New Orleans ? Robert Parish and James Worthy played against each other during the fierce Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 1980s and were among the 50 greatest players in NBA history. On Monday, they became teammates, elected together to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

“I’m still floating, trying to grasp the impact,” Parish said. “When I’m inducted I’ll think of all my teammates.”

Also chosen for the basketball shrine were Meadowlark Lemon of the Harlem Globetrotters, NBA pioneer Earl Lloyd, longtime Louisiana Tech women’s coach Leon Barmore, Italian player Dino Meneghin and the late Chick Hearn, who broadcast 3,338 consecutive Laker games.

The seven were selected from a record group of 30 finalists and will be inducted in early September in Springfield, Mass.

Parish holds the NBA record for seasons (21) and games (1,611). He spent 14 seasons with the Celtics and became a star in Boston after six seasons with Golden State.

“It would have been a short career if I had not been traded to Boston,” he said.

Teamed with Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Parish gave Boston a formidable front court and the Celtics won titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986. A nine-time All-Star, he holds the NBA record for defensive rebounds (10,117) and his 14,715 rebounds are sixth best in history.