Candace Parker, Doc Rivers among 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame finalists

The James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a step closer to adding to its esteemed roster of myriad basketball legends.

On Wednesday, three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker, Team USA’s 1996 women’s national team, Elena Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw were among the premier names announced as finalists for the hoops hall, which will soon welcome many of the biggest names in the history of women’s basketball. Former NBA All-Stars Blake Griffin and Amar’e Stoudemire will also be finalists, with Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers also closer to the Hall.

Parker, a two-time WNBA MVP, will forever remain a pre-eminent part of influencing women’s hoops. In 2008, after an esteemed career at the University of Tennessee, she immediately broke through in the pros by becoming the first (and only) player in league history to win MVP and Rookie of the Year honors. Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld are the only NBA players to do so. Parker, whose 16-year career ended in 2023, is ranked 10th in WNBA history in total points, third in rebounds, 11th in assists, fifth in blocks and 18th in career steals. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2016 after leading the Los Angeles Sparks to their fourth title in team history. In 2021, she led her hometown Chicago Sky to the franchise’s only WNBA championship.

Nicknamed the Women’s Dream Team, the 1996 Team USA women’s national squad remains one of the most dominant in the game’s history. It was led by several prominent names who are already individually enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame: Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes, Teresa Edwards and Katrina McClain. The roster also included Jennifer Azzi, Ruthie Bolton, Venus Lacy, Nikki McCray, Carla McGhee and Katy Steding. Credited with aiding the launch of the WNBA, this team defeated opponents by an average of 28.6 points per game en route to gold medal honors.

Delle Donne, whose 10-year career ended in 2023, is the only player in WNBA history to win MVP honors with multiple franchises (2019 with Washington Mystics, 2015 with Chicago Sky). She steps closer to the hall thanks to her unique combination of shooting touch and basketball IQ, becoming the first player in WNBA history to join the prestigious 50-40-90 club (shooting at least 50 percent overall, 40 percent on 3-pointers and 90 percent on free throws for a full season). Her career scoring average of 19.5 points per game ranks fifth highest in WNBA history.

Holdsclaw won WNBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1999 after averaging 16.9 points and 7.9 rebounds in her first season as a pro. She finished in the top 10 of MVP voting six times over her 11 WNBA seasons, during which she averaged 16.9 points and 7.6 rebounds. She peaked in 2003, averaging 20.5 points and 10.9 rebounds for the Washington Mystics. She finished her career with three All-WNBA selections and six All-Star nods and notched the 2002 league scoring title while leading the league in rebounds twice. But those accomplishments weren’t a surprise given her elite collegiate career at Tennessee, where she won Naismith Player of the Year honors twice (1998-99) and led the Lady Volunteers to three titles.

For the men’s side of this year’s finalist bracket, Rivers is one of seven coaches in NBA history to win Coach of the Year honors in their first season with a team, doing so with the Orlando Magic in 1999-00. His 1,183 regular-season wins rank sixth in NBA history. In 2008, he led the greatest single-season turnaround in NBA history as the Boston Celtics snapped a championship drought of over 20 years. In 2022, the NBA named Rivers as one of the 15 greatest coaches in league history.

Griffin, who retired after the 2022-23 season, spent years as one of the most talented and athletic players in the NBA. He averaged 21.4 points and 9.0 rebounds over 765 career games, including a special run as the face of Lob City during arguably the most successful era in the LA Clippers’ history. For the 2013-14 season, he finished third in MVP voting after averaging 24.3 points (second-highest scoring average of his career), 9.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists. His seven triple-doubles are tied for second most in Clippers history.

Like Griffin’s, Stoudemire’s athletic prowess and unmatched skill on offense made for a unique mix over a special career. He was pivotal to the Phoenix Suns’ revival led by two-time MVP Steve Nash and then-coach Mike D’Antoni, who joins Stoudemire as a finalist for the Hall. Stoudemire notched six All-Star selections and five All-NBA nods over his 14-year career in the NBA. At his peak, the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year averaged over 25 points per game and was one of the league’s most potent dunkers. He finished his career with averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 846 career games.

D’Antoni’s 253 regular-season wins with Phoenix rank third in franchise history. His run as coach of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns included two runs to the Western Conference finals. During D’Antoni’s four full seasons as coach (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix ranked third in the NBA in win percentage (.707) and total victories (232).

There are 21 total finalists this year. Others include Marques Johnson, Mark Few, Jerry Welsh, Dick Motta, Gary McKnight, Kelvin Sampson, Molly Bolin-Kazmer, Tal Brody, Joey Crawford and Kevin Johnson. The inductees will be announced in April. Enshrinement weekend is scheduled for later this year at Mohegan Sun Arena, beginning with a tip-off celebration and awards gala Aug. 14. The commencement ceremony will take place the next day at the Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass.