FIBA – Class of 2010 enshrined in FIBA Hall of Fame

ISTANBUL (FIBA Hall of Fame) – Sixteen legendary basketball personalities hailing from 12 different countries were inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in Istanbul on Sunday.
 
The 2010 Class includes seven players and three coaches who combined for 14 Olympic medals and 15 FIBA World Championship medals.
 
National icons Oscar Schmidt, Vlade Divac, Arvydas Sabonis and Cheryl Miller headline the group of players, which also includes Dragan Kicanovic, Dino Meneghin and Natalia Zassoulskaya.
 
Lindsay Gaze, Mirko Novosel and Evgeny Gomelsky are enshrined as coaches.
 
They are joined by referees Jim Bain and Konstantinos Dimou as well as by former FIBA Presidents George Killian and Abdoulaye Seye Moreau along with Hans-Joachim Ottto and Ernesto Segura de Luna.
 
The 16 personalities were inducted into the Hall of Fame at an enshrinement ceremony during a formal gala luncheon held at the Swissotel Bosphurus.
 
Outgoing FIBA President Bob Elphinston congratulated all 16 members of the 2010 Class and welcomed the opportunity to have this memorable occasion coincide with a FIBA World Championship for the first time ever.
 
“This is the third induction ceremony after 2007 and 2009 and we are very proud to hotst this ceremony for the first time at our World Championship,” he said.
 
“The primary goal of the FIBA Hall of Fame is to reflect the history of the game of basketball and to honour the personalities who have helped raise the game to its current level.”
 
The ceremony saw some very emotional moments and special thanks were given by several inductees to past and present FIBA figures.
 
“I would like to thank Mr (Borislav) Stankovic (FIBA Secretary General Emeritus) who presented me with a great opportunity to be involved in the international game,” said American referee Bain.
 
“I would like to have a special thought for Borislav Stankovic who has withstood the test of time and also pass on my congratulations to (FIBA Secretary General) Patrick Baumann. I would like to dedicate this honour to my wife, kids and grandchildren for the time I dedicated to basketball at their detriment,” said an emotional Seye Moreau, who served as FIBA President between 1998 and 2002.
His predecessor, George Killian, also paid tribute to historical FIBA figures.
 
“My thanks go to (FIBA Co-founder) Dr Renato Williams Jones as well as to Mr Stankovic and Patrick (Baumann). I have been blessed all my life,” he said.
 
“Basketball was part of my life from the very start and I was a pretty good player but I had to stop playing after the (Second World) War. FIBA is a wonderful organisation led by great people. I know all of the other inductees. They have touched my life and I have touched their. I would like to thank my wife for being by my side all these years.”
 
Schmidt delivered a boisterous and enthusiastic address which got laughs from everyone.
 
“I would like to thank my father and my mother for getting me involved in basketball. The national team was the love of my career. I want to thank all my coaches and my team-mates and also my wife of 35 years. Can you believe she has been with me for that long, carrying me on her back,” said the Brazilian legend.
 
Incoming FIBA President Yvan Mainini closed the ceremony by stressing the need to continue to commemorate and honour the influential basketball figures from around the world.
 
“This has been a very emotional ceremony for all and particularly for me as I have known all of these people. This is the third class of inductees and at FIBA we must keep growing the profile of all who have helped raise the standards of the game,” he said.
 
“It is important for FIBA to recognise all the members of its family.”
 
The 16 inductees will be presented to the capacity crowd at the Sinan Erdem Dome during halftime of Sunday’s final of the 2010 FIBA World Championship between hosts Turkey and the USA.
 
The complete profiles of the 2010 FIBA Hall of Fame inductees can be found on www.halloffame.fiba.com.
 
FIBA

On Twitter | On Facebook l On FIBA tv