By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The class of 2023 in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will have a strong international flavor since it includes the first “Holy trinity” of international NBA stars, plus in the international direct committee an impressive list of names.
Per the press release: The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2023, including several high-profile, first-time nominees including Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade, and the 1976 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team”.
There will be one direct election from the international committee which includes the following: Jackie Chazalon, Mirza Delibasic, Dusan Ivkovic, Semen Khalipski, Vladimir Kondrashin, Eduardo Lamas, Marcos Leite, Shimon Mizrahi, Amaury Pasos, Manuel Sainz, Togo Soares, Ranko Zeravica.
Of course, Yugoslavian stars Mirza Delibasic and Soviet Vladimir Kondrashin marked the 70s, as did coaching legend Ranko Zeravica and Spaniard Manuel “Lolo” Sainz both as a player in the 60s and then as an iconic coach.
For the modern European basketball audience, however, there’s nothing more iconic than coach Dusan Ivkovic and of course, Shimon Mizrahi is a legend for Israel and Maccabi Tel Aviv.