Introducing the 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame cast

Here is a look at the five other major inductees that will join Dikembe Mutombo in Friday’s Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony:

Jo Jo White

Thrown into the fire early after the retirements of Celtics legend Bill Russell and Sam Jones in 1969, Jo Jo White would become an All-Star in his second season and lead a series of contending Boston clubs for the bulk of his career. The long-armed White would push those Celtics to titles in 1974 and 1976 in much the same manner as he dragged an undermanned Team USA squad to a gold medal win in 1968 – Jo Jo was patient, potent when he had to be, and an expert leader. A seven-time All-Star, White ended his Boston career with averages of 18 points and five assists per contest, alongside outstanding defense.

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Spencer Haywood

Why it took this long for Spencer Haywood to make the Hall of Fame shouldn’t be a surprise. The Hall demands conformity, it detests those that went against basketball orthodoxy even decades ago, and its voters will hold a grudge. Injuries and drug abuse limited Haywood’s contributions as a pro, as the Hall is begrudgingly welcoming him in as an innovator – at a time when teams were not allowed to draft underclassmen, Haywood famously left college early to dominate the ABA, and eventually become a star in the NBA after a long legal battle. His story is as important as any other Hall of Famer that has ever been inducted.

John Calipari

John Calipari’s time in the NBA was brief and mostly unsuccessful, as he’s being inducted to the Hall on the back of his 77 percent winning percentage as college coach, alongside one national championship and six trips to the Final Four. In NBA circles, Calipari has moved on from his poor showing as coach and personnel chief of the New Jersey Nets to become an antihero of sorts. The current Kentucky coach routinely encourages players not to stick around for extra years on campus, offering labor for free, mindful of the fact that a potential professional basketball player’s window for earning compensation for his services is a small one.

Lisa Leslie

One of the greatest and most decorated basketball players to play the game, Leslie dominated at the high school, collegiate, pro and international levels. An ambidextrous center with unending offensive gifts, Leslie won four gold medals on the USA Women’s Team, and two more World Championships on top of that. An eight-time WNBA All-Star, Leslie pushed the Los Angeles Sparks to two WNBA titles while earning four league MVPs during her 12-year career. She retired in 2009 as the WNBA’s all time leader in points, rebounds and blocks.

Dick Bavetta

Recently retired after nearly 40 years of retiring NBA game, Dick Bavetta turned down a job at a Wall St. brokerage firm to move up the officiating ranks. A ubiquitous presence in dozens of crucial playoff games in the 1980s and 1990s, Bavetta grew to be beloved by players for his fair work with the whistle, and indefatigable exercise habits (he ran several miles each morning, even on days with a game scheduled that evening, in order to sustain his longevity). Bavetta retired after having officiated more games than any other NBA ref in the league’s history.

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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops