OKC Thunder: Hall of Fame 2021 class includes former nemesis Bosh

This week the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame will induct the 2021 class. Although there aren’t any  OKC Thunder former players in the mix one specific inductee has a history versus the club.

A quartet of big-name talents is being inducted including Chris Bosh, Chris Webber Paul Pierce, and Ben Wallace. All but Webber won titles although his Kings fought they kept running up against the Lakers or Spurs.

Pierce’s Celtics won the title in 2007-08 and were key players in the East until Danny Ainge blew up the team at the end of 2013 notoriously cleaning out the Nets draft closet. That move led to changes in the CBA with teams not allowed to trade consecutive first-round picks.

The OKC Thunder missed Webber who retired in 2008 while Wallace was at the end of his 16-year career.

Inductee Bosh won the title versus OKC Thunder Big 3

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Of all the inductees, Bosh is the player with history versus the OKC Thunder. CB1 was part of the Heat Big 3 of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. In 2011-12 when the Thunder reached the finals it was Bosh and the Heatles who prevailed to win their first title.

At the time the trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden looked poised to be perennial finalists. Instead, Harden was traded prior to the 2012-13 season, KD left in 2016 and the team never got back to the finals.

All 16 members will be inducted including coaches Rick Adelman (NBA), Jay Wright (NCAA), Bill Russell (NBA) and, Cotton Fitzsimmons. The WNBA will induct players Yolanda Griffith and Lauren Jackson and former president Val Ackerman.

In terms of the upcoming schedule for this weekend’s Basketball Hall of Fame events, there will be a news conference with inductee interviews on Friday starting at 2:00 p.m.  Later that evening, at 6:00 p.m. the tip-off celebration and awards gala occurs. On Saturday the weekend wraps up with the enshrinement ceremony beginning at 7:00 p.m.