New Candidates Emerge for Basketball Hall of Fame Induction

Blake Griffin, Candace Parker, Jamal Crawford, the 1996 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team, Bruce Pearl, and Kelvin Sampson are among the first-time nominees announced for enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026.

Other notable first-time nominees include Elena Delle Donne and Joe Johnson as players, and Mike D'Antoni as a contributor. Nearly 200 players and teams were included in the list unveiled by the Hall on ESPN's NBA Live show, with returning finalists from a year ago such as Mark Few, Marques Johnson, Buck Williams, Jerry Welsh, Molly Bolin, Dusan Ivkovic, Doc Rivers, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Marv Albert.

The 2026 class will be unveiled on April 4 at the NCAA Final Four, with enshrinement weekend scheduled for August 14 and 15 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.

John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, stated that this year's ballot recognizes candidates whose legacies continue to shape basketball, highlighting their defining performances, influential leadership, and contributions to the sport.

Some teams considered for enshrinement include the 1936, 1972, and 1976 U.S. Olympic men's teams, the 1982 Cheyney State team, the Kentucky Wesleyan men's teams, and the 1963 Loyola Chicago men's team that broke racial barriers in the sport.