Parker, EDD, and Griffin named as candidates for the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame induction class.
Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, both former WNBA MVPs and champions, are the prominent names among the finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026, as announced on Wednesday.
Parker is the sole player in WNBA history to secure championships with three different teams: the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces. Recognized as one of the pioneers of positionless basketball, Parker excelled at every stage of her career—winning the dunk contest at the McDonald’s All American Game during high school, capturing two national titles at Tennessee, earning two Olympic Gold medals, and receiving two WNBA MVP awards.
She remains the only player in WNBA history to achieve both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season (2008).
Delle Donne is also a two-time league MVP (2015 and 2019) and made history as the first WNBA player to achieve shooting percentages of 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% on free throws. She guided the Washington Mystics to their inaugural championship in 2019, solidifying her status as one of the finest pure shooters in the sport.
Two figures from the LA Clippers’ “Lob City” era have also been named finalists. Six-time All-Star Blake Griffin revitalized the struggling franchise with his dynamic, high-flying play, highlighted by his victory in the 2011 slam dunk contest, where he leaped over a Kia vehicle.
Griffin evolved into a more well-rounded player throughout his 14-year career, concluding with over 14,000 points and 3,000 assists.
Doc Rivers, who coached many of those Lob City teams, has also been selected as a finalist. Rivers, whose career coaching wins total 1,114 (and counting), ranks eighth on the all-time list and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship in 2008. He currently serves as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
A’mare Stoudemire is a finalist once more. Stoudemire recorded averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds over 846 career games spanning 14 seasons with Phoenix, New York, Dallas, and Miami, with the first eight seasons spent with the Suns.
The 6-foot-10 forward/center was a six-time All-Star and an All-NBA first-team selection in 2006-07, forming a potent pick-and-roll partnership in Phoenix with point guard Steve Nash.
Stoudemire was also honored as the 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year after entering the league straight from high school.
Other player finalists include Kevin Johnson, Buck Williams, and Marques Johnson. Official Joey Crawford is a finalist, along with Tal Brody, who played a significant role in shaping Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball, and Mike D’Antoni, recognized in the contributor category.
Additional coaches alongside Rivers include Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, and Jerry Welsh, who led Potsdam in upstate New York to NCAA Division III championships in 1981 and 1986. They are joined by Gary McKnight and Dick Motta.
The 1996 gold medal-winning U.S. women’s national team will also be under consideration for induction, along with Jennifer Azzi, a member of that Atlanta Games team who is a finalist again as an individual. Joining her as a women’s committee finalist is Chamique Holdsclaw.
Molly Bolin-Kazmerm, the first player signed by the Women’s Professional Basketball League, is a returning finalist nominated by the women’s veterans committee.
The final Class of 2026 will be revealed during the NCAA Final Four weekend in April, with the official enshrinement ceremonies set for August in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
