the great moments he produced on the basketball court.
Dirk is one of the best scorers in the history of the game. He’s sixth on the NBA’ all-time scoring list, in case you missed it. In 2011, he captured an NBA crown while being the lone superstar in a Dallas Mavericks team that faced Miami Heat’s big three of LeBron James, Wade, and Chris Bosh. That iconic one-legged fadeaway that he made popular is the icing on the cake.
Pop is arguably the GOAT when it comes to NBA coaching. Aside from his five NBA rings and six Western Conference titles with the San Antonio Spurs, he’s also the winningest coach in league history, having captured his 1,336th regular season victory a year ago. He’s known for his ability to manage superstars and develop unpolished talents as well. He really is a master mentor.
Parker is without a doubt, the greatest hooper to come out of France. His legendary career with the Spurs includes five NBA crowns and a 2007 Finals MVP trophy. In an era when Steve Nash was in his prime and a young Chris Paul was coming up, TP, for a time, became the league’s top point guard.
If France has Tony, then Spain has Pau. The agile 7-footer from Barcelona can do it all. In 2006, he was named FIBA World Cup MVP as he led Spain to the title. A few years later, he would help Kobe win two chips with the Los Angeles Lakers. Regarding his playing style, Gasol was a talent ahead of his time.
Hammon is a trailblazer. As a member of the Spurs’ staff, she became the first woman to coach an NBA game when Popovich got ejected in December 2020. At the moment, she’s the chief tactician of the reigning WNBA champions the Las Vegas Aces. Hammon is no slouch either during her playing days. She was a six-time WNBA All-Star and her number was retired by the San Antonio Stars.
Yep, the class of 2023 is not to be messed with.