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Basketball Hall of Fame: Everything you need to know about the Class of 2021

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Bosh thankful for HOF election (1:39)

Chris Bosh reflects on his career and getting elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. (1:39)

After electing a star-studded Class of 2020 -- led by NBA legends Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and the late Kobe Bryant -- the Basketball Hall of Fame officially enshrined two classes in 2021.

The full Class of 2020 was unveiled on April 4, 2020. The nine new members of the Basketball Hall of Fame were enshrined in April after the original 2020 ceremony was delayed and relocated due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 16-person Class of 2021 was led by former NBA superstars Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Ben Wallace and Chris Webber. Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell was also enshrined for his coaching career, making him the fifth person to receive the honor of being a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach. All 16 members of the Class of 2021 were presented at the official enshrinement ceremony by current members of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Class of 2021 - North American Committee

Rick Adelman

Inducted as coach; presented by Vlade Divac (Class of 2019) and Jack Sikma (Class of 2019)

  • 23 seasons as NBA head coach with Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves

  • 1,042-749 in regular season; 78-78 in playoffs

  • Led Trail Blazers to NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992

  • Coached Western Conference All-Star team in 1991, 2001 and 2003


Chris Bosh

Inducted as player; presented by Ray Allen (2018) and Pat Riley (2008)

  • 19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 49.4% FG in 13 seasons with Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

  • 11-time NBA All-Star, 1-time All-NBA selection

  • Won 2012 and 2013 NBA championships with Miami Heat

  • Won Olympic gold medal in 2008 with Team USA

MORE: Chris Bosh's Hall of Fame evolution


Yolanda Griffith

Inducted as player; presented by Van Chancellor (2007)

  • 13.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 50.6% FG in 11 seasons with Sacramento Monarchs, Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever

  • 1999 WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year

  • 7-time WNBA All-Star and 5-time All-WNBA selection

  • Won 2005 WNBA championship with Sacramento Monarchs

  • Won Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004 with Team USA

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Griffith still in awe after HOF election

Yolanda Griffith is thankful for being elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame and said she owes the honor to her family.


Lauren Jackson

Inducted as player; presented by Sheryl Swoopes (2016)

  • 18.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 46.0% FG in 12 seasons with Seattle Storm

  • 3-time WNBA MVP (2003, 2007, 2010)

  • 2007 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

  • 7-time WNBA All-Star and 8-time All-WNBA selection

  • Won 2004 and 2010 WNBA championships with Seattle Storm

  • Won Olympic silver medals in 2004, 2004 and 2008 with Australia

MORE: The legacy of Lauren Jackson

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Jalen congratulates former Fab Five teammate Webber on HOF election

Jalen Rose and Chris Webber reminisce as Webber reflects on his election to the Basketball Hall of Fame.


Paul Pierce

Inducted as player; presented by Kevin Garnett (2020)

  • 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG in 19 NBA seasons with Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and LA Clippers

  • 10-time NBA All-Star and 4-time All-NBA selection

  • Won 2008 NBA championship and Finals MVP award with Boston Celtics


Bill Russell

Inducted as coach; presented by Charles Barkley (2006), Julius Erving (1993), Spencer Haywood (2015), Alonzo Mourning (2014), Bill Walton (1993), Rick Welts (2018)

  • Eight seasons as NBA head coach with Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings

  • 341-290 in regular season, 34-27 in playoffs

  • Won 1968 and 1969 NBA championships with Boston Celtics

  • Previously inducted into Hall of Fame as a player in 1975

MORE: Bill Russell's career highlighted by fight for civil rights


Ben Wallace

Inducted as player; presented by Larry Brown (2002)

  • 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.0 BPG in 16 NBA seasons with Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers

  • 4-time NBA All-Star and 5-time All-NBA selection

  • 4-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)

  • Won 2004 NBA championship with Detroit Pistons

MORE: Retirement wasn't easy for Ben Wallace


Chris Webber

Inducted as player; presented by Isiah Thomas (2000)

  • 20.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.2 APG in 15 NBA seasons with Golden State Warriors, Washington Bullets/Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons

  • 5-time NBA All-Star and 5-time All-NBA selection

  • 1994 NBA Rookie of the Year

  • Led University of Michigan to NCAA championship game in 1992 and 1993

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Wright on HOF election: 'It's pretty amazing'

Jay Wright expresses his gratitude for being elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

MORE: Chris Webber is ready to talk


Jay Wright

Inducted as coach; presented by Charles Barkley (2006), Bill Cunningham (1986), Herb Magee (2011) and George Raveling (2015)

  • 27 seasons as NCAA head coach at Hofstra and Villanova

  • 612-274 overall record; 30-14 in NCAA tournament

  • Two-time Naismith National Coach of the Year (2006, 2016)

  • Led Villanova to NCAA championships in 2016 and 2018

Veteran's Committee

Bob Dandridge

Inducted as player; presented by Oscar Robertson (1980)

  • 18.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG in 13 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Bullets

  • 4-time NBA All-Star and 1-time All-NBA selection

  • Won 1971 NBA championship with Milwaukee Bucks and 1978 NBA championship with Washington Bullets

Women's Veteran's Committee

Pearl Moore

Inducted as player; presented by Sylvia Hatchell (2013)

  • 32.0 PPG in four seasons at Francis Marion College

  • 4,061 career points is most ever by a women's college basketball player

  • 4-time AIAW Small College All-American

  • 1979 American Women's Sports Foundation Small College Player of the Year

International Committee

Toni Kukoc

Inducted as player; presented by Michael Jordan (2009) and Jerry Reinsdorf (2016)

  • 11.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG in 13 NBA seasons with Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks

  • 1996 NBA Sixth Man of the Year

  • Won 1996, 1997 and 1998 NBA championships with Chicago Bulls

  • Three-time EuroLeague MVP (1990, 1991, 1993)

MORE: Kukoc talks about Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and 'The Last Dance'

Early African-American Pioneers

Clarence 'Fats' Jenkins

Inducted as player; presented posthumously by Wayne Embry (1999)

  • Two-sport athlete in baseball and basketball in the 1920s and 1930s

  • Played for the first teams that were named "Colored Basketball World's Champions" in 1917, 1918 and 1919

  • Went on to play for the New York Incorporators, the Loendi Big Five, the Commonwealth Big Five and the New York Renaissance, where he served as team captain

  • Won eight consecutive Colored Basketball World Championships with three different teams

Contributors

Val Ackerman

Inducted as contributor; presented by Russ Granik (2013) and Rick Welts (2018)

  • WNBA president from 1996 to 2005

  • USA Basketball president from 2005 to 2008

  • Big East commissioner since 2013

  • Enshrined in Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011


Cotton Fitzsimmons

Inducted as contributor; presented posthumously by Charles Barkley (2006), Jerry Colangelo (2004) and Phil Knight (2012)

  • 21 seasons as NBA head coach with Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves, Kansas City Kings and San Antonio Spurs

  • 832-775 in regular season, 35-49 in playoffs

  • Two-time NBA Coach of the Year (1979, 1989)

  • Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year in 1970 with Kansas State


Howard Garfinkel

Inducted as contributor; presented posthumously by John Calipari (2015), Grant Hill (2018), Bob Hurley Sr. (2010)

  • Co-Founder and longtime director of Five-Star Basketball Camp

  • Started High School Basketball Illustrated in 1965, the first high school scouting report

  • Inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013

Recent Hall of Fame classes

2020: Patrick Baumann, Kobe Bryant, Tamika Catchings, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens, Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich

2019: Al Attles, Carl Braun, Charles "Chuck" Cooper, Vlade Divac, Bill Fitch, Bobby Jones, Sidney Moncrief, Jack Sikma, Tennessee A&I teams from 1957 to 1959, Wayland Baptist University teams of 1984-82, Teresa Weatherspoon, Paul Westphal

2018: Ray Allen, Maurice Cheeks, Charles "Lefty" Driesell, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Tina Thompson, Dino Radja, Charlie Scott, Ora Mae Washington, Rod Thorn, Rick Welts, Katie Smith

2017: Robert Hughes, Tracy McGrady, Bill Self, Rebecca Lobo, Muffet McGraw, Mannie Jackson, Tom Jernstedt, Jerry Krause, Zack Clayton, Nick Galis, George McGinnis

2016: Zelmo Beaty, Darell Garretson, Allen Iverson, Tom Izzo, John McClendon, Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal, Cumberland Posey, Jerry Reinsdorf, Sheryl Swoopes