SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A pair of former Miami Heat stars have been announced as finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Among the 14 finalists for the Class of 2021 are 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh and five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway.
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Also selected as finalists are Rick Adelman, Leta Andrews, Michael Cooper, Marques Johnson, Paul Pierce, Bill Russell, Jay Wright, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Hackson, Marianne Stanley, Ben Wallace and Chris Webber.
“While our timeline of events over the past year has been adaptable and reimagined due to the global pandemic, we have never wavered in our commitment to renovating our beautiful museum and recognizing the greats of the game who deserve to be immortalized there,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “Revealing the finalists for the Class of 2021 today is an exciting step towards honoring the men and women who have contributed greatly to the game we celebrate.”
The Class of 2021 will be unveiled on May 16.
MORE FROM THE HALL:
CHRIS BOSH [Player] – Bosh is an 11-time NBA All-Star (2006-2016) and a two-time NBA Champion with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013). In 13 NBA seasons, he averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors, he was a member of the NBA All-Rookie Team in 2003-2004. As a collegiate athlete at Georgia Tech, Bosh earned ACC Rookie of the Year in 2003. As a high school standout in 2002, Bosh was named Texas Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American, while leading Lincoln High to a state and national championship with a 40-0 record. On the international stage, Bosh won an Olympic gold medal in 2008.
TIM HARDAWAY [Player] – A 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist, Hardaway played 13 NBA seasons scoring a total of 15,373 points while averaging more than 20 points per game for four consecutive seasons. He is the 1990 recipient of the Jack McMahon Award for most inspirational player and a 1997 All-NBA First Team selection. He currently ranks 18th in NBA history with 7,095 career assists. The Chicago native was a member of the men’s basketball team at the University of Texas at El Paso (1985-1989) and is known for making his signature move – the “UTEP Two-step” – famous in 1989, the same year he was named WAC Player of the Year.