By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
David Stern headlines a list of eight world class basketball personalities from seven different countries that make up the 2016 Class of Inductees to be enshrined into FIBA’s Hall of Fame on Saturday 27 August in Geneva and Mies, Switzerland.
Stern, the Commissioner of the NBA from 1984-2014, will be enshrined as one of two contributors alongside the late Juan Antonio Samaranch, who served as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980-2001.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, Stern worked closely with then FIBA Secretary General (and current FIBA Secretary General Emeritus) Borislav Stankovic to bring professional basketball players to the world stage. This was in line with an objective of Samaranch, who was pursuing the idea of having professional athletes take part in the Olympics. The success the three men achieved was best exemplified by the presence of the USA’s “Dream Team” at the Barcelona Games in 1992, a phenomenon which opened a new era for international basketball.
“I am greatly honored to have been selected for induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame,” said Stern. “I am proud of my collaboration with Borislav Stankovic to unite and strengthen basketball on a global basis, which has been continued by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann. It is also a great honor for me to be inducted with Hakeem Olajuwon and the other class of 2016 inductees who have contributed so much to our game.”
Nigerian-American NBA superstar Hakeem Olajuwon heads the contingent of five former players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is joined by national team icons Michele Timms of Australia, Spain’s Juan Antonio San Epifanio, Panagiotis Fasoulas of Greece and Mexico’s Manuel Raga.
Rounding out the FIBA Hall of Fame’s 2016 Class of Inductees is legendary coach Jorge Canavesi of Argentina.
Between them, the players and coach combine for four Olympic medals, two podium finishes at FIBA’s flagship world competitions (FIBA Basketball World Cup and FIBA Women’s World Championship) and four podium finishes at continental championships.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce this stellar 2016 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame,” said FIBA President Horacio Muratore.
“These personalities contributed greatly to the growth, development and success of our sport.We look forward to honoring them.”
The eight inductees, selected from a list of more than 150 candidates, will be honored during a ceremony taking place at FIBA’s House of Basketball in Mies.
Here is the full list of inductees that make up the 2016 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame:
PLAYERS
Panagiotis Fasoulas (Greece)
Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria/USA)
Manuel Raga (Mexico)
Juan Antonio San Epifanio (Spain)
Michele Timms (Australia)
COACH
Jorge Canavesi (Argentina)
CONTRIBUTORS
Juan Antonio Samaranch (posthumous – Spain)
David Stern (USA)