By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: USA Basketball
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be stacked with many talented athletes. Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, and Maya Moore were selected as the first ballot for the Hall of Farmers.
There’s an extra ingredient in why this class is magnificent. Anthony and Howard will be inducted, not once but twice. Why? The 2008 US Olympic men’s basketball team, known as the “Redeem Team,” will enter the Hall of Fame this year.
Key members of the Redeem team are LeBron James, Chris Paul, the late Kobe Bryant, who was the team captain, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, Tayshaun Prince, and Chris Bosh. Mike Krzyzewski was the head coach.
The US won its first seven games by at least 20 points and defeated Spain 118-107 in the gold medal game.
WNBA player Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donavan, Miami Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, and longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford are enshrined this year as well.
Fowles played center and is best known for her success with the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx. She won two WNBA titles with the Lynx in 2015 and 2017 and was named Finals MVP. She and Moore brought a lot of great memories to the city of Minnesota. Fowles was also a great defender during her playing career, winning Defensive Player of the Year four times.
Donavan won two NCAA championships with the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the 2016 Western Conference Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Thunder was one final away from heading to the NBA Finals that year.
Arison has been part of the Heat ownership since 1995. Under his ownershi\p, the Heat won three championships (2006, 2012, 2013).
Enshrinement weekend is Sept. 5-6 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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