<p>SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce, “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers star Michael Cooper and 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh lead a list of 14 finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021.</p>
<p>The list announced Tuesday features six other first-time finalists: former NBA coach Rick Adelman, two-time NCAA champion and Villanova coach Jay Wright, two-time Olympic gold medalist Yolanda Griffith, three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson and former WNBA coach of the year Marianne Stanley, plus Hall of Famer Bill Russell for inclusion as a coach.</p>
<p>Russell, who won 11 NBA titles while playing for the Celtics, became the NBA’s first Black head coach in 1966 while he was still a player. He led Boston to back-to-back NBA titles in 1967-68 and 1968-69 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1975.</p>
<p>Rounding out the list of finalists are Leta Andrews, the all-time winningest high school coach, male or female; Michigan “Fab Five” member Chris Webber; 2000 Olympic gold medalist Tim Hardaway; five-time NBA All-Star Marques Johnson and four-time NBA defensive player of the year Ben Wallace.</p>
<p>The Class of 2021 will be announced on May 16. The enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for September in Springfield. The exact date has not been released.</p>
<p>The Class of 2020 ceremony, headlined by the late Lakers star Kobe Bryant, was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been rescheduled for May 14-16 in Uncasville, Connecticut.</p>
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