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The finalists for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame include Gasol, Nowitzki, and Parker.
The Basketball Hall of Fame has unveiled the list of Class of 2023 finalists on the doorstep of enshrinement this summer.
Three international basketball greats Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tony Parker were on the list of players,
Dwyane Wade a key figure in the Miami Heat's three championship teams as well as San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich are also among the nominees.
Gasol on nomination
Gasol was the coach of Team Pau at the NBA All-star Rising challenge and was present at the unveiling ceremony.
He explained what it means to be on the verge of being enshrined in the basketball hall of fame after retirement.
He said, “It's really about the journey. These type of recognitions, which are an amazing honor, they come along when you do things very, very well for a long time and when you love what you do.
"I'm just privileged to have played the game for so long, at a high level, with amazing people who taught me so much.”
Wade celebrates nomination
Miami Heat legend Wade was present at the occasion and stated it was an honor to make the final list.
Wade who led Team Dwyane to victory at the NBA All-Star Celebrity game explained that he has always been a dreamer and is proud to finally be able to celebrate his career.
He said, “A young Dwyane Wade never would have thought this moment would be here.
“Sometimes when you're young and you have a dream, a lot of people don't believe in your dream. It seems so far-fetched. But I've always been a dreamer."
In a stacked class, Gasol won NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and led Spain to a FIBA world championship,
Nowitzki led Dallas to the 2011 NBA title where he spent his 21-year career and is sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list
Wade was an Olympic champion and 13-time All-Star. Popovich has coached San Antonio to five NBA titles and led the U.S. to the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics
Parker was the point guard to the Spurs team that won four championships and his teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are already Hall of Famers.
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