The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has officially announced its Class of 2026 inductees, representing some of the most impactful individuals who have played a part in the growth and advancement of basketball.
The Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2026 is headlined by Joey Crawford, Mark Few, Doc Rivers, Amar'e Stoudemire, the 1996 U.S. Women's national team, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, Candace Parker and Mike D'Antoni.
“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to welcome the Class of 2026, a group that reflects the very best this sport has to offer,” President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame John Doleva said in a news release. "From a referee who set the standard over four decades, to coaches who built dynasties at every level, to players who redefined their positions, to a visionary who changed how the game is played — and a women’s class headlined by a national team that helped launch an entire league, alongside three of the most accomplished players the women’s game has ever seen — we are honored to welcome them to Springfield."
These individuals were recognized for their contributions to the game of basketball, whether they revolutionized the sport, pushed it forward, or have been an adversary to the betterment of the overall product of the game.
Here are the list of the newly inducted Class of 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame members, their accolades and how they've impacted the game.
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North American committee hall of fame selections
These individuals were selected by the North American committee to the 2026 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Joey Crawford
Joey Crawford was an NBA referee for 39 seasons spanning from 1977 to 2016. He is one of the NBA's longest-tenured and most accomplished officials in league history. Crawford has officiated 2,561 regular-season games in his career, which is second most to fellow Hall of Fame NBA referee Dick Bavetta. Crawford has also officiated an NBA record 374 playoff games and 50 NBA Finals games. He's worked every Finals series from 1986 to 2015.
His refereeing career first began with high school basketball in 1970. Crawford earned professional experience in the Eastern Basketball Association. He made his NBA debut as a 26-year-old.
Mark Few
Mark Few is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. He got his collegiate head coaching start at Gonzaga in 1999 and hasn't looked back. Few has led the Bulldogs to long-term national prominence with 773 coaching wins, 26 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and two NCAA championship game appearances in 2017 and 2021. Few was named Naismith Coach of the Year in the seasons where he coached his team to a NCAA title game.
Few is the winningest active coach, by winning percentage. He has recorded at least 20 wins in every season as Gonzaga’s head coach. He's won numerous West Coast Conference titles and was an assistant coach for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team that took home the gold medal against France.
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers, who is currently head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, was named to basketball's highest honors for his contribution to the league for 27 seasons. Rivers collected more 1,180 wins in his career that spans nearly three-decades.
Rivers has coached the Orlando Magic (1999-2003), Boston Celtics (2004-13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23), and Bucks (2023-present). Rivers was named NBA Coach of the Year with Orlando. He is revered for coaching the Celtics to their 2008 championship, at the time was the first for the franchise since 1986. He also coached them to a finals appearance in 2010.
Rivers moved into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time coaching wins list, passing George Karl, in a 123-113 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on December 29, 2025. He is the winningest active coach and has 114 playoff victories, which ranks fourth all-time.
Although he is being inducted as a coach, Rivers was a former All-Star point guard who played 13 NBA seasons.
Amar'e Stoudemire
Stoudemire was the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft directly out of high school. He played 14 seasons in NBA and was a six-time NBA All-Star and 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year. In his career, Stoudemire averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds.
His best years came with the Phoenix Suns where he tallied 21.4 points and 8.3 rebounds on a nightly basis during his first eight seasons from 2002 to 2010. He earned five All-NBA selections and was a key figure in Phoenix’s “Seven Seconds or Less” era coached by Mike D'Antoni, who was also inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2026.
Women's committee Hall of Fame selections
These individuals were selected by the women's committee to the 2026 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 1996 United States women's national team
Similar to how the 1992 U.S. men's national team changed international competition and expanded the NBA's popularity, the 1996 United States women's national team probably single-handedly showcased the women's talent and sparked conversations of a professional women's league, which became the WNBA later that year.
The U.S. women's team captured the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta, finishing with an undefeated 8-0 record and an average margin of victory of more than 30 points.
The roster included future Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards, Rebecca Lobo, and Katrina McClain. Other members were Jennifer Azzi, Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, Venus Lacy, Nikki McCray, Carla McGhee and Katy Steding. The team was coached by future hall of fame coach Tara VanDerveer.
Elena Delle Donne
Elena Delle Donne played 11 seasons in the WNBA and became a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player in 2015 and 2019. She was drafted second overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft, selected by the Chicago Sky. Delle Donne was named WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2013. She was traded to the Washington Mystics in 2017. Delle Donne led Washington to its first WNBA championship in 2019. She was named to the WNBA’s 25th Anniversary Team in 2021. Delle Donne was a seven-time All-Star and four-time All-WNBA First Team selection. She helped win an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. team at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Chamique Holdsclaw
Chamique Holdsclaw played 11 seasons in the WNBA suiting for the Washington Mystics (1999-2004), Los Angeles Sparks (2005-2007), Atlanta Dream (2009), and San Antonio Silver Stars (2010).
She was a six-time WNBA All-Star from 1999 to 2003 and in 2005. She was the first overall pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft after she led Tennessee to three consecutive NCAA national championships (1996-98), twice won Naismith College Player of the Year (1998, ‘99) and finished as the SEC’s all-time leading scorer.
Holdsclaw became the 1999 Rookie of the Year. She led the WNBA in scoring in 2002. She averaged 16.9 points and 7.6 rebounds across her career. She won an Olympic gold medal in 2000. She was inducted to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
Candace Parker
Candace Parker is arguably one of the most accomplished players in women’s basketball history. Parker is a two-time league MVP (2008, 2013), three-time WNBA champion (2016, 2021, 2023) and 2016 Finals MVP.
Parker was drafted with the first pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks. At the time she became the second player ever to dunk in a game, second to Lisa Leslie, her former Sparks teammate. Parker became the only player in WNBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. She earned a league Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. Parker is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and All-WNBA First Team selection.
She made her name at the college level, starring at Tennessee, where Parker helped to lead the program to two NCAA national championships in 2007 and 2008. Parker is a two-time Olympic gold medalist winning in 2008 and 2012.
Contributor's committee hall of fame selection
The following individual was selected by the contributor's committee to the 2026 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni has his prints all over the modern game of basketball. In the 2000s, 'experts' thought he was insane for idolizing offense, and less defense. D’Antoni influenced the game through his up-tempo, 'space-and-pace' philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy, emphasizing ball movement, shooting and efficiency, and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport. His Suns' offense was deemed 'seven seconds or less' meaning that players had the green light to shoot good, high volume shots within seven seconds of a 24-second shot clock.
His impact spans continents, having coached professionally in Italy for eight seasons before bringing his ideas to the NBA. Through his 16 NBA seasons, D'Antoni has racked nearly 1,200 career wins. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice in 2005 and 2017, he served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and was recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history in 2008.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame includes long list of legends
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