During the ceremony, Jerry West, who passed away last June, was also remembered with a third honor after joining as a player and member of the national team
Springfield, Massachusetts, gives itself its most important evening of the year by embracing the new class of Hall of Famers with the usual traditional celebration that for one evening makes the town halfway between New York and Boston the basketball capital of the world. The “Class of 2024” is made up of 13 names among which the eternal Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups and Michael Cooper stand out, without forgetting a certain Jerry West who after being elected to the Hall of Fame both as a player and as a member of the Olympic national team of 1960, he receives a new honor, the third, as “Contributor”.
tributo a kobe
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“The Logo was an icon for basketball – says Copper himself about the legendary Jerry West who died in June at the age of 86 – something absolutely unique”. Vince Carter’s speech was also very beautiful, confessing how difficult it was to hang up his shoes after a 22-year NBA career but that Kobe Bryant came to his rescue shortly before his untimely death. “He made me understand many things – says the eight-time All Star – after speaking with him my perspectives changed, Kobe was fundamental for me in a very complex moment in my life”.
mr. big shot
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Billups also receives open applause, who in his speech recalls above all the extraordinary ride of the Pistons in 2004, capable of surprising the highly favored Lakers in the Finals and winning the NBA title with an iconic quintet made up of Prince, Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace and Billups. “Between us we have always considered ourselves the best quintet ever – the third overall pick in the 1997 draft smiles – I honestly didn’t think I needed a second home but I found it in Detroit.”
parade of stars
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In addition to Carter, Cooper, West and Billups, Walter Davis, former Suns star, Dick Barnett, two-time NBA champion, Seimone Augustus, a true legend of college basketball, Herb Simon, the owner of the Pacers since 1983, Doug Collins, also as a “contributor”, Bo Ryan, capable of winning 747 games as a coach at collegiate level, Harley Redin, historic coach of the Wayland Baptiste University women’s team and Charles Smith, one of the most great high school coaches in history. An evening that Springfield will not easily forget.
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