The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is ready to induct its newest class in its usual splashy ceremony in Springfield, Mass.
Just four months after the delayed ceremony for the Class of 2020, another group of basketball stars, including Paul Pierce, Chris Webber and Ben Wallace, will be enshrined as Hall of Famers.
Here’s everything you need to know about the event and the Hall’s new members:
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When is the Basketball Hall of Fame induction?
The Class of 2021 will be inducted on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. ET in Springfield, Mass. The ceremony will take place at the MassMutual Center, one mile from the Hall of Fame. There will also be a tip-off celebration and awards gala the night before at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
All fans attending the induction must be vaccinated or present a negative COVID-19 test.
How can I watch the Basketball Hall of Fame induction?
NBA
NBATV will air Hall of Fame coverage from 5 p.m. ET to 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, beginning with the awards gala at 5 p.m. and the red carpet show at 6 p.m. before the ceremony begins at 7 p.m.
Who is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame?
Rick Adelman: In 23 seasons as an NBA head coach, Adelman compiled the ninth-best record in league history (1042-749). He led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, while the Sacramento Kings made the playoffs in all eight years under Adelman, 1998-2006, and haven’t qualified for the postseason since.
Vlade Divac, who played under Adelman in Sacramento, and Jack Sikma, who was an assistant under Adelman with the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, will be presenting the coach.
Chris Bosh: The fourth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2003, Bosh went on to make 11 straight All-Star appearances (2006-16). He averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds over his career and won back-to-back titles with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. The Heat retired his No. 1 in 2019.
Presenting Bosh will be his former Heat teammate Ray Allen and president of the Heat Pat Riley.
Paul Pierce: An expected top-three pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, Pierce fell to the Boston Celtics at No. 10. Over 15 years in Boston, he was an All-Star 10 times and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2008 when the C’s won their first championship in 22 years. He is the second-leading scorer in Celtics franchise history with 22,591 points.
One of his teammates on the 2008 championship, Kevin Garnett -- who joined the Hall in the Class of 2020 inducted earlier this year -- is introducing Pierce.
Bill Russell: Though he was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a player back in 1975, Russell is now getting his due as a coach. When legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 1966-7 season, Russell took over as player-coach for the next three seasons, becoming the first Black head coach in the NBA and leading the Celtics to championships in 1968 and 1969. He was the head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1973 to 1977 and spent one season (1987-88) with the Sacramento Kings, finishing his coaching career with a 631-341 record.
A collection of Hall of Famers are joining together to introduce Russell: Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, Spencer Haywood, Alonzo Mourning, Bill Walton and Rick Welts.
Ben Wallace: Wallace will become the first undrafted player to be elected to the Hall of Fame in the modern era. Though he never averaged double digits in points, he was one of the best defenders in NBA history, earning Defensive Player of the Year four years in a row while with the Detroit Pistons (2002-06). He is 14th all time in blocks with 2,137 and led the league in rebounds in 2001 and 2003.
Larry Brown, who coached Wallace and the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title, is presenting Wallace.
Chris Webber: Drafted No. 1 overall in 1993, Webber was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Golden State Warriors. He spent six seasons (1998-2004) with the Kings when fellow honoree Adelman was head coach, during which Webber earned four of his five All-Star nods. He averaged 20.7 points and 9.8 rebounds over his 19-year career.
Isiah Thomas is presenting Webber.
Jay Wright: The head coach at Villanova since 2001, Wright led the Wildcats to NCAA championships in 2016 and 2018. Current NBA players who played under Wright at Villanova include Kyle Lowry and Eric Paschall. Wright was named the AP’s Coach of the Decade in the 2010s and also served as an assistant on the U.S. men’s national team that won gold at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Wright will be introduced by Charles Barkley, Bill Cunningham, Herb Magee and George Raveling.
Yolanda Griffith: Griffith was a seven-time WNBA All-Star after joining the league upon the dissolution of the American Basketball League in 1998. She was Finals MVP when the Sacramento Monarchs won the WNBA title in 2005 and averaged 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds during her 11-year career. As a member of Team USA, she won two gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
Presenting Griffith is Van Chancellor, who coached the U.S. women to the gold medal in Athens.
Lauren Jackson: In 11 years with the Seattle Storm, Lauren Jackson won two titles (2004 and 2010), was named MVP three times (2003, 2007 and 2010) and made the All-Star list seven times. The three-time scoring champ is 10th all time in points (6005) in the WNBA and 15th all time in rebounds (2444). She also won three silver medals and one bronze as a four-time Olympian for her native Australia.
Sheryl Swoopes is presenting Jackson.
Val Ackerman: The first president of the WNBA and current commissioner of the Big East, Ackerman was elected by the Contributor Committee. Russ Granik and Rick Welts are presenting her.
Cotton Fitzsimmons: Another Contributor Committee selection, Fitzsimmons compiled an 832-775 record and was named Coach of the Year twice (1978-79 and 1988-89). He died in 2004 and will be presented by Charles Barkley, Jerry Colangelo and Phil Knight.
Howard Garfinkel: The third Contributor Committee inductee, Garfinkel was the premier high school basketball scout in New York City and ran a camp for top players for decades. John Calipari, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley will present the late scout, who died in 2016.
Clarence “Fats” Jenkins: Jenkins was a longtime member of the New York Renaissance, an all-black professional basketball team, playing with the team from 1924-1939. He was elected by the Early African American Pioneers Committee and will be presented by Wayne Embry.
Toni Kukoc: A critical member of the Bulls’ second three-peat in the mid-90s, Kukoc was elected by the International Committee. The Croatian won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1996, three EuroLeague titles, a FIBA World Championship and a EuroBasket MVP. Michael Jordan and Jerry Reinsdorf will present the forward.
Bob Dandridge: A two-time champion and four-time All-Star, Dandridge was one of the NBA’s best forwards during the 1970s. No player scored more points in the NBA Finals in the 1970s than Dandridge, who won championships with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971 and with the Washington Bullets in 1979.
He was elected by the Veterans Committee and will be presented by Oscar Robertson.
Pearl Moore: Moore is regarded as one of the greatest college basketball scorers of all time, male or female. After attending Francis Marion University, Moore was selected in the first round of the Women’s Professional League and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Sylvia Hatchell will present Moore after she was selected by the Women’s Veterans Committee.