The Class of 2020: A look at basketball's new Hall of Famers

by: ABS-CBN Sports

FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2007, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, top, goes up for a shot between Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, left, and Al Jefferson during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are all expected to be officially announced as members of the 2020 enshrinement class for the Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Branimir Kvartuc, File)

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

A look at the newest members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, announced on Saturday:

KOBE BRYANT

Key stats: 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists per game in 20 NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Career accomplishments: Five-time NBA champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010), 18-time All-Star, 2008 NBA MVP, No. 4 scorer in NBA history, 15-time All-NBA player, scored career-high 81 points vs. Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006, four-time All-Star Game MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012), 2018 Academy Award winner for “Dear Basketball.”

Quote: “Mamba Out.” — How he ended his remarks at Staples Center after the last game of his career, a 60-point effort in 2016.

TIM DUNCAN

Key stats: 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocks per game in 19 NBA seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

Career accomplishments: Five-time NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), 15-time All-Star, two-time NBA MVP (2002, 2003), 15-time All-NBA player, 1998 NBA rookie of the year, 1997 NCAA player of the year at Wake Forest, one of three players in NBA history to be part of more than 1,000 regular-season wins.

Quote: “Thank you, Coach Pop, for being more than a coach ... for being more like a father to me.” — Duncan, to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, at his jersey retirement.

KEVIN GARNETT

Key stats: 17.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game in 21 NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.

Career accomplishments: 2008 NBA champion, 15-time All-Star, 2004 NBA MVP, 2008 NBA defensive player of the year, 2000 Olympic gold medalist, is only player NBA history with at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 blocks and 1,500 steals.

Quote: “Man, I’m so hyped right now. Anything is possible. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!” — Garnett in his on-court interview, moments after the Celtics won the 2008 championship.

TAMIKA CATCHINGS

Key stats: 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 steals per game in 15 WNBA seasons with the Indiana Fever.

Career accomplishments: 2012 WNBA champion and WNBA Finals MVP, 2011 WNBA MVP, 10-time All-Star, five-time defensive player of the year, seven-time steals champion, four-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), two-time world champion (2002, 2010), 1998 NCAA champion at Tennessee.

Quote: “I never would have dreamed that the WNBA would start in my freshman year in college and I would have the opportunity to play in a league that was designed just for me.” — Catchings, at her jersey retirement.

RUDY TOMJANOVICH

Key stats: 527-416 record in parts of 13 NBA seasons as coach of Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers; 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds. 2.0 assists per game in 11 seasons as player with Rockets.

Career accomplishments: Two-time NBA champion coach with Houston (1994, 1995), 2000 Olympic gold medal as coach, five-time NBA All-Star as player, career rebounding leader at Michigan, No. 2 pick in 1970 NBA draft.

Quote: “I have one thing to say to those non-believers: Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.” — Tomjanovich, after the Rockets won the 1995 NBA title as a No. 6 seed.

EDDIE SUTTON

Key stats: 806-326 record in parts of 37 seasons at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and San Francisco.

Career accomplishments: Two-time AP national coach of the year (1978, 1986), took three teams to the Final Four (Arkansas in 1978, Oklahoma State in 1995 and 2004), one of 12 coaches recognized by the NCAA for more than 800 Division I victories, nine regular-season conference titles, eight conference tournament titles.

Quote: “You have given me memories, guys, to take with me for the rest of my life.” — Sutton, when he announced his Oklahoma State retirement in 2006.

KIM MULKEY

Key stats: 604-101 record in 20 seasons as Baylor women’s coach.

Career accomplishments: Three-time NCAA champion coach with Baylor (2005, 2012, 2019), two-time national champion player at Louisiana Tech (AIAW in 1981, NCAA in 1982), two-time AP national women’s coach of the year (2012, 2019), combined career record as a Louisiana Tech player, Louisiana Tech assistant and Baylor coach of 1,164-175 (.869 winning percentage), now a member of eight Halls of Fame.

Quote: “I don’t coach to get into Hall of Fames. I don’t coach to get courts named after me.” — Mulkey, at the 2019 Final Four.

BARBARA STEVENS

Key stats: 1,058-291 record in 43 seasons at Clark, Massachusetts and Bentley.

Career accomplishments: Coached 2014 NCAA Division II national champions at Bentley with a 35-0 record, five-time WBCA Division II national coach of the year (1992, 1999, 2001, 2013, 2014), 16-time Northeast-10 coach of the year, coached Bentley for final 28 of its Division II-record 33 consecutive winning seasons and for Division II-record five consecutive 30-win seasons (1988-89 through 1992-93).

Quote: “They know what we are looking for from them. It’s really been somewhat easy in the sense of just giving them kind of the blueprint and letting them go ahead and execute.” — Stevens, during the 2014 NCAA title season.

PATRICK BAUMANN

Key stats: Secretary general of FIBA from 2003 through his death in 2018.

Career accomplishments: A player, referee and coach before joining the global basketball governing body FIBA, member of the International Olympic Committee, chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, viewed as major proponent of the growth of the 3x3 game and its inclusion in the Olympic program.

Quote: “We are delighted to have our own headquarters that reflect our sport and its values. The House of Basketball is not only a home for FIBA and its members, but for all lovers of basketball.” — Baumann, when FIBA’s new headquarters opened in 2013.