Tony Parker caps Spurs dominant era with induction in Naismith Hall of Fame

HOUSTON — The Final Four may be seen as lacking in star power and the big name, but there was no shortage of those at NRG Stadium on Saturday morning.

The 2023 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was officially unveiled, revealing some of the biggest basketball names of this generation along with several of the game's winningest coaches.

And it included several names with Texas ties.

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, longtime Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, prolific big man Pau Gasol and the last of the Spurs' Big 3 of the 2000s that produced four championships — Tony Parker — were among the newest hall of famers introduced Saturday in Houston.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will also be enshrined and Parker himself said it would be the last time to celebrate the highly successful era of San Antonio basketball.

In the last three years Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Parker have all been inducted.

"Let's celebrate one more time," Parker said. "Been to the Hall of Fame the last two years with Timmy and Manu. This one, the way I look at it, maybe the last time we can really celebrate together. That's what it felt like for my jersey retirement.

"And now we can do it one more time all together."

'We made it go'

Parker came to the NBA as a teenager from France and gave Popovich credit for giving the then-19-year old an opportunity to lead a group including Duncan and David Robinson, both future hall of famers.

"When I arrived in the NBA, I was lucky to have a crazy coach who gambled on me to have a little point guard from France, 19 years old, try to tell Timmy and David Robinson where to go," Parker said.

"It was kind of crazy, but we made it go."

With Parker at the helm, the Spurs won four of their five NBA Championships — 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

Parker's enshrinement, along with Popovich going in, puts a wrapper on the dominant era of Spurs basketball where the Western Conference always had to go through San Antonio.

"To go in the Hall of Fame with coach Pop, to become the first French player to come into the Hall of Fame ... I've always taken it very seriously to be a good ambassador for French basketball and for European basketball," Parker said.

Global game

The 2023 class could also be a preview of things to come as the globalization of the game reaches its maturation.

Parker, Gasol and Nowitzki, the all-time leading scorer among international players in the NBA, capping their careers in Springfield has long been expected, but they have set the table for the current golden generation of international players in the NBA.

"There were a few guys that paved the way for us in a way with (Toni) Kukoc and (Detlef) Schrempf and some other Europeans that had great careers before us," Nowitzki said. "If we came in and took it to another level, then of course that's super humbling. And if we helped inspire some kids along the way, now you see Luka (Doncic) and Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and (Nikola) Jokic and maybe many more."

Nowitzki said the game has matured in Europe in the last 25 years.

"If we'd been just a small part of that, I think we can be super proud of that and push the game in Europe in the right direction," Nowitzki said. "I think we're extremely proud and happy about that."

While the trio of international greats cap their career with enshrinement, another is about to start as French prodigy Victor Wembanyama is projected to be the top overall selection in the June's NBA Draft.

All were asked about his prospects and Parker even called him the best prospect since LeBron James 20 years ago.

Other inductees announced Saturday include former Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair, Gene Bess, the all-time winningest basketball coach at any level, longtime Purdue coach Gene Keady, women's basketball legend Becky Hammon, David Hixon, the longtime coach of Division III Amherst and the 1976 United States women's Olympic basketball team.

Former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano will be honored posthumously.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Parker caps Spurs dominant era with induction in Naismith Hall of Fame