Nano Press
Facebook Twitter Instagram Google+ YouTube RSS Feed Italiano English Türkiye
NBA 31/03/2018, 19.24 Official

Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Maurice Cheeks lead 2018 Naismith Hall of Fame class

Official statement from NBA

NBA

If the latest Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class ever needs someone to run a play, they have plenty of former players who could handle the task.

Former standout playmakers Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Ray Allen and Maurice Cheeks head up the 2018 Hall of Fame class that also includes the WNBA's Tina Thompson, coach Lefty Driesell, Charlie Scott, executives Rick Welts and Rod Thorn and Dino Radja, Katie Smith and Ora Mae Washington.

Nash, Kidd and Cheeks were all standout point guards during their playing days, with each ranking in the Top 15 in assists.

Nash played 19 seasons -- 10 of those with the Phoenix Suns -- earning MVP honors in 2005 and '06. An eight-time NBA All-Star, Nash is also a three-time All-NBA first teamer (2005-07) and lead the league in assists five times. He ranks third on the all-time assists list (10,335) and holds the NBA record for highest career free-throw percentage (90.4). Additionally, he had four 50-40-90 seasons (field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage). At Santa Clara, Nash was twice named West Coast Conference Player of the Year (1995, '96).

 

n 1994-95, Kidd shared Rookie of the Year honors with Hill and would go on to become a 10-time All-Star. He won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and earned All-NBA first team honors five times in his career. Additionally, he was a four-time All-Defensive first teamer four times in his career and trails only John Stockton on the all-time steals list with 2,684. He is also second to Stockton on the all-time assists list (12,091). He starred at Cal, winning Pac-10 Player of the Year and All-America honors in 1994.

 

Smooth-shooting Ray Allen is the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point shots made (2,973). A 10-time All-Star, Allen won a championship with the Celtics in 2008. He is ranked sixth on the all-time free-throw percentage list (.894). Allen played 18 season, including stints with the Bucks, SuperSonics, Celtics and his final two seasons with the Heat. In his last season with the Heat (2013-14), Allen nailed the clutch 3-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals against the Spurs that forced overtime.That allowed the Heat to win that game and emerge with the Heat's third championship in Game 7.

 

The versatile Hill never played point guard, but he was one of the NBA's best playmakers in his prime nonetheless. A 19-year NBA veteran, Hill was a seven-time All-Star and co-Rookie of the Year in 1995. He made the All-NBA first team in 1997 and was a second team member four times, too. His days at Duke were a success as well, as he helped the team to two NCAA titles ('91, '92) and was the ACC Player of the Year and an All-American in '94. In 2005, he was named one of ESPN’s 50 Top College Players of All Time.

O. Cauchi

O. Cauchi

Read also
Comments You must be registered to post a comment 0 Comments