The 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class has been anticipated for quite some time. Because of the mandatory waiting period for retired players, it is relatively easy to project at least some of each class and, with a few prominent names now eligible, assumptions were already being made for who might headline the group.
On Tuesday, word began to break from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on the individuals that will be included, and the class includes Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki.
ESPN Sources: Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich are among the finalists who’ve been elected into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2023. Formal announcement will come at Final Four in Houston this weekend.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 29, 2023
Wade and Nowitzki, who famously faced off in the 2006 NBA Finals, are joined by Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich. The group could also expand from this report, as Wojnarowski notes the official announcement is still to come on Saturday with the annual gathering at the NCAA Final Four.
This is a class with a great deal of star power, as Wade and Nowitzki both operated as the best player on an NBA title team, with Gasol and Parker earning multiple titles along the way. Hammon is an unequivocal legend in the basketball world, and Popovich is on the short list of best NBA coaches of all-time.
The real fun begins when the induction ceremony takes place and the public can hear from the inductees. In the meantime, this is a great honor for all involved and anticipation can build until the ceremony.