UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The primary attributes of a Hall of Famer include excellence, longevity, consistency and teamwork, and their lives and career will be forever remembered.
Such is the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, which includes five former players, a team owner, a longtime referee, a veteran coach, and a USA national team. All are living today and spoke during their respective inductions last Saturday at Springfield, Massachusetts’ Symphony Hall.
We were twice lucky at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center in Uncasville, Conn. to have one inductee ask me questions before his scheduled time with the media, and another after a photo shoot when I walked into the wrong room by mistake.
Dwight Howard’s dream comes true
As he entered the large conference room a day before his HOF induction, Dwight Howard displayed his trademark humor as he walked toward this veteran elderly reporter. Howard asked me, “Who’s the greatest player you’ve ever seen?” I easily said the late Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999), the only NBA player ever to score 100 points in a game and average 40 and 50 points in a season.
“He was at Wilt’s locker after the game asking him questions,” said Howard with a huge smile. “If you all don’t know, he was there when Moses parted the Red Sea.”
Both of us knew that wasn’t quite true — I was in grade school when Wilt scored 100 — but Howard couldn’t help saying that, briefly paying me respect. Then he answered a quick question from me.
“Every day I have tears of joy, just crying, just thankful of all this experience of going into the Hall of Fame,” Howard responded seriously. “It hasn’t really, like, sunk in… It’s incredible, it’s awesome.
“It can’t be taken off no matter what anybody says,” stressed Howard of his name now etched among those of Chamberlain and other HOFs living or deceased. As he fist bumped me, Howard said proudly, “It’s up there in the heavens” as he proceeded to his spot to take media questions.
Later, after another fist bump welcoming me to the media scrum, he said, “I was thinking I would be in the Hall of Fame when I’m 60. But to actually have the call at the young age of 39, it’s nothing but a blessing.” Howard is now in the Hall twice, having entered last Saturday as the youngest member (age 22) of the 2008 USA Basketball Men’s National Team, nicknamed “The Redeem Team” after its gold medal performance in the 2008 Olympics after failing to do so in the previous Olympics.
“For me as his younger brother, I’d seen him putting his goals over his bed,” recalled Jahaziel Howard, who is three years behind older brother Dwight. “He followed his dream with hard work and passion, love, and in his spirit what he felt God called him to do. To see him here, it’s everything.”
Chris Bosh credits family pride
Chris Bosh first became an HOFer in 2021. He’s now a second-timer as he was also on the 2008 USA Olympic men’s basketball team that went in last Saturday. The 13-year NBA veteran was forced to retire at age 32 after recurring blood clots in his lungs were discovered.
“It’s kind of overwhelming and a little surreal to me because this is my second [HOF],” he said. “I hope I can set a good example for kids to be something and do something.”
Bosh pointed out that he owes his success and longevity to his family: “The time they pitched in, taking me to games, practices, late nights in the gym, that was huge in my upbringing. Respect — they are really proud.
“I just wanted to make my family proud, represent myself well, play hard, and maybe make a couple of dollars,” he recalled. “For me, I was either crazy or I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew I was going to be great. I worked so hard in the gym and listened to my coaches, paying people respect because I knew if I kept this up, I knew where I was going.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.