If you’re looking for a basketball fix today, check it: the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class is on the way. The list of inductees this year is quite something, veering from legendary big man Shaquille O’Neal, to singular Allen Iverson, to international superstar Yao Ming. And there are more...
Here’s the full list of inductees:
The full 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class:
Allen Iverson: Eleven-time NBA All-Star and 1997 NBA Rookie of the Year
Tom Izzo: Head Coach of the Michigan State University Spartans men’s basketball team and 2000 NCAA Division I National Champion
Shaquille O’Neal: Four-time NBA Champion (three-time Finals MVP), 15-time NBA All-Star and 2000 NBA MVP
Jerry Reinsdorf: Owner of the six-time NBA Champion Chicago Bulls
Sheryl Swoopes: WNBA’s first-ever signed player and three-time WNBA MVP
Zelmo Beaty (posthumous): Two-time NBA All-Star and three-time ABA All-Star, who averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding over his career
Darrel Garretson (posthumous): 27-year NBA official, organizer and leader of the National Association of Basketball Referees
John McClendon (posthumous): First coach to win three consecutive national championships (Tennessee State, 1957-59) and first African-American coach to coach in a professional league (ABL)
Cumberland Posey (posthumous): 2006 inductee of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winner of four consecutive Colored Basketball World Championships between 1900-1920
As per the above link, you can watch the entire event on NBA TV on Friday, September 9th, starting at 7:30pm, with the red carpet show hosted by Matt Winer, Steve Smith and Rick Kamla starts at 6:30pm.