For years, Gregg Popovich has eschewed the idea of him being worthy of inclusion in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
On Friday, the man whose career has sprouted basketball tenacles that now span the globe was listed among a collection of basketball royalty that underscored his undeniable impact on the game.
Popovich will be presented by Parker, along with former Spurs stars and hall members David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. He puts that group's legacy above anything he’s achieved in his coaching career. Former coach Jim Valvano, who led North Carolina State to an improbable 1983 NCAA championship, will be posthumously inducted as a contributor. His selection also accounts for his work as a broadcaster and advocate for cancer research as the creator of the V Foundation.
And after Hammon shined as a six-time WNBA All-Star, she became the NBA’s first full-time female assistant coach under Popovich. She’s since followed in her mentor’s footsteps, coaching the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces to a championship last season. He also built a legacy of using his platform to speak out on a variety of issues from social justice to the transgender community. Wade said he and his Miami Heat teammates speaking out in 2012 following Trayvon Martin’s shooting changed him.
Parker called Nowitzki – the first European-born player to win the NBA MVP award in 2007 – “the G.O.A.T” of international players.
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