Utah Jazz duo honored to be at Hall

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The official Enshrinement Ceremony will happen tonight (4:30, ESPN), but the five members who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009 took time this morning to reminisce and revel in the moment.

John Stockton said he is "honored" to be, well, honored with basketball's highest merit. Jerry Sloan called it a "wonderful feeling just to be a part of this group." David Robinson smiled while talking about living "every kid's dream." Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer called it a "surreal, unimaginable" honor.

And the other guy?

Michael Jordan was quite gracious as well.

Though the guy who's generally regarded as the best basketball player ever is stealing the limelight, the Bulls legend said the honor is his to be inducted alongside two Olympian friends (Stockton and Robinson), "The Original Bull" (Sloan), and a family friend (Stringer).

"It's truly a pleasure for me to be a part of this," Jordan told the mass of media at the HOF's Center Court.

"Contrary to what you guys believe, it's not just me going into the Hall of Fame, it's a group of us," Jordan added. "And I'm glad to be a part of them. Believe me. I'm going to remember them as much as they're going to remember me."

The five new Hall-of-Famers received their navy-blue Class of 2009 jackets prior to the press conference. They then attended a public celebration in downtown Springfield, and will be enshrined at Symphony Hall later in the day.

"I'm just honored to be here with this particular class. They are unique competitors, intelligent, prepared, courageous," Stockton said. "Quite honestly, just to be up here standing on this stage next to these people is an honor and they're great people as well."

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