The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the preliminary candidates for the Class of 2025, but before we get to that, a major change took place that has put forth new names that would not have been previously considered.
The Hall altered their eligibility wait time for the second time in ten years, as they have reduced the wait time for induction from three years to two. Previously, they changed it from six to five years to three to two.
Notably, going into 2025, no marquee names were eligible for induction. This allows Carmelo Anthony and Sue Bird to be eligible this year.
The Finalists will be chosen on February 14 in San Francisco as part of the Final Four weekend. Following that, on April 5th, during NBA All-Star Game weekend, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced.
Here is a complete list of all of the participants:
NORTH AMERICAN NOMINEES:
2008 United States Olympic Team (TEA). Coached by Mike Krzyzewski (with Jim Boeheim, Nate McMillan, and Mike D’Antoni), the United States beat Spain in the finals. The roster included Carlos Boozer, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, and Carmelo Anthony.
Carmelo Anthony (PLA). A member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, Anthony led Syracuse to a National Championship in 2003 and would become a ten-time All-Star and a six-time All-NBA player (two Second Team and three Third Team). Melo is also a former NBA scoring champion who compiled 28,289 career Points and internationally is a three-time Olympic Gold Medal winner (2008, 2012 & 2016). He played for Denver, New York, Oklahoma City, Houston, Portland, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rick Barnes (COA). Barnes is the current Head Coach of the Tennessee Volunteers and took Texas to the 2003 Final Four. He was the 2019 Naismith Coach of the Year, a four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, and has over 800 wins in a career that also saw him also coach George Mason, Providence, and Clemson.
Gene Bartow (COA). Bartow had a career record of 647-353 with runs as the Head Coach of Central Missouri State, Valparaiso, Memphis State, UCLA, and UAB. He was a one-time MVC Coach of the Year, a three-time Sun Belt Coach of the Year, and is member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
John Beilein (COA). Beilein is best known for taking Michigan to two Final Fours (2012 & 2018) and was also a former Big Ten Coach of the Year. With a lifetime NCAA record of 754-425, Beilein also was a former HC at Richmond and West Virginia. He is already inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tom Chambers (PLA). A former Hall of Fame Finalist, Chambers went to four All-Star Games and a two-time Second Team All-NBA Selection as a Seattle SuperSonic. Also playing for San Diego, Phoenix, Utah, Charlotte, and Philadelphia, Chambers scored 20,049 Points.
John Clougherty (REF). Clougherty was a longtime NCAA referee who officiated 12 Final Fours.
Danny Crawford (REF). Crawford was an NBA Referee from 1984 to 2017 and worked 23 straight NBA Finals.
Terry Cummings (PLA). Cummings was the 1983 Rookie of the Year with the San Diego Clippers but is best known for his time in Milwaukee, where he was twice an All-Star. Also playing for San Antonio, Seattle, Philadelphia, New York, and Golden State, Cummings had 19,460 Points.
Jack Curran (COA). Curran was a 22-time CHSAA Basketball Coach of the Year at St. Ann’s Academy/Archbishop Molloy.
Bobby Dibler (REF). Dibler refereed in the NCAA where he worked 14 NCAA Tournaments, three Final Fours, and two National Championship Games.
Don Donoher (COA). Donher was the Head Coach at the University of Dayton from 1964 to 1989 and took the Flyers to an NIT Championship in 1968. He had an overall record of 437-275 and was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Billy Donovan (COA). Currently the Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls, Donovan’s Hall of Fame path lies in the University of Florida, where he took the Gators to four SEC Tournament Championships, four Final Fours, and two NCAA Championships (2006 & 2007). The three-time SEC Coach of the Year also had stints as the Marshall Head Coach and Oklahoma City Thunder HC.
Mark Few (COA). Few are arguably the most important men in Gonzaga's history; as of this writing, he is still their head coach. He took the Bulldogs to two Final Fours (2017 & 2021) and won 19 WCC Tournaments. He is also a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year and 12-time WCC Coach of the Year.
Robert Foley (COA). Foley compiled 980 wins as a high school coach in Massachusetts, a state record. He coached for 61 years.
Mike Gminski (PLA). Gminski was an All-American and ACC Player of the Year at Duke and went on to have a 15-year career in the NBA, playing for New Jersey, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Milwaukee.
Anfernee Hardaway (PLA). Twice named the Great Midwest Player of the Year when he was at Memphis, Hardaway would have an excellent run professionally with the Orlando Magic, going to four All-Stars and earning two First Team All-NBAs and was close to being one of the most popular players in the sport. He also logged time with Phoenix, New York, and Miami and was a Gold Medal winner on the 1996 U.S. Olympic Men’s Team.
Lou Henson (COA). Henson was the Head Coach at New Mexico State from 1966 to 1975 and took his school to the Final Four in 1970. He later coached Illinois from 1975 to 199 and went to his second Final Four in 1989. Henson returned to New Mexico State for eight more years (1997-05) with a record of 779-422. and is also a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Robert Horry (PLA). “Big Shot Rob” was one of the best clutch players ever, winning seven NBA rings (two with Houston in 1994 & 1995, three with Los Angeles in 2000, 2001 & 2002, and two with San Antonio in 2005 & 2008. He still owns the record for the most three-point shots made without a miss.
Marques Houtman (PLA). Houtman brought both Massachusetts Dartmouth and Stonehill College to their respective Sweet Sixteens, and he would later take Cape Verde to their first medal by winning Bronze at the 2007 FIBA African Championships. He played professionally in Portugal.
Dwight Howard (PLA). Howard was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, an eight-time All-Star, and a five-time First Team All-Star, most of which were accolades from his early years in Orlando. He played for the Lakers thrice, winning his only title there in 2020. Howard also played for Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, and Philadelphia, boasting five Rebounds Titles, two Blocks Titles, and an Olympic Gold Medal in 2008.
Marques Johnson (PLA). Johnson helped UCLA win the National Championship in 1975 and two years later, he was the National College Player of the Year. He was a six-time All-Star (five with Milwaukee and one with the Los Angeles Clippers) with three All-NBAs (one First Team and two Second Teams) and had nearly 14,000 career Points. Johnson is enshrined in the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Marv Kessler (COA). Known for his wit and basketball acumen, Kessler was a coach for Adelphi University before serving as an advance scout for Detroit, Washington, Portland, and Sacramento. Over his last two decades, clubs brought him in to help with overall efficiency.
Bill Laimbeer (PLA). One the most disliked players on the court (unless he was your teammate), Laimbeer was one of the “Bad Boys” of the Detroit Pistons that won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990, and individually was a four-time All-Star and one-time Rebounding Champion and had 10,400 career boards. Following his playing career, Laimbeer became a successful coach in the WNBA, winning three titles with Detroit.
Jim Larranaga (COA). Larranaga was the Head Coach at Bowling Green from 1986 to 1997 but turned heads at George Mason, where he shocked the world by leading them to the Final Four in 2006. He has been the head coach of Miami since 2011 and brought the Hurricanes to the 2023 Final Four. The 2013 Naismith Coach of the Year is still with the Canes.
Mike Leonardo (COA). Leonardo coached Marist in New Jersey to a 209-46 record with 20 of his players receiving Division I scholarships.
Maurice Lucas (PLA). A member of the All-Time ABA Team, Lucas was better in the NBA as he was a four-time All-Star (three with Portland and one with New Jersey) and was an NBA Champion in 1977 with the Trail Blazers. He also played for New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Seattle and had 14,857 Points and 9,306 Rebounds over his pro career.
Jack Madden (REF). Madden is a retired NBA referee who officiated eight NBA Finals.
Shawn Marion (PLA). “The Matrix” played 16 seasons in the NBA accruing four All-Stars and an NBA Championship in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks. Marion compiled 17,700 Points and 10,101 Rebounds over his career, which also saw him play for Phoenix, Miami, Toronto, and Cleveland.
Rollie Massimino (COA). Massimino is best known for being the Head Coach at Villanova, where he led the Wildcats to the NCAA Championship in 1985. He was also the HC at Stony Brook, UNLV, and Cleveland State, with an overall record of 816-462. Massimino is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gary McKnight (COA). One of the most successful Coaches on the high school level, McKnight led Mater Dei High School to a National Championship, 11 California State Titles and 39 League Titles.
Bill Morse (COA). Morse guided Fort Hays State (1982-91) to consecutive NAIA National Championships (1984 & 1985) and had a stellar record of 235-65.
Dick Motta (COA). Motta helmed Weber State to three Big Sky Titles (and a Big Sky Coach of the Year), but his best work was in the NBA, where he coached the Washington Bullets to a championship in 1978. He was also the NBA Coach of the Year in 1971 with the Chicago Bulls and was the HC in the NBA for Dallas, Sacramento, and Denver.
Jack Nagle (COA). Nagle was Marquette’s Head Coach from 1953 to 1958 and arguably put the school on the map. He later became a successful Scout.
Jim Phelan (COA). Phelan coached Mount St. Mary’s from 1954 to 2003, posted a record of 830-524, and won the NCAA College Division Championship in 1962. He is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Don Richardson (COA). Richardson was the Head Coach at Southwest Magnet High in Macon from 1971 to 1990, had a record of 463-90, and won six State Championships.
Doc Rivers (COA). Nominated for the first time, Rivers is the current Head Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and owns an NBA Championship when he led the Boston Celtics to a title in 2008. A former Coach of the Year, Rivers was named one of the NBA’s 15 Greatest Coaches. He is also a former Head Coach of Orlando, the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia.
Lee Rose (COA). After a productive career as the Head Coach of Transylvania, Rose took over as the HC at UNC-Charlotte, bringing them to a Final Four. He returned to the Final Four with a second team, Purdue, and later served as South Florida’s Head Coach. His overall record was 388-162.
Stan Spirou (COA). Spirou was Southern New Hampshire’s Head Coach for 33 years and was a four-time NECC Coach of the Year and one-time Northeast-10 Coach of the Year.
Harry Statham (COA). Statham was the Head Coach at McKendree from 1966 to 2018 and compiled a record of 1,122-513.
Amar’e Stoudemire (PLA). Stoudemire was a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA Selection (one first Team and four Second Team) who had 15,994 Points and 6,632 Rebounds in a career with Phoenix, New York, Dallas, and Miami. After his NBA career ended, he moved to Israel and won two Premier League Titles.
Reggie Theus (PLA). Theus played 13 seasons in the NBA and went to two All-Star Games as a Chicago Bull. Finishing with 19,015 career Points, Theus also competed for Kansas City/Sacramento, Atlanta, Orlando, and New Jersey.
Jerry Welsh (COA). Welsh was the Head Coach at SUNY Potsdam, where he had a record of 494-141 from 1968 to 1991 and won two National Championships in 1981 and 1986.
Buck Williams (PLA). Williams won the 1982 Rookie of the Year Award and was a three-time All-Star in his time with the New Jersey Nets. He also player for Portland and New York and was a four-time All-Defensive Selection (two First Team and two Second Team) and had 16,784 career Points and 13,017 Rebounds.
WOMEN’S NOMINEES:
Leta Andrews (COA). Andrews holds the record for the most wins by a high school basketball coach, with 1,416. She has also been a Finalist five times and is already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jennifer Azzi (PLA). Azzi was the Naismith Basketball Player of the Year in 1990, leading Stanford to a National Championship. She was also on the gold medal-winning 1996 Olympic Women’s Team and won two more gold medals at the FIBA World Championship (1990 & 1998). She was also inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and was a Naismith Basketball Finalist in 2023.
Sue Bird (PLA). Bird is one of the best women’s players of all time, boasting the best resume among all candidates regardless of category. A former Naismith College Player of the Year at UConn and two-time NCAA Champion, Bird played her entire WNBA career with Seattle where she won four WNBA Titles, was a 13-time All-Star, five-time All-WNBA First Team selection, and for the United States won five Gold Medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 & 2020) and four World Championships (2002, 2010, 2014 & 2018).
Lisa Bluder (COA). Bluder was the Head Coach for Drake (1999-2000) but is best known for her time as Iowa’s HC (2000-24), where she brought the Hawkeyes to two Final Fours, five Big Ten Tournament wins, and was a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. She had an overall record of 889-394.
Doug Bruno (COA). Bruno has been the Women’s Head Coach at DePaul since 1988 (he was also their HC from 1976-78) and led them to five Big East Tournament wins. Nearing 800 wins, Bruno also owns two Olympic Gold Medals (2012 & 2016) as an Assistant Coach for the U.S. Women’s Team.
Cheryl Ford (PLA). Ford was a two-time WAC Player of the Year at Louisiana Tech and professionally won three WNBA Championships with the Detroit Shock. She won the 2003 WNBA Rookie of the Year, was a four-time All-Star, and twice led the league in Rebounds per Game.
Wanda Ford (PLA). Ford made history at Drake as the first woman to record over 1,500 Rebounds, finishing with a then-record 1,887. She later worked professionally in Europe and South America for 16 years.
Sylvia Fowles (PLA). One of the finest defensive players in WNBA history, Fowles split her professional North American career with the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx, the latter of which she won two WNBA Championships and Finals MVPs (2015 & 2017). A WNBA MVP in 2017, Fowles won four Defensive Player of the Year Awards, an eight-time All-Star, and a three-time First Team All-WNBA Selection. Internationally, she won four Gold Medals (2008, 2012, 2016 & 2020) and a World Championship (2010).
Bridgette Gordon (PLA). Gordon led the Tennessee Lady Volunteers to two NCAA Championships (1987 & 1989), the latter of which saw her win the Tournament MOP. She also won the 1989 SEC Female Athlete of the Year and Player of the Year and a Gold Medal at the 1988 Olympics. She is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Chamique Holdsclaw (PLA). Holdsclaw won three consecutive NCAA Championships at Tennessee (1996-98) and individually was a back-to-back Naismith College Player of the Year (1997 & 1998). Professionally, she went to six WNBA All-Star Games and won one Scoring Title and two Rebounding Titles in a career spent with Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and San Antonio. She is already in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Becky Martin (COA). Martin coached McDaniel College to a 554-369 record and owns the winningest record in Centennial Conference history.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin (PLA). McWilliams-Franklin won two WNBA Titles (one with Washington and one with Minnesota) and was a six-time WNBA All-Star. She also won a FIBA World Title Gold Medal with the United States in 1998.
Debbie Miller-Palmore (PLA). A member of Boston University, where she was one of the best players in Lady Terriers history, Miller-Palmore would have played in the 1980 Olympics. She is enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Maya Moore (PLA). After a solid career at UConn, Moore had an incredible pro career with the Minnesota Lynx, where she won four WNBA Titles, was the 2014 WNBA MVP, and was a six-time WNBA All-Star. As a one-time WNBA Scoring and Steals Champion, Moore also won two Olympic Gold medals and two World Championship Gold Medals.
Ticha Penicheiro (PLA). Penicheiro played most of her WNBA career with the Sacramento Monarchs, where she won a league title in 2005. A two-time WNBA First Team Selection and four-time All-Star, Penicheiro led the WNBA in Assists seven times. She is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ruth Riley (PLA). Riley took Notre Dame to an NCAA Championship in 2001 and was also the Naismith College Player of the Year. She later won two WNBA Titles and was a two-time All-Star with the Detroit Shock. She also competed for Miami, San Antonio, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Mike Thibault (COA). Thibault coached in the WNBA for 20 years (Connecticut 2003-12 & Washington 2013-22) and is a three-time WNBA Coach of the Year who has a WNBA Title with the Mystics in 2019. He also owns two NBA rings as an Assistant Coach with the Lakers and two Olympic Gold Medals as an Assistant on Team U.S.A. (2008 & 2024).
Marian Washington (COA). She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball of Fame after her role as Kansas’s Head Coach for 30 years (1973-2004) with an overall record of 560-363.
Dean Weese (COA). Weese had a combined record of 1,207-197 at the high school, college, and pro level. He is also a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
Chris Weller (COA). Weller coached the Lady Terps at Maryland from 1975 to 2002, where she went to two Final Fours, was a Naismith College Coach of the Year, and compiled a record of 499-286. She is also enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Andrew Yosinoff (COA). Yosinoff is in his 48th year as a coach at Emmanuel, with over 900 wins.
CONTRIBUTOR NOMINEES:
Micky Arison: Arison bought the Miami Heat in 1995, and under his ownership, the Heat won three NBA Championships (2006, 2012 & 2013).
Pete Babcock: An executive for 42 years (serving in various capacities for the San Diego Clippers, New Orleans Jazz, Denver, Atlanta, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee, Toronto, and Cleveland, with his best work as the President of the Nuggets and Hawks where he rebuilt their squads into contenders. He also worked for USA Basketball.
Dick Baumgartner. Baumgartner was the inventor of Sure Shot Basketball, a program that taught for decades the art of shooting. Nearly 100,000 kids have gone to his shooting camps.
Henry Bibby. The father of Mike Bibby, Henry Bibby played ten years in the NBA, winning an NBA Title with the New York Knicks after winning three NCAA Titles with UCLA. He became a successful coach, winning two CBA Titles, and had a successful run as the Head Coach at USC.
Bernie Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff was a long-time Assistant Coach and Head Coach in the NBA, working for San Diego, Capital/Washington (where he won a title as an Assistant Coach), Denver, Charlotte, Chicago, Portland, the Lakers and Cleveland. He later became an Executive with the Cavaliers, which he still is today. Bickerstaff won a second NBA ring with Cleveland in 2016.
Marty Blake. Blake was the GM of the Hawks from 1954 to 1970, where his team won seven divisions and an NBA Title in 1958. He later worked for the NBA as the Director of Scouting Services, and his eye for talent was league-renowned. He already received the Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Basketball Hall.
Tal Brody. Brody played collegiately at Illinois, but after he competed at Maccabiah Games in Israel, he was asked to stay, which led to a successful career where he put Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israeli basketball on the map, which was the tagline he is known for.
Vic Bubas. Bubas was the Head Coach at Duke, where he went to three Final Fours, won four ACC Tournaments, and was a three-time ACC Coach of the Year. He would later become Vice President of the university and later was the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. Bubas is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tremaine Dalton. Dalton is the Technical Director of the NBA Basketball School in Portugal and founded The Process Basketball, a basketball skill developmental program.
Bill Duffy. Duffy is one of the most successful Basketball player agents ever.
Wayne Duke. Duke was the Big Eight Conference Commissioner from 1963 to 1971, then the Big Ten Commissioner from 1971 to 1989.
Bill Foster. Foster was initially a Head Coach with a combined record of 467-409 with stints at Bloomsburg State, Rutgers, Utah, Duke, South Carolina, and Northwestern, but he is nominated for his role as the Commissioner and Director of Basketball Operations for the Southwest Conference, consulting work for the WAC and Big 12 and a Chairman for the Board of Trustees of the Basketball Hall.
Mike Fratello. Fratello was the 1986 NBA Coach of the Year with the Atlanta Hawks and also, over his career, helmed Cleveland Memphis and the Ukrainian National Team. He later became a commentator, notably for TNT, where he became best known.
Bob Gibbons. Gibbons is an American talent scout specializing in American high school players. He also nationally ranks the nation’s top 150 players.
Robert Gonzalez. Gonzalez is the founder of the Telmex Telcel Basketball Youth League in Mexico.
Simon Gourdine. In the 1970s, Gourdine was the NBA's Deputy Commissioner, helping broker the merger between the NBA and ABA. Later, he was the General Counsel for the National Basketball Players Association and briefly served as its Executive Director.
Tim Grgurich. Grgurich had a lengthy run as a Coach in the NCAA (Pittsburgh 1975-80 & UNLV 1994-95) and as an Assistant Coach in the pros with stops in Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Dallas, and Milwaukee. He won an NCAA Championship as an Assistant Coach at UNLV and an NBA Championship with Dallas in 2011.
Dennis Jackson. A successful Assistant Coach, Jackson created P.L.A.Y. Inc. (Planned Learning Achievement for Youth), a non-profit organization for minority student-athletes.
Junius Kellogg. Kellogg was the first African-American to play for Manhattan, and he is best known for his role in exposing the CCNY point-shaving scandal of 1950-51.
Johnny “Red” Kerr. A talented basketball player in his own right (he was a three-time All-Star), Kerr became. Legend in Chicago as a color commentator for over forty years.
Tom Konchalski. Konchalski was a scout for 43 years and would also own the Five-Star Basketball Camp.
Bobby Lewis. A dribbling and ballhandling prodigy from Philadelphia. Lewis was undersized but became a local legend and superstar at South Carolina State. He never played in the NBA but taught others his skills, including future Hall of Famers.
Dan Lynch. Lynch was the Head Coach at St. Francis College for 20 years is here for his promotion of the use of three-point field goals.
Fred McCall. McCall was the Head Coach of Campbell University for 18 years and co-founded the basketball school there.
Jack McCloskey. A former Head Coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, McCloskey gained his biggest fame as the General Manager of the Detroit Pistons, where “Trader Jack” assembled a team that won back-to-back NBA Championships (1989 & 1990).
Jon McGlocklin. McGlocklin was an All-Star (1969) and NBA Champion with Milwaukee; he stayed with the team after he retired in 1975 as a broadcaster; a role he held until 2021
Speedy Morris. Morris was the first person to coach both the men’s and women’s programs at the same school (LaSalle), and he led the men’s team to four MAAC Tournament Championships. He later coached St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Pennsylvania.
Dennis Murphy. Murphy was the co-founder of the American Basketball Association, which introduced the 3-Point shot, the Slam Dunk Contest, and the first seven-figure contract in sports.
Curly Neal. One of the most popular and recognized players in Harlem Globetrotters history with his bald head and infectious smile. The prime ballhandler for the team for 22 years, he played in more than 6,000 Games and 97 countries.
Jack Powers. Powers was the Head Coach at Manhattan from 1979 to 1988 and became the NIT's Executive Director from 1988 to 2005.
Jim Riswold. Riswold was the marketing genius behind the Air Jordan ads and the “Bo Knows” campaign of the 1990s.
Will Robinson. Robinson broke barriers as the first African-American Head Coach in the NCAA when he accepted the role at Illinois State in 1970. He was also a scout for the Detroit Pistons for 28 years and won two Championship Rings with the team.
Gene Shue. Shue has one of the most complete resumes of anyone here. Considered to be the man who pioneered the spin move, Shue was a five-time NBA All-Star who played for Philadelphia, New York, Fort Wayne/Detroit, and Baltimore, and he was later a two-time NBA Coach of the Year with nearly 800 Wins.
Oris “Dino” Smiley. Smiley is the Director and Commissioner of the Drew League, the National Pro-Am Basketball Summer League based in Los Angeles.
Scott Tarter. Tarter founded the Dropping Dimes charity, which was created to help former ABA players in need.
Donnie Walsh. Walsh is best known for his time as the General Manager of the Indiana Pacers (1987-2005). Under his watch, Indiana made six Conference Finals.
World Wheelers. The World Wheelers are a unicycling basketball outfit that often performs at halftime shows.
INTERNATIONAL NOMINEES:
David Blatt (COA). Blatt played his pro ball in Israel and would stay in Europe as a Coach, where he helmed clubs across the continent, such as Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Moscow, Benetton Treviso, and Olympiacos. His coaching accomplishments include the FIBA EuroBasket Championship (Russia), the EuroLeague Championship (Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2014), and the EuroCup with Darussafaka in 2018.
Jean-Jacques Conceicao (PLA). From Angola, Conceicao took his country to seven AfroBasket Championships (1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001 & 2003) and in 2011 was named the Most Valuable African Player of All Time. He played club ball in Portugal, winning 10 League Championships (seven with Benfica and three with Portugal Telecom). He is already a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Mirza Delibacis (PLA). Delibacis represented Yugoslavia internationally and the Shooting Guard won Gold in the 1980 Summer Olympics and two EuroBasket Gold Medals (1975 & 1977). He also won a EuroLeague Championship with Bosna on the club level in 1979. Delibacia is also part of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Jorge Garbajosa (PLA). Garbajosa won a plethora of medals while representing Spain (Gold in the 2006 FIBA World Cup, Silver in the 2008 Olympics, and one Gold, two Silvers, and a Bronze in EuroBasket) and on the club level won two Spanish Cups (TAU Ceramica 1999 and Unicaja 2005), and two Italian Cups with Benetton Treviso (2002 and 2003). The 2006 Mr. Europa winner also played briefly for the Toronto Raptors and is currently the President of FIBA Europe.
Marc Gasol (PLA). Gasol is in the International category as he won two FIBA World Cups (2006 & 2019), two FIBA EuroBaskets (2009 & 2011) and two Silver Medals in the Olympics (2008 & 2012). However, his accomplishments in North America are stellar, as he was a three-time All-Star, A Defensive Player of the Year (2013), and an NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
Andrew Gaze (PLA). Gaze is a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame and, in 1991, was named one of FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players. A 14-time NBL scoring champion and 21-year veteran with the Melbourne Tigers, he won seven league MVPs and two league titles. He was also briefly with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999, where he won an NBA Championship.
Panagiotis Giannakis (PLA). Giannakis is also enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame, and as a player for Greece, he helped his nation win Gold in the 1987 EuroBasket. He played 22 years in the Greek League, with his best run coming with Aris where he captured seven straight Greek League Championships. He is also a seven-time Greek Cup Winner, and after his playing career ended, he would have a successful run in Greece as a Coach.
Guiseepe Giergia (PLA). Giergia represented Yugoslavia internationally and captured Silver in the 1963 and 1967 World Cups. He played 19 years for Zadar in the Yugoslav League, winning five league titles.
J.R. Holden (PLA). Undrafted from Bucknell, Holden was solicited to play for ASK Broceni in Latvia, but would later join CSKA Moscow, playing there for a decade (2002-11). Holden helped them win nine Russian League Titles, four Russian Cups, and two EuroLeague Championships. He would also compete for Russia, winning a 2007 EuroBasket Gold Medal.
Dusan Ivkovic (PLA). A FIBA Hall of Fame inductee, Ivkovic played ten seasons for Radnicki Belgrade in the Yugoslavian League. Although the Point Guard had a nice career and was nominated as a player, he had far more success as a coach at the club level and for Yugoslavia and Serbia, winning three EuroBasket Gold Medals and a FIBA World Gold Medal in 1990. Why wasn’t he nominated as a Coach?
Andrei Kirilenko (PLA). An All-Star with the Utah Jazz in 2004, Kirilenko has a long career in the NBA, and was recognized by his home country (Russia) as their Player of the Year four times. Kirilenko led Russia to a EuroBasket Gold Medal in 2007 and took CSKA Moscow to two league championships.
Vladimir Kondrashin (COA). For years, Kondrashin was the Head Coach of the Soviet Union, guiding them to Gold at the 1972 Olympics, the 1974 FIBA World Cup, and the 1971 EuroBasket. He has already been inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Marcos Leite (PLA). Representing Brazil for years, Leite brought home a Silver Medal at the 1970 World Cup, Bronze in the 1978 World Cup, Gold at the 1984 AmeriCup, 1971 Pan American Games, and the 1971, 1973, and 1983 South American Championship.
Ettore Messina (COA). Already in the FIBA Hall of Fame, Messina is one of the most successful coaches in European club history. He won four EuroLeague Championships (1998 & 2001 with Virtus Bologna and 2006 & 2008 with CSKA Moscow) and is still coaching today with Olimpia Milano in the Italian League.
Juan Carlos Navarro (PLA). Playing most of his professional career with FC Barcelona, Navarro is one of the most decorated players in Spanish League history, winning a EuroLeague MVP (2011), two EuroLeague Championships (2003 & 2010), eight Liga ACB Titles and was an All-Decade EuroLeague player in the 2000s and 2010. Internationally, he helped Spain win Gold in the 2006 FIBA World Cup, the 2009 and 2011 EuroBasket, and Silver in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Andres Nocioni (PLA). Nocioni has an eight-year NBA career (Chicago, Sacramento and Philadelphia) and represented Argentina on the world stage. For his country, he won Gold at the 2004 Olympics, Gold in the 2001 and 2011 AmeriCup, and Silver at the 2002 World Cup.
Fabricio Oberto (PLA). An NBA Champion with the San Anyonio Spurs in 2007, Oberto had a lot of success on the world stage for Argentina. He was a member of the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal winning team, won Silver in the 2002 World Cup, and also owns Gold Medals in two FIBA AmeriCups (2001 & 2011) and the 1995 Pan American Games.
Jose Ortiz (PLA). Ortiz was the 1987 Pac-10 Player of the Year at Oregon State and played two years with the Utah Jazz. He represented Puerto Rico on multiple occasions, winning Gold at the 1985 AmeriCup, 1991 Pan American Games, the 1994 Goodwill Games and five Centrobasket tournaments.
Amaury Pasos (PLA). Pasos was named in 1991 as one of FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players, and he took Brazil to a World Cup win in 1959 where he was the tournament MVP. He won a second World Cup in 1963, four FIBA South American Championships, and two Olympic Bronze Medals.
Modestas Palauskas (PLA). Palauskas led the U.S.S.R. to Gold in the 1972 Olympics, the 1967 and 1974 FIBA World Cup and three FIBA EuroBasket (1965, 1967 & 1969). The Lithuanian is also a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame and was named one of FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players.
Togo Soares (PLA). Soares is listed as a player, but we assume the Hall meant to list him as a coach, which is where he had a plethora of success. A member of the FIBA Hall, Soares coached Brazil to two FINA World Cup Gold Medals (1959 & 1963), a Bronze in the 1960 Olympics, and five FIBA South American Championships.
Penny Taylor (PLA). From Australia, Taylor was a three-time WNBA All-Star and three-time WNBA Champion (all with the Phoenix Mercury. Internationally, she won two Silver Olympic Medals (2004 & 2008) and was the 2006 FIBA World Championship MVP in the year Australia won the tournament.
Amaya Valdemore (PLA). Valdemore played Internationally for Spain, where she was part of the 2013 EuroBasket winning team. Winning eight Spanish League Championships on the club level, Valdemore played three years in the WNBA with the Houston Comets and was a champion in all three seasons.
Ranko Zeravica (COA). Zeravica worked his way up the Yugoslavian coaching ranks and became their Head Coach in 1965. Two years later, he took his team to a Silver Medal in the 1967 FIBA, and then Silver at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Zeravica then brought Yugoslavia to the pinnacle with a Gold Medal at the 1970 FIBA Worlds and Gold again at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He is a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
WOMEN’S VETERAN NOMINEES:
1982 Cheyney State NCAA Final Four Team (TEA): Cheyney State was a shock Final Four Team coached by C. Vivian Stringer. She took the small Pennsylvania school to the final game, losing to Louisiana Tech.
Molly Bolin (PLA). Bolin was one of the biggest stars of the Women’s Professional Basketball League in the late 70s, the first pro basketball league for women. She was a three-time league All-Star and was the Co-MVP in 1980.
Alline Banks Sprouse (PLA). Banks Sprouse starred for Nashville Business College for over a decade, winning seven tournament MVPs between 1939 and 1950. She is already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Edmonton Commercial Grads (TEA). Competing from 1912 to 1940, the Grads are believed to have a winning percentage of 96.2 percent and dominated on both sides of the Atlantic.
Fort Shaw Indian School (TEA). Originally comprised of seven Native American students from various tribes who attended the Fort Shaw Indian School Girls School in Montana, the team would be crowned World Champions at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair by defeating teams from around the globe.
John Head (COA). Head was the Coach at Nashville Business College, winning 11 AAU National Championships, two World Championships, and a Pan American Games Gold. He had a record of 689-94.
Yolanda Laney (PLA). Laney was the star of Cheyney State that made their improbable run to the Final Four in 1982. The team has already been inducted into the Hoops Hall.
Nashville Business College (TEA). Coached by John Head, NBC existed for 20 years and won the AAU Women’s Championship 11 times.
Lometa Odom (PLA). A member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Odom was a famed Wayland Baptist dynasty member that won 131 consecutive games from 1953 to 1956. She was a three-time AAU All-American, the 1956 AAU Tournament MVP, and won a Gold Medal in the 1955 Pan-American Games.
Hazel Walker (PLA). Considered one of the best women’s amateur players of the 1930s, Walker led Tulsa Business College to an AAU Championship in 1934. In her 14 years in the AAU, Walker was named either a First Team or Second Team selection. She has already been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Valerie Walker (PLA). A member of the impactful Cheyney State team under C. Vivian Stringer that made it to the first NCAA Championship final, Walker went on to play 13 years professionally in Europe. Walker is already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
VETERAN NOMINEES:
1936 U.S. Olympic Team: The Americans won the first Olympic Basketball Tournament by defeating Canada for the Gold.
1972 Melchionni Team: Is this about the 1972 ABA Nets? Honestly, we aren’t sure.
Tom Blackburn (COA). Blackburn was the Head Coach at the University of Dayton from 1947 until he died in 1964. He led the Flyers to an NIT Championship in 1962 with a 352-141 record.
Charles Brown (PLA) played college ball at Indiana and then Seattle, where he helped the team reach the Final Four in 1958. He was later known throughout Chicago for organizing tournaments, most notably the Windy City Shootout, for players over 50.
Freddie Brown (PLA). “Downtown” Freddie Brown played his entire NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics where he was an All-Star in 1976 and NBA Champion in 1979. His number was retired by the Sonics, and he had 14,018 career Points.
Malcolm Brown (PLA). Unknown.
Boid Buie (PLA). Buie played at Tennessee State, and later the Harlem Globetrotters, where he was known for playing at a high level with only one arm.
Mack Calvin (PLA). Calvin was a five-time ABA All-Star and three-time First Team All-ABA Guard who played for the Los Angeles Stars, The Floridians, the Carolina Cougars, and the Virginia Squires. He also saw NBA action with the Lakers, Spurs, Jazz, and Cavaliers.
Jack Coleman (PLA). From the University of Louisville, Coleman went to one All-Star Game and was a two-time NBA Champion with the Rochester Royals.
Leroy Edwards (PLA). Edwards was an All-American at the University of Kentucky in the 1930s and the 1935 Helms Player of the Year. Professionally, he was a three-time NBL MVP, a two-time NBL champion with the Oshkosh All-Stars, and a six-time First Team All-NBL Selection. Arguably, he is the best player before 1950 not in the Hall of Fame.
Leo Ferris (CONT). Ferris founded the Buffalo Bisons (now the Atlanta Hawks), signed the NBL’s first black player (Pop Gates), and became the NBL President in 1948. He led the negotiations with the merger between the NBL and BAA, which created the NBA, but it was from his mind that the 24-second shot clock was made, revolutionizing the sport.
World B. Free (PLA). An All-Star in 1980 with the San Diego Clippers, Free scored 17,955 Points in a career that also saw him play for Philadelphia, Golden State, Cleveland, and Houston.
Travis Grant (PLA). Grant was a beast at Kentucky State, where the Forward led the Thorobreds to three straight NAIA Championships (1970-72) and was a two-time NAIA Tournament MVP. He later played pro ball with the Lakers of the NBA, San Diego, Kentucky, and Indiana of the ABA.
Bobby “Showboat” Hall (CONT). Hall joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1949, and six years later, he was one of their top attractions. He remained with the team until he retired in 1974.
Jack Hartman (COA). Hartman took over the reins at Coffeyville CC in 1955 and led them to a NJCAA Title in 1962. That landed him the head coaching job at Southern Illinois, where he won the NIT in 1967. Hartman is best known for his Kansas State period (1970-86), where he won two Big Eight Tournaments. He had a career record of 589-279.
Cam Henderson (COA). Henderson (who also coached football) was the Head Basketball Coach at Muskingum (1920-23), Davis & Elkins (1923-35), and Marshall (1935-55), where he posted an overall record of 621-234. He guided the Thundering Herd to an NAIA Championship in 1947.
Robert Hopkins (PLA). Hopkins became the all-time leading scorer in NAIA (3,758) in his four years at Grambling, a record he held until 1972. He later competed four seasons in the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals and was enshrined into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Charles Keinath (PLA). Keinath was a Forward at Penn and was a four-time All-American (1906-09) and the 1908 Helms National Player of the Year. He also played football for the college.
Greg Kesler (PLA). A member of the 1979 Michigan State National Championship Team, Kesler played six years in the NBA with Detroit, Seattle, San Diego, and Indiana. He went into broadcasting his playing career.
Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968 & 1969 (TEA). Kentucky Wesleyan was a late 1960s dynasty that won the Division II Championship in 1966, 1968, and 1969.
Abe Lemons (COA). Lemons had an overall coaching record of 594-343 with Oklahoma City, Pan American, and Texas and led the Longhorns to an NIT Championship in 1978.
Henry Logan (PLA). When Logan agreed to lay for Western Carolina in 1964, he became the first African-American to play basketball for a North Carolina University. Logan also won Gold for Team U.S.A. at the 1967 Pan-American Games and would win an ABA Title in 1969 with the Oakland Oaks.
Loyola of Chicago 1962-63 (TEA). The winners of the 1963 NCAA Championship were also the first to break the “gentleman’s agreement” where NCAA teams would not field more than two black players at a time. They have already been inducted as a team to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Billy Markward (CONT). A Spanish American War veteran, Markward returned to the United States to play semi-pro basketball but would coach the Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia for 41 years afterward. His teams won 20 championships, and over 200 of his players would play college basketball.
Jack McKinney (CONT). McKinney was a coach on the High School, College, and Pro level, who won an NBA Title as an Assistant Coach with Portland in 1977 and was the Coach of the Year with Indiana in 1981.
Bill Melchionni (PLA). Melchionni helped Philadelphia win an NBA Title in 1967, but he is best known for his time in the ABA with the New York Nets, where he was a three-time All-Star, three-time Assists leader, and two-time ABA Champion.
Francis Meehan (PLA). Meehan was 6’ 7”, which at the time made “Stretch” one of the tallest players in college hoops. The Seton Hall Center would play pro ball throughout the 1920s.
Joe Mullaney (COA). Mullaney had a long career as a Head Coach, first for Norwich for a year and then for Providence for 15 seasons before he received a shot at the pros. He began with the Los Angeles Lakers but is best remembered for his tenure in the ABA for Kentucky, Utah, Memphis, and St. Louis. He was named the ABA Coach of the Year in 1974 when he coached the Utah Stars.
Richard Mullins (PLA). Unknown.
Willie Naulls (PLA). Naulls was a two-time First Team All-PCC Small Forward at UCLA, who went to four All-Star Games and won three NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics.
Ben Newman (COA). Newman was a part owner of the Toronto Huskies and helped push the game of basketball in the region.
Don Otten (PLA). Otten began his professional career with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1946, and was the NBL Most Valuable Player in 1949. He also played for Washington, Baltimore, Fort Wayne and Milwaukee.
Louis Pieri (CONT). Pieri owned the Providence Steamrollers of the Basketball Association of America (1946-49) and later became the minority owner of the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1964.
Kevin Porter (PLA). Porter was a four-time Assists leader in the NBA (he had 5,314 in total) in a ten-year career spent with Baltimore/Capital/Washington, New Jersey and Detroit.
William J. Reinhart (CONT). Considered one of the original masterminds behind the fast break offense, Reinhart was the Head Coach at Oregon (1923-35) and put that program on the map. Later, he did the same at George Washington and combined had a 499-338 record. He was also a successful football and baseball coach for both schools.
Mel Riebe (PLA). Riebe played professionally in the 1940s, first with Cleveland of the NBL and then for the Cleveland Rebels, Boston Celtics, and Providence Steamrollers of the BAA. He was a two-time NBL Scoring Champion.
Glenn Roberts (PLA). Roberts was a beast at Emory and Henry where he scored 1,531 Points in 80 Games, a tremendous feat in the 1930s. His impact was so significant that his school’s combined record (also including against semi-pro teams) was 90-14. The secret to success was that Roberts was one of the first players to use the jump shot, a practice commonplace today but was revolutionary then. He later won an NBL Championship with Akron in 1939.
Lennie Rosenbluth (PLA). Rosenbluth was a superstar at the University of North Carolina. In 1957, he led the Tar Heels to a National Championship, won the Helms Foundation Player of the Year award, and was named the ACC Player of the Year. He later played two seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors.
Kenny Sailors (PLA). Sailors, a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, led the University of Wyoming to a National Championship in 1943 and won the Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He later played professionally in the BAA with Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Providence and in the NBA for Denver, Boston, and Baltimore.
Bernard “Red” Sarachek (CONT). Sarachek was lauded for his ball-handling teaching and work as an Athletic Director at Yeshiva University. He mentored future coaching legends Red Holzman, Lou Carnesecca, and Jack Donohue.
Fred Schaus (CONT). Schaus has one of the most complete resumes of any candidate. A decent player for Fort Wayne and New York in the early 1950s, where he was a one-time All-Star, Schaus later coached West Virginia before joining the Lakers as an Assistant Coach in 1960. He later was elevated to General Manager, where he built the team that won the 1972 NBA Championship. Following that, he went to Purdue as their Head Coach, and brought them to the 1974 NIT Championship.
Sam Schulman (CONT). Schulman owned and founded the Seattle SuperSonics, a team he owned until 1983. His team won the NBA Championship in 1979.
Paul Silas (PLA). An NCAA Rebounding Champion at Creighton, Silas played professionally for 16 seasons (St. Louis/Atlanta, Phoenix, Boston, Denver, and Seattle) and was a two-time All-Star and three-time NBA Champion (two with Boston and one with Seattle). He later had a long run as an NBA Head Coach.
Ralph Simpson (PLA). Simpson went to five consecutive ABA All-Star Games as a member of the Denver Nuggets and was a one-time First Team All-ABA Selection.
Dick Van Arsdale (PLA). Van Arsdale played most of his career with the Phoenix Suns where he was a three-time All-Star Shooting Guard.
Tom Van Arsdale (PLA). Like his twin brother, Dick, Tom Van Arsdale was also a three-time NBA All-Star. He played for Detroit, Cincinnati/Kansas City/Omaha, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Phoenix.
Cleo “Chico” Vaughn (PLA). Vaughn played in the NBA for the St. Louis Hawks and Detroit Pistons and later was an All-Star in the ABA for the Pittsburgh Pipers, the team he led to an ABA Title.
Lambert Will (CONT). Will is considered by some to be the true inventor of the game of Basketball.
Gus Williams (PLA). Williams’s best years in the sport were with Seattle, where he went to two All-Star Games and won the NBA Championship. He also logged time with Golden State, Washington, and Atlanta.
John Williamson (PLA). Williamson helped guide the New York Nets to two ABA Championships. The Guard also played for Indiana and Washington.
Luci Zaslofskyll (COA).
Max Zaslofsky (PLA). One of the best players not to be enshrined, Zaslofsky was a First Team All-BAA/NBA in his first four years with the Chicago Stags, and was the BAA scoring champion in 1948. 4
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