Several basketball greats, including those formerly in the NBA, the WNBA, the coaching ranks, or on the international stage, received early Christmas presents on Friday. That was when the nominees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame were announced for the Class of 2026.
There are nearly 200 individuals or teams on the ballot, but several first-time nominees stand out as potential first-ballot Hall of Famers.
Among them are six-time NBA All-Star, Blake Griffin, two-time WNBA MVP, Candace Parker, three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner, Jamal Crawford, and a member of the 20,000-point club, Joe Johnson.
“Through defining performances, influential leadership, and achievements that helped elevate the sport on the national and international stage, this year’s ballot recognizes those whose legacy continues to shape how the game is played, coached, and celebrated.”
Amongst those who return to the ballot after not getting inducted in previous years are a number of high-profile coaches at both the pro and college levels. They include current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers and Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few.
As for players who return on the ballot, those are highlighted by five-time All-NBA selection Amar’e Stoudemire, seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry, and two-time AP Women’s College Player of the Year Chamique Holdsclaw.
Griffin and Parker are, undoubtedly, the headliners amongst the first-time nominees, and both were college stars who were then No. 1 overall picks.
Griffin was an All-American at Oklahoma, then won NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Over his first five seasons, he made the All-Star Game each year and garnered four All-NBA selections. He was one of the key cogs in the most successful era in the Clippers franchise history and was part of the “Lob City” trio alongside Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.
Paul and Jordan are both still active—despite being older than Griffin—as the power forward saw his prime shortened by injuries and his overall career curtailed. Still, Griffin averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, and four assists during his 13-year career, while shooting 49.3 percent from the field.
As for Parker, her exploits date back to high school, when she first dunked at 15 and was named the two-time High School National Player of the Year. She was the AP Player of the Year at Tennessee while also winning a pair of national championships.
Parker’s awards and accolades continued in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks, as in her rookie year, she was named both WNBA Rookie of the Year and the league’s MVP. That made her the first player in league history—and just the third person ever, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld of the NBA—to win both Rookie of the Year and the League MVP in the same season.
Parker would go on to become a 10-time All-WNBA selection, a three-time WNBA champion, and a one-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year winner.
She also won a pair of Olympic gold medals and was named AP Athlete of the Year twice. That makes her the only women’s basketball player to receive that honor multiple times and makes her one of three basketball players, overall, along with LeBron James (four) and Michael Jordan (three), to win multiple AP Athlete of the Year honors.
Currently, both Parker and Griffin are colleagues at Amazon Prime Video, where they broadcast NBA games.
The list of those eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame includes players, coaches, referees, contributors, and teams. Other players familiar to NBA fans that are on the ballot include Penny Hardaway, Kevin Johnson, Bill Laimbeer, and Elena Delle Donne. Broadcaster Marv Albert is on the contributors list, while Marc Gasol is listed as an international player nomination.
Additionally, the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team is on the ballot for the first time. That team won the Olympic gold medal on home soil in Atlanta.
There is a process for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, and the next step is identifying the finalists. That reveal will take place during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend in February, before the inductees are announced at the Final Four. That will come on April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be enshrined during the weekend of Aug. 14–15, 2026. A celebration and awards gala will take place at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, before the enshrinement ceremony the next day at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass.
