NBA TV and NBA.com will provide extensive coverage during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend in Springfield, Mass., which culminates with the induction ceremony on Friday, Sept. 11. NBA.com will launched a special page on Friday, Sept. 4, featuring timelines detailing the impressive careers of the inductees, commentary and thoughts from TNT NBA announcers Ernie Johnson, Marv Albert, Doug Collins, Kenny Smith, Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley, and retrospectives from NBA.com writers. The 2009 class includes Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer; TNT analyst Doug Collins and New York Post writer Peter Vecsey will be recognized with the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Awards, while Johnny "Red" Kerr will be honored posthumously with the John Bunn Award, the Hall's highest honor other than enshrinement.

To tip off NBA TV's Hall of Fame coverage, the network will dedicate programming to each inductee during the week and will premiere exclusive 30-minute specials produced by NBA Entertainment. Monday, Sept. 7 will highlight the Utah Jazz player/coach duo of John Stockton and Jerry Sloan; Tuesday, Sept. 8 will feature Spurs great David Robinson; and Wednesday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 10, will be dedicated to the legendary Michael Jordan.

The week will culminate on Friday, Sept. 11 starting with NBA TV's exclusive, live broadcast of the Red Carpet Show prior to the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. ET. Hosted by Rick Kamla and featuring reporters David Aldridge and Craig Sager, the program will showcase the arrivals of the inductees and their special guests as well as provide interviews with attendees and Hall of Famers before the ceremony begins.

In addition to the special Hall of Fame page on NBA.com, the site will post exclusive interviews from the many special guests attending the ceremonies, including Hall of Famers, former NBA players and coaches. NBA.com will also post the inductees' speeches following the ceremony, along with the video compilations, voiced by Mike Breen, that will air during the ceremony to highlight the great moments and many achievements of each inductee.

On Thursday, Sept. 10, NBA.com will stream live the Special Awards Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET featuring Vecsey and Collins receiving the Curt Gowdy Media Awards; along with Ken Hudson, Bob Lanier and Alonzo Mourning, co-recipients of Mannie Jackson's Basketball Human Spirit Award presented by CSX; and Kerr, recipient of the John Bunn Award.

By Jonah Tarleton

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