Iverson, O'Neal, Ming, Swoopes Set to Enter HOF

By ESPN

On the eve of his induction, Allen Iverson was in vintage form during Thursday's festivities at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Iverson, one of the headliners in the 10-member Class of 2016, arrived tardy and missed a jacket ceremony, then engaged in an enthralling half-hour question-and-answer session with reporters that culminated with an emotional Iverson fighting back tears as he thanked those who aided his journey to the Hall.

The Class of 2016 will be inducted Friday night at Springfield Symphony Hall.

Inductees received new "Naismith Orange" jackets Thursday at the Hall's Center Court, before taking part in individual news conferences.

Organizers initially stalled the scheduled 2 p.m. start, before announcing Iverson would be tardy. Settling into his chair in front of a throng of reporters after the jacket event, Shaquille O'Neal playfully needled Iverson's no-show.

"I don't know how you miss this," O'Neal said, before altering his voice to spoof Iverson's infamous "practice" rant. "Hall of Fame? I'm a franchise player. You talking about the Hall of Fame?!"

About 90 minutes into the two-hour event, Iverson arrived wearing paint-splattered jeans, a black T-shirt, gold chains and a New York Yankees cap. He slipped into his Hall of Fame jacket before sitting down for media duties.

Iverson's absence at the start of Thursday's festivities made O'Neal the center of attention. Fellow inductee Sheryl Swoopes said O'Neal offered her $1 million to fall while walking down the red carpet to receive her Hall of Fame jacket. Swoopes joked she considered it but passed when Shaq couldn't show her the actual money.

O'Neal produced one of the more comical moments of the jacket ceremony when he sprang from his seat to assist 7-foot-6 Yao Ming with putting on his oversized jacket.

Asked about Friday's bigger stage, O'Neal said he wouldn't feel any pressure to put on a show or keep things light at Friday's induction ceremony.

"I'm just going to go be myself," he said. "I don't think people expect me to give a serious speech with a lot of big words that I don't know what the pronunciation is. I'm just going to be myself and speak from the heart."

In addition to O'Neal, Iverson, Ming and Swoopes, the Class of 2016 features Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, ABA star Zelmo Beaty, 27-year NBA referee Darell Garretson, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, John McLendon and Cumberland Posey.