SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It’s enshrinement weekend for the Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
Festivities for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2023 Enshrinement are underway at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut where VIP guests and fans are rubbing elbows with the 11 legendary players and coaches that are being honored this weekend.
The new class of the Hall of Fame is honored this weekend and they get to join the ranks of basketball’s finest. The event will take place in Springfield this Saturday in a nationally televised ceremony.
Some of the big names to be inducted are Dwayne Wade, Gregg Popovich, Dirk Nowitzki, and legendary Amherst College coach David Hixon. There will even be a special team induction for the entire 1976 US Women’s Olympic team.
The Class was revealed in April and includes a total of 12 honorees.
- 1976 Women’s Olympic Basketball Team, presented by Ann Meyers (Class of 1993), Nancy Lieberman (‘96)
- Becky Hammon, presented by Sheryl Swoopes (‘16), Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19)
- David Hixon, presented by Jim Calhoun (‘05), John Calipari (‘15)
- Dirk Nowitzki, presented by Jason Kidd (‘18), Steve Nash (‘18)
- Dwyane Wade, presented by Allen Iverson (‘16)
- Gary Blair, presented by Teresa Weatherspoon (‘19), Van Chancellor (‘07)
- Gene Bess, presented by Chris Bosh (‘21), John Calipari (‘15), Roy Williams (‘07)
- Gene Keady, presented by Jerry Colangelo (‘04), Tom Izzo (‘16)
- Gregg Popovich, presented by David Robinson (‘09), Manu Ginobili (‘22), Tim Duncan (‘20), Tony Parker (‘23)
- Jim Valvano, presented by John Calipari (‘15)
- Pau Gasol, presented by Toni Kukoč (‘21)
- Tony Parker, presented by Manu Ginobili (‘22), Tim Duncan (‘20)
Enshrinement Weekend began at Mohegan Sun Friday with the headlining Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala. The Class of 2023 and over 50 returning Hall of Famers will then journey to Springfield for the annual celebratory events taking place at the Marriott as well as Springfield’s Symphony Hall.
A few members of the class took questions from the media, reflecting on their careers, and what it means to be included as one of the more than 400 members enshrined in the birthplace of basketball.
An exciting announcement from president John Doleva, “Our attendance is up 91% over pre- COVID numbers, so we are seeing the response to that and what we learned was you have to have new attractions. We have made the commitment despite the fact that we just did a $25 million renovation and 4.5 stars, we’re getting great reaction, we are going to open a new exhibit every year in the million to 2 million dollar range every year for the next five years.”
22News Reporter Duncan Maclean will be there as celebrations kick off at Mohegan Sun right before all the action comes here to the birthplace of basketball.
Fans and guests can tour and visit the Basketball Hall of Fame all weekend long. There are still some tickets available for purchase online so you definitely don’t want to miss out.
