CHICAGO – Considered by many as the best power forward of all time, Spurs great Tim Duncan is now one step closer to induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The eight finalists for the Class of 2020 election were announced today at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
“He’s the greatest Spur of all time,” said George ‘Iceman’ Gervin, a 1996 Hall of Fame inductee. “He’s one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He deserves every honor that is displayed on a professional basketball player.”
Former Spur and 2011 Hall of Fame inductee Artis Gilmore agrees with Gervin’s sentiments.
“That’s a tremendous compliment coming from ‘The Iceman.’ No question. He was a major impact and an influential individual for the San Antonio Spurs,” Gilmore said.
Gervin, an NBA legend and one of the Spurs’ all-time greats himself, is thrilled Duncan will soon join the Hall of Fame.
“We all know the San Antonio franchise is one of the greatest ever in pro sports,” Gervin said. “To be a part of that family still after 40 years, and to see these young guys come in and join me at the basketball mecca... That’s the ultimate in basketball for an individual honor.”
Here’s the rest of this year’s Hall of Fame finalists: 18-time All-Star Kobe Byrant, 15-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, former WNBA great Tamika Catchings, current Baylor basketball coach Kim Mulkey, Division II coach Barbara Stevens, former Men’s college coach Eddie Sutton, and former NBA coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
The Hall of Fame Class 2020 announcement will take place on Saturday, April 4 at the Men’s college basketball Final Four in Atlanta.