The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is one step closer to welcoming its next class, and this year’s finalists list is stacked.
On Wednesday, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw and the iconic 1996 U.S. women’s Olympic team headlined a group that blends WNBA royalty with NBA heavyweights.
Blake Griffin, Amar’e Stoudemire and veteran coach Doc Rivers are also finalists, with inductees set to be announced in April.
Candace Parker Headlines a Star-Studded Women’s Class
Few resumes shine brighter than Candace Parker’s.
A three-time WNBA champion and two-time MVP, Parker made history in 2008 by becoming the only player ever to win WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season — a feat matched in the NBA only by Wilt Chamberlain
and Wes Unseld.
Across a 16-year career that ended in 2023, Parker finished top-10 all-time in points and rebounds, and top-five in blocks. She captured Finals MVP honors in 2016 while leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a title, then delivered a storybook championship to her hometown Chicago Sky in 2021.
Delle Donne’s case is just as compelling. The only player to win WNBA MVP with two different franchises (Chicago in 2015, Washington in 2019), she also became the first in league history to join the 50-40-90 club. Her 19.5 career scoring average ranks fifth all-time.
Holdsclaw, the 1999 Rookie of the Year, was a six-time All-Star, three-time All-WNBA selection and 2002 scoring champion. The 1996 Team USA squad, which reignited global interest in women’s basketball, also moves closer to Springfield.
Rivers, Griffin, Stoudemire Lead Men’s Finalists
Love him or hate him, Doc Rivers’ résumé speaks volumes: 1,183 regular-season wins (sixth all-time), a 2008 NBA title with Boston, and recognition as one of the league’s 15 greatest coaches in 2022.
Blake Griffin averaged 21.4 points and 9.0 rebounds, electrifying the league during the Clippers’ “Lob City” era. Stoudemire, a six-time All-Star, was central to Phoenix’s high-octane “Seven Seconds or Less” revolution under fellow finalist Mike D’Antoni.
Twenty-one finalists remain in total. Now, the countdown to April begins.
