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The 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is in the books. In a glittering ceremony conducted on Saturday night, NBA superstars Ben Wallace, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Toni Kukoc and Chris Webber were all enshrined into the hall.
Joining the players were head coaches Rick Adelman and Bill Russell. Russell has already been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player. The Celtics legend was being enshrined as a coach on this occasion. WNBA stars Yolanda Griffith and Lauren Jackson also found pride of place in the hall on Saturday night.
In all, 16 members were presented at the official enshrinement ceremony that was held in Springfield, Massachusetts. This was the second induction weekend at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, because the Class of 2020 was enshrined only a few months ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 enshrinement offered a lot of emotional and fun moments. We bring you the five very best moments from the ceremony here.
#5 Ben Wallace pays tribute to the Black Panther Party
Perhaps the most intense Hall of Fame speech of the evening was made by Ben Wallace. The Detroit Pistons center was presented in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame by former head coach Larry Brown. Wallace spoke about leadership and what it takes to keep getting up when you are knocked down by adversity.
He closed his speech on an extremely motivating note, saying:
“I’ll tell you my legacy. I wasn’t welcome. I was too small. I couldn’t play the game the way they wanted me to play the game. Sounds like an uneven game to me. Put me on a level playing field and I’ll show you.”
Wallace paused, raised his fist and said, “Panthers March.” He then walked off the stage to a standing ovation.
Wallace comes from Lowndes County in Alabama, where the Black Panther Party was originally founded. The BPP is a civil rights movement founded in the 1960s as a response to police brutality against the black community.
#4 Toni Kukoc thanks MJ and Scottie Pippen
The Croatian Sensation was part of the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat between 1996-1998. He was also a member of the 1995-1996 Bulls 72-10 team, and finally got his due when he was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday. Kukoc was presented in the hall by Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
Kukoc spoke about the role his father played in developing his love for the sport during his Hall of Fame speech. Kukoc talked about how his basketball identity is defined by the two cities of Croatia and Chicago.
But the best part was when Kukoc acknowledged the role played by two of his most special teammates in helping him become a better player.
“I would like to thank this gentleman here, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen, for kicking my butt during the Olympics in Barcelona [1992] and then motivating me to work even harder to become an important part of the Chicago Bulls,” said Kukoc.
#3 Chris Webber calls Isaiah Thomas “My Guardian Angel”
After several years of ‘will he, won’t he’, Chris Webber was finally inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 5-time NBA All-Star and former Sacramento Kings superstar spoke about enjoying the journey and embracing the challenge of matching up to other power forwards and centers like Kevin Garnett, Ben Wallace, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal all within a week.
However, Webber reserved maximum praise for Isiah Thomas who, along with Charles Barkley, presented him into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Webber said:
“He [Isiah] was my guardian angel.”
Webber then went on to tell the story of when Isiah Thomas visited his home when he was a 16-year-old kid. Webber recalled that Isiah told him not to worry, and that Zeke “protected” him “from the vultures.”
The comment was in reference to the Ed Martin scandal at Michigan when Webber was alleged to have received illegal payments while on the men’s basketball team at the University of Michigan.
Webber was a member of the Fab Five, the iconic Michigan college hoops team from the early 1990s that went on to redefine basketball style by bringing a hip hop flavor to the game with their baggy shorts and black socks.
#2 Paul Pierce speaks the truth about Doc Rivers
Pierce’s enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was perhaps filled with the most fun moments. From apologizing to his mom for burning their house down as a 7-year-old, to actually naming each of the nine teams that passed on him in the 1998 NBA Draft before he was picked 10th overall by the Boston Celtics, Pierce’s speech provided everyone with plenty of laughs.
But Pierce reserved his best humor for former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. Pierce admitted to not starting off on the best footing when Rivers got to Boston. He said he knew that Rivers was trying to trade him. But then one day Pierce came to practice hung over before a game.
He messed up on a play and Doc came over to him. Paul was fearing the worst, but Doc instead told him to go home and get some rest.
“This is when I knew you was a player’s coach,” Pierce said of Rivers to everyone’s delight.
#1 Chris Bosh acknowledges Kobe Bryant’s greatness
Undoubtedly, the best speech of the 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony belonged to Chris Bosh. He was the right mix of emotion, humour and intensity. From picking up moments from his childhood that spurred him on, to acknowledging the influence of his family, Bosh had everyone listening to him with rapt attention during his Hall of Fame speech.
Bosh made a particular effort to pay tribute to the late great Kobe Bryant. Bosh said that the Lakers legend was an inspiration to many players of his generation. He went on to narrate a story about when he was playing on the ‘Redeem Team’, the 2008 US Men’s Olympics basketball team.
Bosh wanted to establish himself as a young leader on the team by waking up bright and early every day for training camp in Vegas. On the very first day, the former Miami Heat star woke up and went for breakfast early, only to find Kobe Bryant drenched in sweat. Bryant had already finished practice.
Bosh went on to pay the ultimate compliment to Bryant’s dedication, saying:
“Legends aren’t defined by their successes. They are defined by how they bounce back from their failures.”
Also read: Top 5 NBA Hall of Fame induction speeches ever
