Basketball Stars By ESPN Kids Writer

Basketball players need many different skills to be the best at their sport. It's not just about being able to put the ball in the hoop. It's about dribbling, passing, rebounding and playing defense. Being a great basketball player means understanding the game. This past weekend, three basketball greats were inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Each of these individuals excelled at the game because they worked hard to truly understand it.

Michael Jordan: This six-time NBA champion is considered the greatest player ever to play in the NBA. To this day, many young players try to imitate the way he played the game. He is most famous for the way he soared through the air before dunking the ball. Jordan, however, didn't automatically become a great basketball player. He had to work hard every day while growing up to become the best. In fact, in high school, he didn't make the basketball team as a freshman! But he didn't give up and continued to practice. All that hard work paid off this weekend as Jordan entered the Hall of Fame.

John Stockton: One of the best point guards of all time, Stockton played his entire career with the Utah Jazz. What made Stockton great is that he was an extremely unselfish player. He always looked to get his teammates the ball. Rarely did he want to score points himself - he tried to put his teammates in position to score. In fact, he has the most assists of any player in history. Stockton was also a great defender, holding the NBA record for career steals. He was never a flashy superstar, just a great player who knew how to do the little things to make his team and his teammates better.

David Robinson: Over the course of his career with the San Antonio Spurs, Robinson did just about everything. He led the league in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots and was named to the NBA's all-defensive team eight times. Robinson also led the Spurs to two NBA Championships. Robinson was a true all-around player who worked hard in every facet of the game. He wasn't content to be just a good scorer or shot blocker - he wanted to be good at everything. It takes a special kind of player to have that determination and work ethic, and that is why he is now in the Hall of Fame.

These three Hall of Famers are very different types of players, but they have one thing in common - they all had the dedication necessary to become some of the best basketball players ever.

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