Utah Jazz: Karl Malone, John Stockton get another Hall of Fame induction
By Ryan Aston
Utah Jazz legends Karl Malone and John Stockton, along with the rest of the 1992 Olympic Dream Team, have been inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Karl Malone and John Stockton wrapped up their legendary run with the Utah Jazz well over a decade ago. Nevertheless, their respective careers on the hardwood continue to impact and inform the game of basketball today.
Not just in Utah, or the United States, but on the international stage, where the sport continues to explode.
On Saturday, the NBA’s ultimate 1-2 punch were honored once again for their accomplishments. More specifically, what they did to help deliver the game to a global audience as part of the greatest team ever assembled.
At an induction ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Jazz legends joined the rest of the 1992 USA men’s senior national team, as headliners of the FIBA Hall of Fame’s 2017 class.
The Dream Team’s induction marks the first time FIBA’s HOF has honored a team since its inaugural class in 2007.
San Antonio Spurs legend and Dream Teamer David Robinson received the honor on the team’s behalf.
Said FIBA President Horacio Muratore —
"“It has been 25 years since the Dream Team amazed us all at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. We normally would not induct a team into the FIBA Hall of Fame, but we are making an exception for the Dream Team because of its outstanding contribution to the development of international basketball.”"
There’s little to say about America’s gold-medal performance at the ’92 summer games that isn’t requisite knowledge for basketball fans. That said — and this isn’t a newsflash — without the Dream Team, basketball probably wouldn’t be the global sport it is today.
Their incredible run also helped open the NBA’s doors to international players like Dirk Nowitzki, Rudy Gobert and Ricky Rubio.
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While Stockton battled injuries throughout the ’92 squad’s run, Karl Malone was a key cog for head coach Chuck Daly. He was third on team in scoring at 13 points per contest, while corralling a team-best 5.3 rebounds per game.
The ’92 Dream Team was previously honored by the Naismaith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with an induction in 2010.
Other inductees to this year’s FIBA HOF class include Mickey Berkowitz (Israel), Pero Cameron (New Zealand), Toni Kukoc (Croatia), Razija Mujanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Shaquille O’Neal (USA), Valdis Valters (Latvia) and Dusan Ivkovic (Serbia).