ESPN’s Lobo, McGrady get the call to Hoops Hall: social media reaction
ESPN basketball analysts Rebecca Lobo and Tracy McGrady were named among the sport’s icons selected for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2017, it was announced Saturday.
Lobo is a former UConn women’s basketball star who led the Huskies to an undefeated season and national title in 1995. After helping the United States win a gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games, she became a charter member of the WNBA. After retiring from the WNBA in 2003, Lobo joined ESPN in 2004 serving as a WNBA and women’s college basketball analyst and reporter. She worked on the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four coverage in Dallas this past weekend.
McGrady, a two-time NBA scoring champion and seven-time All-Star, is an analyst for ESPN’s The Jump and NBA Countdown. McGrady played 15 NBA seasons with four teams but had his best years with the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets. At 37, he is the youngest person in the 11-member 2017 enshrinement class.
The induction ceremonies will be held Friday, Sept. 8, in Springfield, Mass., at the Hall of Fame.
Here’s a sampling of social media reaction to the news of the Lobo and McGrady honors:
Congrats Bill Self, Rebecca Lobo, Tracy McGrady, Muffet McGraw and the 2017 Class of Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame! https://t.co/9jkC32txAf
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) April 1, 2017
#17HoopClass "Today is one of the greatest days of my life. It's an incredible feeling to be part of the Hall of Fame family."-Tracy McGrady pic.twitter.com/jb4B0cnC4Q
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 1, 2017
Former UConn star Rebecca Lobo inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. #UConnNation
LINK: https://t.co/Kp2EeQUvTh pic.twitter.com/Fd3krJtXCe
— UConn Women's Hoops (@UConnWBB) April 1, 2017
Congratulations to @Real_T_Mac, for being elected to the 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame class! #Rockets50 https://t.co/C5tTXbtXQq pic.twitter.com/Pj8bGLw5Pa
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 1, 2017
Rebecca Lobo elected to Basketball Hall of Fame #FOX61 https://t.co/RzaZM85VKz pic.twitter.com/HEvgN6LlDV
— FOX 61 (@FOX61News) April 1, 2017
Tracy McGrady will be enshrined as part of the 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame class: https://t.co/gDqQ9Mqo9n pic.twitter.com/ObnLCFyxgl
— Complex (@Complex) April 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/Rachel__Nichols/status/848206574099210241
Congrats @RebeccaLobo 2017 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame!!
Well deserved… AWESOME player & ambassador for the game!!#UCONN pic.twitter.com/806DqPhq5t
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) April 3, 2017
Tracy McGrady and Bill Self headline 2017 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class https://t.co/HF9KR2K4EL pic.twitter.com/TCGYoS31h2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 1, 2017
#17HoopClass @WNBA Pioneers: Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie; "It was fun when the league started to come together." – Lobo pic.twitter.com/ZadA62Oj8S
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 1, 2017
Tracy McGrady is the first Basketball Hall of Famer who went straight from high school to the NBA (Moses Malone played in ABA before NBA). https://t.co/baqmApIcMY
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) April 1, 2017
#17HoopClass Rebecca Lobo was front and center in the @WNBA’s inaugural game on June 21, 1997 between @LA_Sparks and @nyliberty pic.twitter.com/s5VhX37cew
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 1, 2017
So. Dayyum.Happy. Proud. Pumped. Downright giddy. For my partner/jogging buddy/ride or die homie @RebeccaLobo on making the HOF!!Congrats B! pic.twitter.com/4gYfaoNO1M
— Ryan Ruocco (@RyanRuocco) April 1, 2017
A pioneer for women’s basketball and member of the undefeated '95 @UCONNWBB team, we welcome @RebeccaLobo. #17HoopClass pic.twitter.com/zCwTE008PU
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 1, 2017
An NCAA champ with @UConnWBB & Olympic gold medalist turned WNBA All-Star… watch @RebeccaLobo work! #17HoopClass pic.twitter.com/tYuyYQMGbG
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/LaChinaRobinson/status/848297752509517824
So happy for this 13-y-o kid, @RebeccaLobo , with her big dreams and her Bruce album, on her way to the @hoophall . pic.twitter.com/USHlK1D0Gy
— Steve Rushin (@SteveRushin) April 1, 2017
Everybody's ALL AMERICAN & face of women's basketball for decades. ❤️her more than words. HALL OF FAMER @RebeccaLobo pic.twitter.com/Imhv6XRo0Y
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) April 1, 2017
Congratulations to the one and only 5-0!! The great @RebeccaLobo
— Doris Burke (@heydb) April 1, 2017
Rachel Siegal and Anna Negron contributed to this post.