Payton among seven voted into Hall of Fame

ATLANTA, Georgia (AFP) –

Gary Payton of the Miami Heat holds the Larry O’Brien trophy on June 20, 2006 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Payton and four-time NBA All-Star Bernard King were among seven people voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this year, officials announced on Monday.

Nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton and four-time NBA All-Star Bernard King were among seven people voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this year, officials announced on Monday.

US college coaching greats Jerry Tarkanian, Guy Lewis and Rick Pitino plus five-time Women’s NBA All-Star Dawn Staley and three-time US women’s coach of the year Sylvia Hatchell were also voted into the sporting honor roll.

Enshrinement ceremonies will be staged September 8 at Springfield, Massachusetts, and will include five previously announced members elected to the Hall of Fame by various committees.

Brazilian legend Oscar Schmidt was among those previously named to the Class of 2013.

Payton, known as “The Glove” for his defensive skills, had 2,445 career steals and was the 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He played on Olympic gold medal US teams in 1996 and 2000 and won an NBA title with Miami in 2006.

First-time nominees who failed to obtain enough support from the honors committee for induction included six-time NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond, five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway and two-time NBA champion coach Tom Heinsohn.

Also missing out from among the finalists were four-time NBA All-Stars Maurice Cheeks and Spencer Haywood.