– Blake Griffin, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, and 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team Among First-Time Nominees; Mark Few, Doc Rivers, and Amar’e Stoudemire Among Group that Return as Eligible Candidates –
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2026, featuring several high-profile first-time nominees.
Notable new candidates for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 include the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, Mike D’Antoni, Jamal Crawford, Elena Delle Donne, Blake Griffin, Joe Johnson, Candace Parker, Bruce Pearl, and Kelvin Sampson. Marv Albert, Mark Few, Doc Rivers, and Amar’e Stoudemire are among returning eligible candidates.
“The candidates for the Class of 2026 have each left an indelible impact on the game of basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Through defining performances, influential leadership, and achievements that helped elevate the sport on the national and international stage, this year’s ballot recognizes those whose legacy continues to shape how the game is played, coached, and celebrated.”
The first look at the list of eligible nominees was provided by “NBA Today” on ESPN, hosted by Malika Andrews, with Ramona Shelburne, Tim Bontemps, Kendrick Perkins, and Shams Charania in studio. A complete list of eligible candidates can be found below.
Finalists chosen from the applicable Category Screening Committees for the Class of 2026 will be announced at a later date. The entire Class of 2026 will be unveiled during a nationally televised broadcast on Saturday, April 4, during Final Four Weekend.
The Finalist and Class Announcement times and broadcast networks will be announced by Monday, February 9.
Enshrinement Weekend will begin at the Mohegan Sun on Friday, August 14, with the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala, followed by the Enshrinement Ceremony the next day at Springfield’s historic Symphony Hall.
All VIP Packages, single-event tickets to the Ceremony, Tip-Off Celebration, and Awards Gala, as well as other ancillary events, will go on sale on Saturday, April 4. All packages and tickets will be available for purchase at hoophall.com.
The complete listing of events and pricing will be released on Monday, February 9.
For the latest news and updates, follow @hoophall on X and Instagram.
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Ballot
* Indicates First-Time Nominee
NORTH AMERICA NOMINEES
Rick Barnes (COA)
Gene Bartow (COA)
Tom Chambers (PLA)
Jamal Crawford (PLA)*
Joey Crawford (REF)
Terry Cummings (PLA)
Bobby Dibler (REF)
Mark Few (COA)
Robert Foley (COA)
Mike Gminski (PLA)
Blake Griffin (PLA)*
Anfernee Hardaway (PLA)
Herman Harried (COA)*
Robert Horry (PLA)
Marques Houtman (PLA)
Joe Johnson (PLA)*
Kevin Johnson (PLA)
Marv Kessler (COA)
Bill Laimbeer (PLA)
Mike Leonardo (COA)
Maurice Lucas (PLA)
Jack Madden (REF)
Shawn Marion (PLA)
Rollie Massimino (COA)
Bob McKillop (COA)
Gary McKnight (COA)
Paul Mihalak (REF)*
Steve Moore (COA)
Bill Morse (COA)
Dick Motta (COA)
Tom Murphy (COA)*
Jack Nagle (COA)
Bruce Pearl (COA)*
Jim Phelan (COA)
Donald Richardson (COA)
Doc Rivers (COA)
Dave Robbins (COA)
Lee Rose (COA)
Brandon Roy (PLA)*
Kelvin Sampson (COA)*
Scott Skiles (PLA)*
Harry Statham (COA)
Amar’e Stoudemire (PLA)
Jerry Welsh (COA)
Buck Williams (PLA)
Shelden Williams (PLA)*
WOMEN’S NOMINEES
1996 United States Women’s National Team (TEA)*
Leta Andrews (COA)
Jennifer Azzi (PLA)
Lynn Norenberg Barry (CONT)*
Lisa Bluder (COA)
Elena Delle Donne (PLA)*
Cheryl Ford (PLA)
Wanda Ford (PLA)
Bridgette Gordon (PLA)
Chamique Holdsclaw (PLA)
Bettye McClendon (REF)
Suzie McConnell (PLA)
Taj McWilliams-Franklin (PLA)
Candace Parker (PLA)*
Ticha Penicheiro (PLA)
Ruth Riley (PLA)
Tom Shirley (COA)*
Michelle Snow (PLA)*
Mike Thibault (COA)
Marian Washington (COA)
Chris Weller (COA)
Andrew Yosinoff (COA)
CONTRIBUTOR NOMINEES
Marv Albert
Pete Babcock
Bernie Bickerstaff
Tal Brody
Vic Bubas
Tremaine Dalton
Mike D’Antoni*
Bill Duffy
Mike Fratello
Bob Gibbons
Roberto Gonzalez
Simon Gourdine
Tim Grgurich
Dennis Jackson
Junius Kellogg
Johnny “Red” Kerr
Dan Lynch
Elmo Mahoney*
Ken Mahoney*
Jack McCloskey
Jon McGlocklin
Alex McKechnie*
Johnny Most
Dennis Murphy
Curly Neal
Jim Riswold
Ermer Robinson*
Will Robinson
Gene Shue
Otis “Dino” Smiley
Scott Tarter
Sonny Vaccaro
Donnie Walsh
World Wheelers
INTERNATIONAL NOMINEES
David Blatt (COA)
Jean-Jacques Conceicao (PLA)
Mirza Delibasic (PLA)
Jorge Garbajosa (PLA)
Marc Gasol (PLA)
Andrew Gaze (PLA)
Panagiotis Giannakis (PLA)
Giuseppe Giergia (PLA)
J.R. Holden (PLA)
Dusan Ivkovic (PLA)
Andrei Kirilenko (PLA)
Vladimir Kondrashin (COA)
Marcos Leite (PLA)
Ettore Messina (COA)
Juan Carlos Navarro (PLA)
Andres Nocioni (PLA)
Fabricio Oberto (PLA)
Jose Ortiz (PLA)
Amaury Pasos (PLA)
Modesto Palauskas (PLA)
Togo Soares (PLA)
Penny Taylor (PLA)
Amaya Valdemore (PLA)
Ranko Zeravica (COA)
WOMEN’S VETERAN NOMINEES
1982 Cheyney State NCAA Final Four Team (TEA)
Molly Bolin (PLA)
Alline Banks Sprouse (PLA)
Edmonton Commercial Grads (TEA)
Fort Shaw Indians School (TEA)
John Head (COA)
Yolanda Laney (PLA)
Nashville Business College (TEA)
Patsy Neal (PLA)*
Lometa Odom (PLA)
Hazel Walker (PLA)
Rosie Walker (PLA)*
Valerie Walker (PLA)
VETERAN NOMINEES
1936 US Men’s National Team (TEA)
1972 US Men’s National Team (TEA)
1976 US Men’s National Team (TEA)
Frank J. Basloe (CONT)*
Malcolm Brown (PLA)
Boid Buie (PLA)
Mack Calvin (PLA)
Jim Chones (PLA)
Jack Coleman (PLA)
Don Donoher (COA)
Leroy Edwards (PLA)
Leo Ferris (CONT)
World B. Free (PLA)
Travis Grant (PLA)
Bobby “Showboat” Hall (CONT)
Cam Henderson (COA)
Robert Hopkins (PLA)
Marques Johnson (PLA)
Roger Kaiser (PLA)*
Larry Kenon (PLA)*
Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968, 1969 (TEA)
Butch Lee (PLA)
Abe Lemons (COA)
Henry Logan (PLA)
Loyola of Chicago 1963 (TEA)
Billy Markward (CONT)
Bill Melchionni (PLA)
Francis Meehan (PLA)
Lucias Mitchell (COA)
Richard Mullins (PLA)
Willie Naulls (PLA)
Ben Newman (CONT)
Don Otten (PLA)
Louis Pieri (CONT)
William J. Reinhart (CONT)
Mel Riebe (PLA)
Glenn Roberts (PLA)
Holcombe Rucker (CONT)
Kenny Sailors (PLA)
Bernard “Red” Sarachek (CONT)
Fred Schaus (CONT)
Paul Silas (PLA)
Ralph Simpson (PLA)
Dick Van Arsdale (PLA)
Tom Van Arsdale (PLA)
Cleo Vaughn (PLA)
Lambert Will (CONT)
Gus Williams (PLA)
John Williamson (PLA)
Max Zaslofsky (PLA)
