CHRIS Webber, Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh and Ben Wallace were among those announced on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021.
Also, Bill Russell, Rick Adelman and Jay Wright were elected as coaches, Yolanda Griffith and Lauren Jackson were selected as WNBA representatives and Chicago Bulls great Toni Kukoc was an International Committee selection.
Webber, 48, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft after his college career at Michigan, where he was a member of the “Fab Five.” The 6-foot-9 forward played 15 seasons in the NBA with five teams and was a five-time All-Star.
Eligible for induction since 2013, Webber averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 831 career games with the Golden State Warriors, Washington Bullets/Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons.
Pierce, a 10-time All-Star and the No. 2 scorer in Boston Celtics history, was in his first year of eligibility. The 6-foot-7 swingman was the MVP of Boston’s 2008 finals victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Pierce, 43, was drafted 10th overall by the Celtics in 1998 and played 19 seasons with Boston, the Brooklyn Nets, Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 1,343 games and knocked down 2,143 3-pointers.
Bosh, 37, was an 11-time All-Star who saw his career cut short by life-threatening blood clots. He left the Miami Heat during the 2015-16 regular season and never returned.
