New names join Basketball Hall of Fame

SPRINGFIELD

Retired NBA stars Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade and Pau Gasol and legendary San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich were among those inducted on Aug. 12 into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2023 paid tribute to global talent with French guard Parker, German forward Nowitzki, Spanish center Gasol and U.S. guard Wade joined by 74-year-old Popovich, coach of the Spurs since 1996.

"It's a powerhouse class, really," Gasol said. "I'm humbled and very lucky to be a part of this class with all these amazing people."

"I feel like I made it somewhere," Wade said. "I'm just enjoying the moment."

Parker was a four-time NBA champion with San Antonio, a six-time NBA All-Star and the 2007 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

Parker was a star for Popovich's Spurs from 2001-2018 and finished his NBA career at Charlotte in 2019.

Popovich, the longest-tenured of all North American pro sports coaches, has guided the Spurs to five titles and was named the NBA Coach of the Year three times. He also coached the US gold medal team of NBA stars at the Tokyo Olympics.

Nowitzki played his entire 21-year career for the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to the 2011 NBA title as the NBA Finals MVP. He was the 2007 NBA MVP and a 14-time All-Star before retiring in 2019.

Gasol was a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and a six-time NBA All-Star who played from 2001 to 2019 with Memphis, the Lakers, Chicago, San Antonio and Milwaukee.

Wade won three NBA titles with the Miami Heat and also played for Chicago and Cleveland. He was the 2006 NBA Finals MVP and a 13-time NBA All-Star.