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Mike D’Antoni has his prints all over the modern game of basketball.
The coach, who began his NBA career as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets in the 1997-98 season before becoming head coach of the Phoenix Suns in the 2003-04 season, is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 15 as part of the class of 2026.
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In the 2000s, ‘experts’ thought D’Antoni was insane for idolizing offense and less defense. D’Antoni influenced the game through his up-tempo, ‘space-and-pace’ philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy – emphasizing ball movement, shooting, and efficiency, and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport.
His Suns’ offense was deemed ‘seven seconds or less,’ meaning that players had the green light to shoot good, high-volume shots within seven seconds of a 24-second shot clock.
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2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honors enshrinees
Outside the Springfield Symphony Hall before the start of the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony.
(David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honors enshrinees
Outside the Springfield Symphony Hall before the start of the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony.
(David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honors enshrinees
Outside the Springfield Symphony Hall before the start of the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony.
(David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honors enshrinees
Outside the Springfield Symphony Hall before the start of the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony.
(David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honors enshrinees
A general view outside of the Symphony Hall prior to the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall on August 15, 2026 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
(Elsa, Getty Images)
D’Antoni’s impact spans…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/former-nba-coach-mike-dantoni-233455839.html
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Publish date : 2026-08-15 23:34:00
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