Tonight in Springfield, Massachusetts, the class of 2022 honorees entered the Basketball Hall of Fame. Unlike the sad ceremony of 2020, which was held in 2021 at all and did not include Kobe Bryant, who died between the announcement of his election to the hall and the ceremony, and in contrast to the ceremony of the class of 2021 , which with names like Chris Weber, Ben Wallace, Earl Monroe and Chris Bush has sparked a lot of discussions in the atmosphere of whether this is a consolation round, after all, this year has the feeling of a normal, slightly gray round.
And plain and gray are not things to be taken lightly these days.
At the top of the rotation is Manu Ginobili - a rare case of a man who could have entered the Hall of Fame based on both his international career and his NBA career individually.
And besides him, several coaches (headed by George Karl), a women's star (Sween Cash, two-time Olympic champion), a referee, and even Korach.
The one from the cup.
Manu Ginobili receives the honor early in the morning.
stands at the head of the cycle,
and what does that mean?
A great time to remember the most glorious classes that ever entered the Hall of Fame together in the same year.
and rate them.
It is clear that the rank.
5th place: Class of 2018
Main stars: Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Ray Allen
Only five seasons have ever featured three players named to the NBA's 75th (actually 76th) All-Star list at last year's 75th Anniversary.
The 2018 class is one of them.
So why does he open this ranking and not be found higher?
and Steve Nash with James Harden.
Brooklyn's coach receives the honor, photo: USA TODAY Sports
Because none of these three led a team to the championship.
And yet, with 15 top-five selections this season between the three, and no less than 28 All-Star selections, plus a historic number of assists and three-pointers - a busy cycle that you don't see every year, nor every two years.
4th place: Class of 1987
Main stars: Rick Barry, Walt Frazier, Pete Maravich
On paper, just the fact that the three share 24 All-Star selections and 16 top-five selections this season, from a time when there were only two top-fives rather than three like now, is alone a strong case for a top 5. On top of that, all three were selected to the top 50 in 1996 and again as well to the top 75 last year.
Rick Barry.
Winger Keeler, photo: AP
And beyond all that, just imagining these three running the court together, with a team coordinator like Frazier who led the Knicks' smart champions, with a dribbler and historical morale like Maravich and with a killer wing player like Barry, is a piece of experience.
3rd place: Class of 1980
Main stars: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas
Here's something for nostalgia and black and white fans: in 1980 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was in the middle of his NBA career, West was already the logo of the league, and Robertson walked around feeling like he was the greatest player in history.
Jerry West.
The man and the logo, photo: AP
That year the league marked its 35th anniversary by selecting the 11 greatest players in history, both of whom were on this list.
And Lucas?
Champion, seven-time All-Star, and who retired with averages of 17 points and 16 rebounds.
2nd place: Class of 2009
Main stars: Michael Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson
32 selections for the top five this season, 34 for the All-Star, 22 for the top five of the defense.
All three were in the Top 50 in 1996 and the Top 75 last year.
Stockton has more ace sets and steals than any other player.
Robinson was for a short time the best player in the world.
And Jordan did a thing or two.
Of course, all three members of the original Citrus Tim.
Michael Jordan is in the air.
unforgetable,
1st place: Class of 2020
Main stars: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett
A rare trio of its size, which also enjoyed particularly long careers.
How much?
39 selections for the top five this season, 48 selections for the All-Star, and also 39 selections for the defense's top five, six selections for the MVP of the finals and 11 championships they won.
The first two are on the top ten list, Garnett is often in the top 20. How can there be a bigger cycle?
At the moment, there is none.
Timmy Duncan receives the honor early in the morning, photo: Reuters
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