With the German Dirk Nowitzki, the Spaniard Pau Gasol and the Frenchman Tony Parker, three of the best basketball players from Europe will be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame this year. This was announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday. All three are the first players in their respective countries to be inducted into the North American professional league basketball hall of fame. The admission will take place at a ceremony on August 12 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Nowitzki won the title in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks – his only club in the NBA. The German is one of the top 10 scorers in NBA history. He was also the first European to be named Most Valuable Player of the Season (MVP) in 2007. Pau Gasol is a two-time NBA champion – in 2009 and 2010 he won with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant.
Tony Parker even owns four NBA championship rings: In 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014 he triumphed as playmaker for the San Antonio Spurs. In 2007 Parker was – as the first European – Final MVP. Dwyane Wade – three-time champion with Miami and Final MVP 2006 – entered the Hall of Fame. In addition, successful coaches Gregg Popovich and Becky Hammon are recognized as other legends.