WNBA players Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne inducted into Hall of Fame
Former WNBA MVP and champion Candace Parker, along with Elena Delle Donne, leads the group being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Parker is the sole player in WNBA history to secure championships with three different teams, having triumphed with the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces. She is also the only player in WNBA history to achieve both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season (2008).
Parker’s influence extends beyond her WNBA tenure. She claimed the dunk contest title at the McDonald’s All American Game during high school, secured two national championships at Tennessee, earned two Olympic Gold medals, and received two WNBA MVP awards.
Delle Donne is likewise a two-time league MVP (2015 and 2019) and made history as the first player to conclude a season with shooting percentages of 50% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc, and 90% from the free throw line. A one-time WNBA champion, she guided the Washington Mystics to a title in 2019.
Included among the Hall of Fame inductees is current Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers. With 1,191 (and still counting) coaching victories, Rivers ranks eighth on the all-time list. He led the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship in 2008 and was in charge during the Lob City era with the LA Clippers.
Former NBA player A’mare Stoudemire will also join the Class of 2026, according to Charania. Stoudemire was named the 2003 Rookie of the Year after entering the league straight from high school and was selected as an All-Star six times throughout his career. He spent his initial eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns, where he developed a strong pick-and-roll partnership with point guard Steve Nash. His NBA career lasted 14 years, including tenures in New York, Dallas, and Miami following his time in Phoenix.
The official enshrinement ceremonies for the Hall of Fame are set to take place in August in Springfield, Massachusetts.
