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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- When Shaquille ONeal was 10 years old, his father made a prediction.Friday night when his son became a Hall of Famer, it was realized.Shaq and Allen Iverson headlined the 10-member Class of 2016 enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. One of the most star-packed classes in recent memory, it also featured international star Yao Ming, WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes, coach Tom Izzo, and owner Jerry Reinsdorf, an architect in the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls championship teams of the 1990s.If I know my father, hes up there arguing with Wilt (Chamberlain) that his son is the best big man in the game, Shaq said.Posthumous honorees were: 27-year NBA referee Darell Garretson; John McLendon, the first African-American coach in a professional league; Zelmo Beaty, the former NBA and ABA star who led Prairie View to an NAIA title in 1962; and Cumberland Posey, who is also a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.Shaq was an instant box office draw during his career because of his mammoth frame and rim-shaking dunks. But he also exhibited a personality that was as playful was it was engaging. He showed off all of it on Friday.He had the final speech of the night, a humorous dissertation that spanned his long journey in the sport.His speech had serious moments like thanking his parents, Phil Harrison and Lucille ONeal, for giving him the discipline and drive that drove his NBA dream.But he also tossed in light moments. He thanked former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant for helping him win three NBA titles, but also for getting me pushed off the team and traded to Miami.Before host Ahmad Rashad could even introduce Iverson, the first mention of his name started a roar of cheers throughout the assembled audience.Dressed in all black, former MVP known as A.I., blew kisses has tears began to form in his eyes.Thank God for loving me and blessing me, Iverson said, to be the man that I am and having no regrets for the man that I am. A man that my family loves, my teammates love and my fans love.Fighting tears throughout, Iverson thanked former Georgetown coach John Thompson for saving my life.(After) the incident happened in high school and all that was taken away...no other schools would recruit me anymore, Iverson recalled. My mom went to Georgetown and begged him to give me a chance. And he did.He said he later left Georgetown only as an OK basketball player.But once I started to listen to Larry Brown and take constructive criticism, I learned how much of a great, great coach that he really is. ... Thats when I became an MVP.Iverson saved his final thank you for wife Tawanna.Youre just the best to me, he said. I want you to walk around and be proud of yourself that you are a Hall of Famer.Two of the themes on the night were family and journeys. That was the essence of Swoopes speech, who was thankful of her path from tiny Brownsfield, Texas, and that her cancer-stricken mother, Louise, was able to see it.What a ride its been, she said.The 7-foot-6 Yaos arrival from China to the NBA in 2002 instantly helped bring the game to a broader international audience.He was Fridays first inductee, an honor which he joked that should have gone to Iverson.You know why? Because I need more practice than him, Yao said to applause from the crowd and a laugh from Iverson.Yao also thanked his early mentors in China, former NBA Commissioner David Stern for his vision in wanting Yao to play in the league, as well his first teammates on the Houston Rockets. He also singled is former NBA coaches, including Rudy Tomjonavich and Jeff Van Gundy.I will always consider you my family, Yao said. I am Texan and Houston Rocket for life.Izzo has become the face of the blue-collar Michigan State team while leading it to seven Final Fours and the NCAA championship in 2000.He thanked his parents, Carl and Dororthy, for being his first mentors. The 90-year-old Dorothy was in attendance, but Carl passed away last September.Izzo briefly got choked up as he spoke of his father, who he said instilled in him a work ethic that remains with him today.The seven Final Fours and championship are just frosting on the cake, Izzo said.Reinsdorf, the longtime Bulls owner, chronicled what led him to purchase the Bulls in 1984. It was a move he said legendary New York Yankees coach George Steinbrenner panned, telling him hed never make any money.He enjoyed proving him wrong.Its been a great life, he said. I know its the fourth quarter, but Im hoping for overtime.Like his father, Shaq too has a wish.One day when some father quizzes his sons on the greats of the game, I hope Shaquille ONeal will be the answer, he said.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower Custom Boston Celtics Jerseys .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Boston Celtics Jerseys . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Marcus-Smart-Jersey/ .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Gordon Hayward Celtics Jersey . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Larry Bird Celtics Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. WASHINGTON -- Billionaire Florida hockey team owner Vincent Viola is known more for his business success and sports deals than his military acumen. But the 1977 West Point graduate, President-elect Donald Trumps choice for Army secretary, has maintained his service ties since leaving active duty.While he has steadily built a financial empire -- listed 374th on Forbes Magazines top 400 with a net worth of $1.8 billion -- he also has poured money and time into the military academy. Viola was a key donor for the creation of West Points Combating Terrorism Center and has supported cadet programs.And as owner of the National Hockey Leagues Florida Panthers, he has sent the team to West Point for training, and there are several West Point graduates and military veterans working in the front office.If he is confirmed by the Senate, Viola will take over as civilian head of an Army struggling to recoup and recapitalize after more than 15 years at war. Under current plans, the Army would continue to downsize from a high of about 570,000 at the peak of the Iraq war, to 450,000 by 2019.Legislation not yet finalized for the next budget year would stall that drawdown at 476,000 soldiers, which is a bit higher than the current size of about 470,000.As secretary, Viola would be responsible for all management, budget, acquisition, personnel and base issues for a vast network of about 150 permanent installations around the world. Army soldiers are deployed in about 140 countries.Viola would replace Eric Fanning, who became secretary this year after spending the last eight years in various leadership positions across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Defense Department, including acting secretary of two services and chief of staff for DDefense Secretary Ash Carter.dddddddddddd Fannings tenure gave him extensive experience navigating the enormous and complicated Pentagon administrative and fiscal infrastructure -- a key challenge for any successor.A Brooklyn native, Viola paid $250 million for the Florida Panthers and is a past chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange.He is founder of several businesses, including Virtu Financial, an electronic trading firm. Viola has a stake in the company worth $1.5 billion, based on figures the firm sent in April to regulators.Virtu is a so-called market maker, acting as a middle man selling stocks and other assets to people who want to buy them and buying from people who want to sell.The company operates in the somewhat controversial high-speed trading industry in which firms use super-fast computers and algorithms to spot fleeting opportunities in stock and bond markets. The practice accounts for most stock trading during the day. Advocates say it provides more trading opportunities. Critics say it gives an unfair advantage to a few firms, and could lead to more spikes and plunges in prices.In a statement Monday, President-elect Donald Trump praised Viola, whose father came to the U.S. from Italy, as living proof of the American dream and someone who has long been engaged with national security issues.Violas was the first member of his family to attend college. He trained as an Airborne Ranger infantry officer and served in the 101st Airborne Division. He is a 1983 graduate of New York Law School.---Associated Press Writer Bernard Condon in New York contributed to this report. ' ' '