Former NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki headlines 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame class

Dirk Nowitzki (Scott Mecum, Wikimedia Commons)

According to Field Level Media on Tuesday, the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class was announced on Tuesday. The class includes former Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki of Wurzburg, Germany, former Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade of Chicago, Illinois, former Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol of Barcelona, Spain, former San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker of Bruges, Belgium, current Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich of East Chicago, Indiana, and former Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon of Rapid City, South Dakota.

Nowitzki played 21 seasons in the NBA with the Mavericks from 1998 to 2019. The 14-time All-Star was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2007. During 1522 NBA games, Nowitzki averaged 20.7 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per game. He also had a field goal percentage of .471, free throw percentage of .879, and three-point percentage of .380. In 2007, Nowitzki was the NBA MVP (24.6 points per game), and in 2011 was the NBA Finals MVP as the Mavericks won their only championship in franchise history.

Wade played 16 seasons in the NBA with the Heat, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003 to 2019, A 13-time All-Star with Miami, Wade led the NBA in scoring with 30.2 points per game in 2008-09. During 1054 NBA games, Wade averaged 22 points per game, 5.4 assists per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, and 1.5 steals per game, and had a field goal percentage of .480, three-point percentage of .293, and a free throw percentage of .765. Wade won three NBA Finals with Miami (2006, 2012, and 2013), and was the NBA Finals MVP in 2006.

Parker, who represented France internationally despite being born in Belgium, played 18 NBA seasons with the Spurs and Charlotte Hornets from 2001 to 2019. A six-time All-Star with San Antonio, Parker averaged 15.5 points per game, 5.6 assists per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, and had a field goal percentage of .491, three-point percentage of .324, and a free throw percentage of .751. He won four NBA Finals with the Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014), and was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.

Gasol played 18 seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks from 2001 to 2019. A six-time All-Star (three times with the Lakers, twice with the Bulls and once with the Grizzlies), Gasol averaged 17 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game, and 3.2 assists per game. He also had a field goal percentage of .507, three-point percentage of .368, and a free throw percentage of .753. Gasol was the 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year while with the Grizzlies (17.6 points per game), and won two NBA Finals with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

Popovich is the NBA All-time leader in coaching wins with 1363. He has coached the Spurs since 1996 and has won five NBA Finals (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014). Hammon meanwhile was the former assistant coach for the Spurs from 2014 to 2022. She made NBA history as the first full-time female assistant coach ever.

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