Springfield, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today plans for a commemorative September 11 moment during the Enshrinement Ceremony for the Class of 2021. The ceremony will begin with Ray Allen (’18) welcoming the audience and offering a reflection on this solemn day, followed by GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, Anthony Hamilton, who will perform “America the Beautiful”. The Springfield Police and Fire Color Guard will be present to represent and remember those first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11th, 2001.
"On the 20th anniversary of the attacks on our country, it is important for us to recognize and honor the victims, as well as all whose lives were forever changed that day," said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, "This will be an important part of the Enshrinement Ceremony and we look forward to Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who is also the son of a U.S Military Serviceman, leading our efforts to show our respect to those who protect our country with their military service as well as our first responders.”
The evening will begin at 6:00 PM EST with the Enshrinement Ceremony Red Carpet Show at MassMutual Center. Following the Red Carpet, the Enshrinement Ceremony will begin at 7:00 PM EST. The events will be broadcasted live on NBA TV.
The Class of 2021 inductees are ninth-winningest coach in NBA history Rick Adelman, two-time NBA champion and 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh, NBA Finals MVP and 10-time NBA All-Star Paul Pierce, the first Black NBA head coach Bill Russell, four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Champion Ben Wallace, five-time NBA All-Star and NBA Rookie of the Year Chris Webber, two-time NCAA national champion Villanova coach Jay Wright, seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Yolanda Griffith and seven-time WNBA All-Star and three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player Lauren Jackson.
As the health and safety of Hall of Famers, fans and staff is of the utmost importance, the Basketball Hall of Fame has implemented COVID-19 protocols for all guests and staff attending or working the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend. Guest protocols are posted on https://www.hoophall.com/events/enshrinement-2021.
For more information and the latest updates, visit The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Enshrinement 2021 (hoophall.com) or follow @hoophall on Twitter and Instagram.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #21HoopClass or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.