The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced this summer’s finalists.
The finalists consist of North American, Women’s, Men’s Veterans, Women’s Veterans, International and Contributor categories. This year’s introductory class will be announced on Saturday, April 4 at noon and will air on ESPN 2. The announcement will coincide with Final Four weekend.
“This year’s group of finalists represents the full scope of basketball’s impact, from the professional and collegiate ranks to high school, international play, refereeing and innovation,” said Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Their achievements include championships, historic milestones and a lasting impact on the way the game is played, taught and experienced around the world. Each finalist has made a remarkable contribution to the growth and excellence of basketball, and their collective legacy speaks to the power of the sport.”
This year’s induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 15 at the historic Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists
North American Committee Finalists
Joey Crawford [referee]: A 39 year old N.B.A As an officiating veteran, Crawford officiated a record 374 playoff games and 50 NBA Finals games. From 1986 to 2015, he worked every NBA Finals series.
Highlight little [coach]: Few is a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year and has led Gonzaga to two NCAA championship games and 25 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. He also served as an assistant coach for the 2024 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team.
Blake Griffin [player]: A six-time All-Star, Griffin played a key role in the Los Angeles Clippers’ “Lob City” era, which also included Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. A thunderous dunker, Griffin won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2011, which was also the year he was named NBA Rookie of the Year.
Kevin Johnson [player]: Johnson spent his entire twelve-year NBA career with the Phoenix Suns and was a key member of their 1993 Western Conference championship team. A complete point guard, Johnson in the 1990–91 season was the first player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 10 assists, a .500 field goal percentage and two steals per game.
Gary McKnight [coach]: Since becoming Mater Dei High School’s coach in 1982, McKnight has led the team to more than 13,000 wins, the second-most ever among high school coaches. His list of individual accolades includes the Naismith Boys’ High School Coach of the Year Award in 2014.
Dick Motta [coach]: Motta won high school, college and pro championships. He led the Washington Bullets to an NBA title in 1978 and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1971. Motta’s other NBA accolades include ninth-most wins and 14th-most regular-season games coached.
Dock Rivers [coach]: Rivers, who currently coaches the Milwaukee Bucks, helped lead the Boston Celtics to an NBA title in 2008 and an Eastern Conference title in 2010. As coach of the Toronto Raptors, he won NBA Coach of the Year in 2000 while coaching future Hall of Famers Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. He also had a successful run with Griffin in Los Angeles, and previously had a thirteen-year NBA career of his own.
Kelvin Samson [coach]: Sampson is a two-time AP Coach of the Year and has led two schools to the Final Four (Oklahoma once and Houston twice). Sampson recently became the 17th men’s basketball coach (and fourth active) to reach 800 wins.
Amar’e Stoudemire [player]: A versatile and accomplished scorer, Stoudemire was a five-time All-NBA selection who averaged 21.4 points and 8.3 rebounds during his first eight seasons as a member of the Suns. He and Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash led the Suns to three Western Conference finals.
Jerry Welsh [coach]: One of the most successful Division III men’s basketball coaches in history, Welsh led SUNY Potsdam to a national title in 1981. Over a three-year span (1985-87), SUNY Potsdam set a Division III record with 60 consecutive wins, including a staggering 254-13 record at home.
Buck Williams [player]: An elite rebounder, Williams ranks third in NBA history in offensive boards (4,526) and 16th in total rebounds (13,017). A four-NBA All-Defensive Team, Williams was a key member of two Portland Trail Blazer teams that reached the NBA Finals.
Women’s committee finalists
1996 United States Women’s National Team: Coached by Tara VanDerveer, the ’96 squad captured the gold medal while winning each of their eight matches by an average margin of victory of more than 30 points. The team’s headliners included future Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards, Rebecca Lobo and Katrina McClain.
Jennifer Azzi [player]: Azzi, a 2021 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, had a season for the ages in 1990 while at Stanford. That season, she won Naismith College Player of the Year and the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player while leading Stanford to a national title. She was also a member of the 1996 Olympic team.
Elena Delle Donne [player]: Delle Donne was an extremely accomplished WNBA player whose list of accolades included being a two-time league MVP and being a member of the WNBA’s 25th anniversary team. She led the Washington Mystics to their first WNBA title in 2019.
Chamique Holdslaw [player]: Holdsclaw had a great career with Tennessee and the WNBA. After leading Tennessee to three consecutive national titles, Holdsclaw was a six-time All-Star during his 11-year WNBA career. She won a gold medal with the Olympic women’s team in 2000.
Candace Parker [player]: Like Holdsclaw, Parker had a memorable run at Tennessee before finding even more success in the WNBA. She won two national titles at Tennessee before capturing three WNBA titles and two league MVP awards. Parker also won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
Women’s Veterans Committee Finalist
Molly Bolin Kazmer [player]: Known as “Machine Gun Molly” for her prolific scoring ability, Bolin-Kazmer averaged 32.8 points in 1980–81, which was the highest professional scoring average ever by a woman. She led the Iowa Cornets to consecutive WBL championship appearances (1979, 1980) and set a single-game scoring record with 55 points on March 2, 1980.
Finalist of the International Committee
Dusan Ivkovic [coach]: A former Serbian player, Ivković won two EuroLeague championships (1997, 2012) and led the Yugoslav national team to an Olympic silver medal in 1988 and to a FIBA World Championship title in 1990. He coached several future NBA stars, including Dražen Petrović, Vlade Divac and Predrag Stojaković.
Contribution Committee Finalists
Tal Brody: Brody chose to play in Israel despite being the 12th overall pick in 1965 NBA draft. During his playing career abroad, Brody won 10 Israeli League titles and six State Cups. In 1979, he became the country’s first athlete to receive the Israel Prize, the country’s highest civilian honor.
Mike D’Antoni: One of the most innovative coaches in NBA history, D’Antoni’s up-tempo, space-and-tempo philosophy has changed the way offense is played at virtually every level of basketball. D’Antoni, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, won a gold medal as an assistant coach in 2012.
Veterans Committee Finalists
Brands Johnson: Johnson was credited with pioneering the “point forward” role and helped lead UCLA to a national title in 1975 while playing for legendary coach John Wooden. He was a five-time NBA All-Star who averaged 20.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during his 11-year career.
#Blake #Griffin #Candace #Parker #Doc #Rivers #among #Naismith #Basketball #Hall #Fame #finalists