Basketball Hall of Fame’s lack of transparency is back in focus with new inductees

The NBA does pageantry better than anyone and that extends to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — with induction night on Sunday sure to be filled with viral moments, laughter and tears. Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, the late Walter Davis and Michael Cooper are the headliners in this year’s class — along with the recently passed Jerry West being honored in the contributors category.

But does anyone know exactly how the inductees are selected, and who does it?

It’s too important of an event to be covered under the shroud of secrecy, and it’s an important event because of the work the NBA has done in revitalizing it — headed by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo, whose basketball resume is never-ending. You feel like you’re walking into a basketball shrine in Springfield, Massachusetts, from all the shoes, basketballs and jerseys of the greats to exhibits on the evolution of the rims themselves.

The Hall has gotten that part right because the NBA wanted it to, and the league knew that compared to other professional sports, it lagged behind in making the weekend as glorious as it could be.

But when you look at the classes in the Hall, there are some inconsistencies in the selections — even if most of them are no-brainers. All we know is the media will get an email from the Hall sometime in February announcing the finalists and then before the NCAA Final Four the class will be revealed.

John Doleva, Jerry Colangelo, Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Michael Cooper, Bo Ryan, Charles Smith, Doug Collins and Herb Simon pose for photos during a ceremony honoring the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

It’s cute and tidy, but the transparency is lacking.

This is a league that listens and reacts, and is very sensitive to the belief that things aren’t as clear-cut as they should be, in full view of the public. Its draft lottery — while done in a room where media and team personnel aren’t allowed to bring phones or video devices inside to ensure integrity — is shown to all in the moment. The media…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-11 19:27:37

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