1 week ago 14

Naismith Hall of Fame finalists for Class of 2025 highlighted by Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Sue Bird

On Friday, the Naismith Hall of Fame announced the 16 individual finalists (and one team) for the Class of 2025, out of dozens of potential nominees. The final list is highlighted by a number of big names across the NBA and WNBA, including Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, the 2008 U.S. men's basketball team and more.

Among NBA players, Anthony and Howard stand out as finalists. Anthony is a 10-time All-Star, best known for his time with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. Howard, an eight-time All-Star, started his career with the Orlando Magic for eight seasons before playing for a number of other teams. He earned a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA bubble in 2020. Both Anthony and Howard finished their NBA careers with the Lakers in 2022.

There are several big names on the WNBA side, as several veterans from the early days of the league become eligible. Bird, considered one of the greatest point guards in WNBA history, is a 13-time All-Star, four-time WNBA Champion and five-time Olympic gold medalist. Bird retired from the league in 2022 after spending her entire career with the Seattle Storm.

Another WNBA finalist, Moore, has a relatively short career with a lot to show for it. In eight seasons, Moore led the Lynx to four WNBA championships, earning six All-Star nods and the WNBA MVP award in 2014. Moore’s jersey was retired by Minnesota in an emotional ceremony in August.

One of Moore’s former Lynx teammates, Sylvia Fowles, is also a finalist. After seven seasons with the Chicago Sky, Fowles won two WNBA Championships in Minnesota, earning WNBA MVP in 2017, plus eight All-Star honors and four WNBA Defensive Play of the Year awards. She retired from the WNBA in 2022.

The Hall is also honoring the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team. Nicknamed the "Redeem Team," the team was coached by Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski, who led the team to a gold medal finish after a disappointing bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics.

For the coaches, the finalists include several key names — including some that are still on the sideline. Finalists Mark Few and Billy Donovan are all still actively coaching: Donovan has headed up the Chicago Bulls since 2020, while Few has been the head coach at Gonzaga since 1999. Under Naismith guidelines, coaches can be eligible for the hall of fame either after five years of retirement, or after a minimum of 25 years as a coach.

Another notable name is Mickey Arison, the owner of the Miami Heat since 1995, who is one of two finalists in the contributor category. “Contributor” covers a wide range of positions, including former NBA Commissioners, sports executives, and others that the Hall of Fame committee considers as having made “significant contributions” to the game of basketball.

The Hall of Fame announced a list of eligible nominees in December. A number of the finalists, including Anthony, Howard, Bird, Moore, Donovan, Few, and more, were first-time nominees.

A few notable names, including NBA coach Doc Rivers and longtime Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, were not announced as finalists. Additionally, former NBA stars and first time nominees Amar’e Stoudemire and Marc Gasol are not finalists to join the hall this year.

The full Class of 2025 will be announced during a ceremony at the NCAA Final Four on April 5.

Here is the full list of finalists for the Nasmith Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.

Players

Carmelo Anthony*

Sylvia Fowles*

Maya Moore*

Dwight Howard*

Sue Bird*

Jennifer Azzi

Buck Williams

Molly Bolin

Marques Johnson