Tim Hardaway took to the podium and shared a story about his early days as a basketball player, when Golden State teammates Mitch Richmond & Chris Mullin would frequently ask him the same question.
“They would ask us, “Tim. How great do you want me to be?” Hardaway replied.
They have the answer. So does everyone else. He’s an NBA legend.
Hardaway, Manu Ginobili and Swin Cash delivered their enshrinement addresses on Saturday night as new members of Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Hardaway stated that a child from Chicago’s east side made it all the the way to Springfield, Massachusetts. “Incredible.”
The theme was this: what an honor no one imagined had come their way. Each member thanked everyone who helped them to reach the pinnacle.
Tim Duncan, a Hall of Famer himself and Ginobili were presented to him. Next year, Tony Parker, the third member of San Antonio’s famous Big 3 of players, will be eligible for selection.
Ginobili stated that the Spurs were a big, strong, supportive, family.
Gregg Popovich, the Spurs’ coach, will one day be in the Hall. The NBA’s all time wins leader won’t want to be remembered until the end of his career. Ginobili made a special tribute to him.
“Pop, what’s the matter? Ginobili shook his head, cracking, “You’ve been so, SO important for me, my family, and off the court. That’ll I never be in a position to repay you enough.”
“One the best players ever to play the game… One our best teammates.”
Manu on Tim Duncan #22HoopClass pic.twitter.com/xcBh2JZMHZ
— NBA (@NBA) September 11, 2022
Cash, a NCAA and WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, also paid tribute to Geno Auriemma, her UConn coach, and her Huskies teammates.
Cash, now a front-office worker for the New Orleans Pelicans, stated, “If anyone is debating which basketball team is the best, ask about us.”
Duncan and Ginobili weren’t the only team members in the building. Stanley and Shank Grentz were Immaculata’s teammates in the 1970s. After their coaching careers, they joined the Hall together.
Stanley stated, “It’s a privilege of a life time.”
Shank Grentz added, “I am still overwhelmed”
Whalen’s legendary playing career was followed by her return to Minnesota and coaching there. She might have been the first person inducted into the Hall of Fame by a fast-food restaurant.
“Thank you, Burger King,” Whalen said.
Let me tell you, Whalen was terrified, crying and reluctant to go to her first camp. Negotiations quickly began after her parents insisted that she go to camp. The deal was reached. Whalen would be allowed to go to camp and receive a Whopper Jr. with cheese for her return trip.
Whalen stated, “I ended up having an amazing time.”
She was not allowed to play hockey by her parents. Harris was encouraged by a professor to coach a junior-high basketball squad for a year before he joined the seminary.
Harris had intended to be a pastor. However, Dr. James Naismith who founded basketball, was also a pastor. Harris instead followed the footsteps of Naismith and became a coach.
Harris stated, “After that, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my life,” and he has coached at every level imaginable — high school basketball, college basketball, international teams, and at the FIBA.
His path to the Hall was not easy. Huggins is still a coach at West Virginia University and has won more that 900 games. Karl, on the other hand, got emotional paying tribute to Dean Smith at North Carolina and then got into a conversation about the challenge of coaching Gary Payton.
Karl said, “This was really amazing for a Penn Hills guy,” This is a “wow” moment for me.
Huggins did some coaching during his tribute to Jerry Colangelo (chairman of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame).
Huggins replied, “You are allowed to clap,” Huggins added. “I don’t know the rules but let’s make them up as we go.”
Hardaway, Richmond, and Mullin created the group known as “Run TMC”, which is still popular today. Three years later, Mullin was admitted to the Hall by Richmond. When Hardaway finally got to his feet, they were sitting just to Hardaway’s left on Saturday night.
Hardaway declared, “Legendary,” “We were legendary.”
Seven more Hall members were also honored, all of them deceased: Hugh Evans, one of NBA’s original Black referees, Lou Hudson, former coach Larry Costello and Radivoj Korac, an international great Radivoj Karc, and three former Harlem Globetrotters, Inman Jackson, Wyatt “Sonny”, and Albert “Runt” Pullins.
Two-time Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Russell was given a special tribute. He made it as a player, and then as a coach. Russell, who died earlier in the year, was honored with a ceremony on Saturday by Alonzo Mourning and Jerry West, Hall of Famers.
West stated that Bill was “the ultimate competitor on the court” and “a remarkable human being off it.” “And in his own unique way, he made each of the lives he touched a little happier. He will be greatly missed by all who had the opportunity to get to know him.
Mourning added, referring to Russell’s work in social justice advocacy: “Rest, my friend.”