Allen shoutout to KG, Pierce
Ray Allen gave a shoutout to former Celtics teammates Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in his Hall of Fame induction speech last night in Springfield.
He called his teammates from the 2008 NBA champions “future Hall of Famers.”
Things haven’t been so smooth in their relationship since Allen left Boston to join LeBron James with the rival Miami Heat. Coach Doc Rivers says he wants to get everyone back together. Pierce says he’s moved past any issues they had.
Allen says he holds no grudges. But he said this week he didn’t expect to hear any congratulations from his former teammates.
Jason Kidd went through his entire pro and college career thanking people who helped him reach the Basketball Hall of Fame. He thanked his parents and his wife and his siblings.
Kidd is one of three point guards in the Class of 2018. Steve Nash and Maurice Cheeks were also among the 13 players, contributors and coaches to be inducted.
Wayne Gretzky made an appearance at a different Hall of Fame — in the video introducing fellow Canadian Nash. The hockey great credited Nash with spreading the love of basketball across the country.
Former Celtics forward Dino Radja wore a red and white checked tie for his Hall of Fame induction in a shoutout to his Croatian heritage.
Others inducted of note included: Grant Hill, former Celtics player Charlie Scott and former coach Lefty Driesell .
• The Atlanta Hawks signed guard R.J. Hunter, bringing him back to the city where he was a college star playing for his father. Hunter was a first-round pick of the Celtics in 2015 after he was the career scoring leader at Georgia State, coached by his father, Ron.
• Sophomore quarterback Seamus O’Leary of Holden was 10-of-13 for 117 passing yards with 51 rushing yards all during the second half for Bentley in a 24-22 come-from-behind Division 2 college football win over Southern Connecticut in New Haven, Conn.
• Iowa sophomore Luka Garza had surgery to remove a benign cyst in his abdomen and is out indefinitely.
• Kasey Kahne will not defend his Brickyard 400 victory because of dehydration issues he said result in an elevated heart rate while he is driving.
• Simon Yates cut in half Jesus Herrada’s Spanish Vuelta lead in a 13th stage won by Oscar Rodriguez in Sabero, Spain.
• Midfielder Jermaine Jones announced his retirement, 11 months after his last match for Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy. The 36-year-old midfielder, born in West Germany to an American father and West German mother, had four goals in 69 appearances for the United States from 2010-17.
• Neymar and Roberto Firmino scored first-half goals, and Brazil overwhelmed the United States, 2-0, in an exhibition before a sparse crowd at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.