INDIANAPOLIS — Two of the biggest stars in the NBA in the glorious 2000s stand at the precipice of basketball immortality.
Aerial acrobat Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups lead a cast of 14 finalists for enshrinement in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Among the other notables in the cast of 14 include Bo Ryan, the winningest coach in the history of the University of Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program.
A product of the University of North Carolina, Carter, was an eight-time All-Star, a Slam Dunk champion, Rookie of the Year and Olympic gold medalist. He retired in 2020 as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, finishing his career with 25,728 points scored.
Known as “Mr. Big Shot” for his clutch efforts as the leader of the 2004 NBA champions Detroit Pistons, Billups earned five All-Star nods and a two-time All-Defensive Team selection. He was the MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals.
Billups is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Ryan went 747-233 (.762) in 32 seasons with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin. He led the Badgers to 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances and back-to-back Final Fours in 2014 and 2015.
Other player finalists include Michael Cooper of the Showtime Lakers ; the first Australian, man or woman, to play internationally in point guard Michele Timms; three-time NAIA national champion with Tennessee A&I University and two-time NBA champion with the New York Knicks, Dick Barnett; and six-time All-Star and the Phoenix Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Walter Davis.
