After becoming the first worldwide player to ever be selected with the first overall pick in the draft without having played college basketball in the U.S., Yao’s popularity quickly soared, expanding the NBA’s global impact to his home country of China.
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He was Friday’s first inductee, an honor which he joked that should have gone to Iverson. Off the court, Iverson ushered in the NBA’s hip-hop era, almost single-handedly transforming the culture of the National Basketball Association.
Then, when he was seated on the dais, O’Neal sprung to his feet and relieved Doleva, who was struggling to reach the massive shoulders of the 7-foot-6 (2.29-meter) Yao. For stretches in 2006-07 and 2007-08, in between injuries, Yao was a dominant force in the scoring and rebounding ranks for the Houston Rockets, pumping up double-figure rebounds and over 25 points on average. (Google “Yao Ming Hall of Fame” if you don’t believe that). Was he supposed to not shoot when his coach drew up a play for him? In particular, former Rockets guards Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. Rudy Tomjanovich’s coaching inspired him to be the best person and competitor he could be.
While 69 percent of respondents to a philly.com poll indicated they thought Iverson was in the wrong, he felt disrespected and acted accordingly.
Ford explained that Celtics stars Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish complied with his rule that you don’t play if you don’t practice, so why wouldn’t Iverson? The Zen Master lured Jordan right into the Answer’s trap, and we thank him for it.
Iverson isn’t sure how his speech will go tomorrow.
After his sophomore season, Iverson declared for the NBA Draft, becoming the first player to leave Georgetown early under coach John Thompson, Jr. In fact, he was on the Philadelphia 76ers, an in-division rival of the Celtics, for his first 10 and a half seasons and the final 25 games of his career.
Before there was Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving breaking defenders’ ankles, there was Allen Iverson with arguably the nastiest crossover ability ever seen in the game. I want so much for the people that stuck with me through everything, I want them to feel good about it/ I want them to feel like they’re Hall of Famers.
His speech was everything you expected and hoped it would be without being predictable at the same time.
Iverson stepped over Tyronn Lue, and he stood eye-to-eye with O’Neal. You have to earn your keep with the basketball legends and them two surely brought it and made an impact on the game in more ways than one.
In their six years together, Brown claimed Iverson swore at him every time Brown removed Iverson from a game.
Friday night when his son became a Hall of Famer, it was realized. Cooper presented O’Neal with a college T-shirt at the event. Alonzo Mourning for being a fierce competitor and a great friend and teammate. And Julius Erving for being his idol and someone he dreamed about throughout his life.
Despite his career being limited to just nine years, Yao Ming successfully etched his name in history with his work on and off the court. He mentioned that his favorite food was “everything”.
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Shaq also shared an unbelievable story, which may unbeliveable because it wasn’t true, about receiving letters from Yao as a child – letters that Shaq’s father supposedly used to teach him a lesson about respecting those who look up to him.
