The finalists for the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame were announced on April 5, 2025. It is a strong class including star players from the NBA, WNBA, and other key contributors. Whom does this most recent class include?
Players Inducted In the Hall of Fame
Carmelo Anthony, who is widely recognized for the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal won with the team we know now as the “Redeem Team,” is coming to Springfield. Aside from his international success, he is also a 10x All-Star and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Former Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard also received the nod after a stellar NBA career. He won three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, had 8 All-Star nods, and a 2020 NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.
WNBA greats have also been inducted, such as legendary and game-changing Guard Sue Bird. Widely recognized as one of the greatest players in WNBA history. Bird also has 4 WNBA championships, 8 All-WNBA First Team selections, and 10 All-Star game appearances. She is also the all-time women’s leader in assists with 3,234.
Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles have also made it. Fowles, a 4x Olympic Gold Medalist, and Moore, a 4x WNBA champion, are two of the most important figures in women’s basketball and will be for years to come.
Coaches/Referees/Teams Added To List
The current head coach of the Chicago Bulls, Billy Donovan, will join this stellar list with his two NCAA Championships at the University of Florida. Longtime NBA Referee Danny Crawford will also be joining the Naismith Hall of Fame. He appeared in 29 straight NBA Finals spanning from 1986-2015.
While the 2008 “Redeem Team” isn’t a player, the team itself will be joining the Hall of Fame for restoring men’s basketball success after defeating Spain in the Gold Medal Game 118-107. This legendary set of players compiled an 8-0 record and averaged a 27.9 margin of victory throughout the Olympics.
