September is for Springfield.
It’s that time of year, between basketball, with the WNBA season heading for the playoffs and the new NBA one on the horizon. A time to take a moment to appreciate everything that’s come. As all these 3×3 and EuroBasket tournaments show us that basketball never stops. Not even for summer.
Nobody calls it better than the Hall.
Headlining the Class of 2025 were some real masters of the game. Led by New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony with three fingers to the dome. Not just New York’s own, like Syracuse, but Denver’s too. Making it difficult for the Nuggets to raise even Nikola Jokić’s number 15 to the rafters. Perhaps these two numbers could share a ceremony.
‘Melo also wants a statue outside of Madison Square Garden. “Like, who’s the first player you think of when you think of the Knicks?” Patrick Ewing? Bernard King? John Starks? But we get his point. Get out of here, like when he gets a rebound. He’s got this.
Anthony called it a career after a year with the Lakers. The other big NBA inductee of this great generation was one who won a championship in the Bubble, redeeming himself with the Lake Show. Yet the Magic like smile of Dwight Howard will always be symbolic of taking Orlando to the promised land like Shaquille O’Neal. Alongside Ewing, Dominique Wilkins and ‘The Chief’, Robert Parish, the fellow former Laker and once bitter rival presented Howard into the Hall, as Superman and the Man of Steel made good.
Howard and Anthony were also part of The Redeem Team, a subject of a sensational Netflix documentary, that took the 2008 Beijing Olympics by storm. Mike Krzyzewski’s squad also featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, Michael Redd, Deron Williams, Tayshaun Prince and Carlos Boozer. Not to mention, the late, great Kobe Bryant, running through Pay Gasol’s chest, as they went on an 8-0 run that silenced everyone like a finger to the lips.
We told you, whilst reviewing ‘Taurasi‘, that Sue Bird was up next. And the fellow G.O.A.T. quarterbacked a big-three of WNBA legends that would make the perfect franchise, point, swing and big. After being honoured with a statue and street in Seattle, the Storm fronting legend brought her four rings, five Olympic golds, two college titles and record 13 All-star appearances into the hall. She still leads the W in all-time wins, games played, minutes, and of course, assists. Untouched like a legacy that will live forever.
Retiring around the same time, if Bird is the greatest to dish, then Minnesota Lynx legend Sylvia Fowles is the best defensive player the WNBA has ever seen. She has two ‘chips to go with four golds, and she’s grabbed more rebounds than anybody in the history of the W. Even Carmelo Anthony in the L. This 2017 MVP was an All-star eight times. Four times a Defensive Player of the Year. Retired by LSU and the Lynx, do you even have to ask if Sylvia made the W25 anniversary team? No Fowles? No way!
Just like teammate Maya Moore, who helped make Minnesota perhaps the greatest franchise in WNBA history. She is the only one built to be THE Lynx legend. And her career, that amassed so many rings that Nike recreated the Michael Jordan hand portrait in her honour, only came to an abrupt close for her to become a warrior of social justice. Changing the game and the world for good. Just check out her message for the next generation.
Elsewhere, two-time Florida Gators NCAA national champion coach Billy Donovan and respected referee Danny Crawford, whistling and officiating over 2,000 games, were also honoured. As was Miami owner and ‘Heat Culture’ architect Micky Arison for his three NBA championships, seven Eastern Conference titles and a wealth of Hall of Fame talent like, President Pat Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra, Ray Allen, Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler. Slowly, but surely making the Heat a storied franchise in NBA history.
Coach Spo and the last two players aren’t there yet (‘Bron now is as a redeeming member), but would you bet against them?
All in all, the hoop Hall became that much more hallowed thanks to the hardwood history that has paved a new path a quarter of a century into the new millennium.
