Wade, Nowitzki, and Popovich will be joined by several other basketball greats. Also heading to the Hall of Fame are the former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol, ex-Spurs guard Tony Parker and WNBA legend Becky Hammon.

The official announcement of the HOF Class of 2023 will be made later this week during the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four in Houston.

Wade deserved his HOF status thanks to a storied career that included three NBA titles with the Heat. He was a 13-time All-Star, and also has an NBA Finals MVP award from 2006 on his resume.

Nowitzki is arguably the greatest player in the history of the Mavs. He led the franchise to its only NBA championship in 2011 while winning the MVP award in 2007 and being selected to 14 All-Star teams.

Popovich is one of the best basketball coaches in the history of the game. He won five NBA titles with the Spurs while being selected NBA Coach of the Year three times.

Gasol won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and has six All-Star nods, while Parker is a four-time NBA champion and has an NBA Finals MVP award from 2007. Hammon, who currently coaches the Las Vegas Aces, was six-time WNBA All-Star.

The post Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, and Gregg Popovich Elected to Hall of Fame appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Most NBA fans know the Cinderella story that transpired that season. Nowitzki and his band of brothers were never expected to get far in the playoffs, let alone make it to the championship round. The Heat, on the other hand, were led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh—and were the heavily anticipated favorites to win it all from the very start.

What folks don’t know is that Nowitzki apparently got a little bit ticked off at the Miami Heat’s Big Three. While normally perceived as a calm, kindly fellow, the news that he had some beef with them is actually kind of refreshing.

According to his fellow Dallas teammate that championship season JJ Barea, Nowitzki couldn’t stand their opponents. Barea revealed as much in JJ Redick’s podcast: “[Nowitzki] was not going to let us lose. The way he prepared the whole year for it. He hated Miami. He hated LeBron, Wade, Bosh. He’s never going to say that, but he couldn’t stand it.”

The post JJ Barea Reveals Dirk Nowitzki “Hated Miami” in 2011 NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite Dallas describing Nowitzki’s Achilles injury as minor, the 40-year-old is yet to join the Mavericks for training, two weeks before the new season commences. The German is currently with the team in Shanghai but he isn’t expected to play as the Mavericks face off the 76ers on Friday in a preseason friendly.

“This is weeks, not days, as far as getting on the court for live action,” Coach Rick Carlisle said on Tuesday. “He is making gradual progress, but we’re not just at a point where we can talk about a hard timeline or anything like that.”

A great player in his prime, Nowitzki averaged 12 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. His average play-time was 24 minutes. With a total of 31,183 points, the German ranks sixth among the league’s active top scorers.

Nowitzki suffered an injury to his left ankle last season. He opted for surgery in April and began recovery efforts hoping all would be well by July. It was not until media day that the 40-year-old admitted there was doubt he would be opening the season with the rest of the team.

This season will be Nowitzki’s 21^st in the league. He debuted in 1998 for the Milwaukee Bucks and led the Mavericks to their first championship in 2011.

The post Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki Expected to Miss Season Opener with Achilles Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Wade, Nowitzki, and Popovich will be joined by several other basketball greats. Also heading to the Hall of Fame are the former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol, ex-Spurs guard Tony Parker and WNBA legend Becky Hammon.

The official announcement of the HOF Class of 2023 will be made later this week during the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four in Houston.

Wade deserved his HOF status thanks to a storied career that included three NBA titles with the Heat. He was a 13-time All-Star, and also has an NBA Finals MVP award from 2006 on his resume.

Nowitzki is arguably the greatest player in the history of the Mavs. He led the franchise to its only NBA championship in 2011 while winning the MVP award in 2007 and being selected to 14 All-Star teams.

Popovich is one of the best basketball coaches in the history of the game. He won five NBA titles with the Spurs while being selected NBA Coach of the Year three times.

Gasol won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and has six All-Star nods, while Parker is a four-time NBA champion and has an NBA Finals MVP award from 2007. Hammon, who currently coaches the Las Vegas Aces, was six-time WNBA All-Star.

The post Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, and Gregg Popovich Elected to Hall of Fame appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Most NBA fans know the Cinderella story that transpired that season. Nowitzki and his band of brothers were never expected to get far in the playoffs, let alone make it to the championship round. The Heat, on the other hand, were led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh—and were the heavily anticipated favorites to win it all from the very start.

What folks don’t know is that Nowitzki apparently got a little bit ticked off at the Miami Heat’s Big Three. While normally perceived as a calm, kindly fellow, the news that he had some beef with them is actually kind of refreshing.

According to his fellow Dallas teammate that championship season JJ Barea, Nowitzki couldn’t stand their opponents. Barea revealed as much in JJ Redick’s podcast: “[Nowitzki] was not going to let us lose. The way he prepared the whole year for it. He hated Miami. He hated LeBron, Wade, Bosh. He’s never going to say that, but he couldn’t stand it.”

The post JJ Barea Reveals Dirk Nowitzki “Hated Miami” in 2011 NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite Dallas describing Nowitzki’s Achilles injury as minor, the 40-year-old is yet to join the Mavericks for training, two weeks before the new season commences. The German is currently with the team in Shanghai but he isn’t expected to play as the Mavericks face off the 76ers on Friday in a preseason friendly.

“This is weeks, not days, as far as getting on the court for live action,” Coach Rick Carlisle said on Tuesday. “He is making gradual progress, but we’re not just at a point where we can talk about a hard timeline or anything like that.”

A great player in his prime, Nowitzki averaged 12 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. His average play-time was 24 minutes. With a total of 31,183 points, the German ranks sixth among the league’s active top scorers.

Nowitzki suffered an injury to his left ankle last season. He opted for surgery in April and began recovery efforts hoping all would be well by July. It was not until media day that the 40-year-old admitted there was doubt he would be opening the season with the rest of the team.

This season will be Nowitzki’s 21^st in the league. He debuted in 1998 for the Milwaukee Bucks and led the Mavericks to their first championship in 2011.

The post Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki Expected to Miss Season Opener with Achilles Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.