| Detroit Free Press
On Tuesday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 14 finalists for the 2021 class: Two of Michigan’s best are qualified for the selection once again.
Detroit Pistons striker Ben Wallace and former Michigan basketball star Chris Webber occupy positions alongside notables like former Pistons assistant coach and NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors striker Chris Bosh and Villanova coach Jay Wright.
The 2021 class will be announced on May 16. The consecration ceremony will take place in September.
The full list of eligible candidates for 2021 can be seen here.
This is the third time Wallace has been named a finalist and the fifth time for Webber.
Wallace won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times during his career (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006), four times the NBA’s All-Star (2003-2006) and was a member of the 2004 NBA Pistons squad championship . After jumping to Bulls and Cavs, Wallace ended his career with the Pistons for a three-year period from 2009-2012. His shirt was retired by the team in 2016.
Webber, a product of the Birmingham Detroit Country Day, was Mr. Basketball of Michigan in 1991. He was a member of the famous Fab Five of Michigan who went to the Final Fours in consecutive seasons (1992-1993). Chosen as No. 1 overall in 1993 by the Orlando Magic, Webber spent time with the Warriors, Bullets (now Wizards) before his most successful NBA stop, the Sacramento Kings.
Webber joined nine consecutive seasons with an average of 20 points per game (1994-2003) and was an All-Star and All-NBA team five times. In 2007, Webber returned to Detroit to play for the Pistons before retiring in 2008.
The other finalists: Bill Russell (formerly appointed as a player, finalist as a coach), Rick Adelman (coach), Paul Pierce, Michael Cooper, Jay Wright (coach), Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Marianne Stanley (coach), Leta Andrews ( technician), Marques Johnson.