While Izzo will become the sixth active Division I coach to be inducted at Friday night’s ceremony, he was also busy on Thursday appreciating those that were joining him. One of the most star-packed classes in recent memory, it also featured global star Yao Ming, WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes, coach Tom Izzo, and owner Jerry Reinsdorf, an architect in the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls championship teams of the 1990s. Asked about the delay, Iverson said it involved a personal situation; family.. I thought of golf. “Steve has been the ideal big brother to me since then”. “You never jumped off the bandwagon; continued to support me like true fans are supposed to”. “He’s about everything, when you look at his police work, when you look at his basketball work, when you look at how he handles people”. In a sprawling, emotional address that sounded more like a wedding toast than an acceptance speech, Iverson thanked everyone from his mother to Biggie Smalls, compared his first game against Michael Jordan to a famous Chappelle Show skit and held back tears when talking about his siblings, children and lifelong friends. “He’s a lot of fun to be around”. Shaquille’s son, Shareef, is a five-star prospect for the class of 2018 that is considering Michigan State.
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“That’s the only thing that got me here is my teammates”, he said, his voice trembling.
Izzo has guided Michigan State to the U.S. college semi-finals 7 times and won one title in 21 seasons.
“I know that Wilt and my father are in heaven, smiling down upon us”, O’Neal said.
“Once I started to listen to Larry Brown and take the constructive criticism, I learned how much of a great, great, great coach he is”. “It means people were able to appreciate how I played”.
He said being in the same class with a guy like Iverson was appropriate for two players who brought their own unique styles to the National Basketball Association – O’Neal as an imposing force in the middle and Iverson as a small player whose skill and personal bravado still resonate today.
“That’s a great feeling for me”, he said. It took a little time whether I like it or not.
Rivers said he also talked to Ray Allen, who was part of the ’07 team in Boston but didn’t play in the National Basketball Association last season.
“I just know greatness”, Iverson said. “I don’t know if Shaq agrees with that”.
“When I heard I would be the first speaker tonight, I think maybe somebody made a mistake,”Ming said”.
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The Class of 2016 will be one of the most memorable to date in the Basketball Hall of Fame history with the orange jackets and they will be honored with unique Hall of Fame rings for the first time on Friday’s gala.
