Hall of Fame Class 2021-2022
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:12 pm
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Springfield, Massachusetts, the site of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tonight we induct three fantastic players and men into our hallowed halls. First, Deron Williams. When you think of Williams' career, you think of many things: his mastery of playmaking, his ability to score, his amazing run to the PBSL Finals. But one of his biggest moments, in fact a defining moment of his career, was the 2005 PBSL draft. Williams was drafted #2 that year. And while many players would see that as an enormous honor, Williams never got over the fact that fellow point guard Chris Paul went #1 over him. He used it as the motivation for his entire career. It fueled him to making 12 all star teams and 7 All-PBSL First Teams, to becoming one of the best passers the league has ever seen. While Paul has had his own great career, Williams' accomplishments -- as well as what he means to the city of Indianapolis -- cannot be overstated. Congratulations to Deron Williams.
Next up we have Tyson Chandler. Tyson Chandler's numbers don't jump off the page - he only averaged 11.5 points a game over his entire career. And even his accolades, noteworthy in their own right, may not typically make a player a Hall of Famer. But Tyson Chandler was a consummate teammate and defender who singlehandedly turned around franchises. If Tyson Chandler was on your team, there was a good chance you were heading deep into the playoffs. Chandler is third all time in playoff games played behind Shawn Kemp and Anfernee Hardaway, amassing five separate seasons of 20-plus game playoff runs. These runs culminated in two championships and one Finals MVP. Tyson will be remembered as a man who patrolled the paint, leading the league in blocks four times and rebounds twice. Chandler is proof that the individual accolades fall second to team accomplishments in basketball. Congratulations to Tyson Chandler.
Lastly we have Ron Artest. Ron defined the term "two way player". 8 All Star appearances. 1 First Team All-League. 6 All Defensive Teams. Artest brought a title to the city of Milwaukee and, later in his career, returned to the franchise that drafted him to bring the Pelicans their first and only championship. Ron Artest brought an intensity to teams, and like Chandler had a tendency of turning franchises around. He is sixth in all time playoff games, and 9th in playoff points. Whether it was getting his team a bucket, a stop, or a key rebound, Ron Artest could be counted on to win you a basketball game. And in the end, isn't what this is all about? Congratulations to Ron Artest.
Tonight we induct three fantastic players and men into our hallowed halls. First, Deron Williams. When you think of Williams' career, you think of many things: his mastery of playmaking, his ability to score, his amazing run to the PBSL Finals. But one of his biggest moments, in fact a defining moment of his career, was the 2005 PBSL draft. Williams was drafted #2 that year. And while many players would see that as an enormous honor, Williams never got over the fact that fellow point guard Chris Paul went #1 over him. He used it as the motivation for his entire career. It fueled him to making 12 all star teams and 7 All-PBSL First Teams, to becoming one of the best passers the league has ever seen. While Paul has had his own great career, Williams' accomplishments -- as well as what he means to the city of Indianapolis -- cannot be overstated. Congratulations to Deron Williams.
