![]() ![]() "We actually bonded here the last few weeks and months," Nowitzki said. Nowitzki and Wade not only faced San Antonio repeatedly in the playoffs, but arguably had the signature moments of their respective careers against each other, with Wade winning a title and Finals MVP over Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in 2006 before Nowitzki returned the favor against Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat in 2011. ![]() Gasol spent years playing against Nowitzki, Parker and Popovich in the Western Conference, facing each multiple times in the playoffs, before joining Parker and Popovich in San Antonio for two-plus seasons. But all five NBA greats inducted this year - Parker, Popovich, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade - have ties binding them beyond simply going into the Hall of Fame together. The ties between Parker and Popovich as part of this year's class are obvious. it just shows that we had a special group, and that we would just build different." And to finish it off, this year for a third year in a row, coming here and doing it with Pop. And then Manu last year was a lot of fun to see Manu getting in the Hall. I went to Timmy's, and Timmy gave me the honor to put the jacket on him the night before. That's in keeping with Popovich's long-standing belief that he shouldn't go in before any of his four Hall of Fame-worthy players already had. Now, all four will be in, with Duncan and Ginobili serving as presenters for Parker and all three players - plus David Robinson - doing so for Popovich on Saturday.Ĭhairman Jerry Colangelo said the Hall specifically ordered the induction order so that Parker could be nominated first, then present Popovich alongside his former teammates. They won five championships, and - along with Tim Duncan, who entered the Hall two years ago, and Manu Ginobili, who did last year - formed one of the winningest teams in NBA history. ![]() The two men went on to spend 17 years together - with Parker playing only the final season of his career with the Charlotte Hornets. That time, Popovich acknowledged, Parker "kicked ass." He doesn't like contact, he's 19, and I don't want to see him."Īfter a plea from Parker's agent, who agreed that the workout wasn't great but asked Popovich to give him a second chance, the coach did so. "I hated him," Popovich said here at Mohegan Sun, where the Hall of Fame held its news conferences Friday ahead of Saturday night's enshrinement in Springfield, Mass. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and his longtime point guard, Tony Parker, are headlining a star-studded class of entrants into the Naismith Hall of Fame this weekend.īut, as Popovich detailed Friday, that partnership almost never got off the ground after Parker's initial workout didn't go well. Parker, Pop's partnership forged after rocky start takes them on joint HOF journey You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser ![]()
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