The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2025 on Thursday, and it’s packed with some of the biggest names in NBA history. Headlining the group of first-time nominees are Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist, and Dwight Howard, an eight-time All-Star who won three Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Joining Melo and D12 as first-time nominees are fellow NBA All-Stars Marc Gasol and Tony Parker, as well as legendary WNBA stars Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, and Chamique Holdsclaw. The impressive list of nominees also includes accomplished coaches like Doc Rivers, who ranks 10th in NBA history with 1,043 wins, and Billy Donovan, who led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012.
Anthony & Howard: First-Ballot Hall of Famers?
Carmelo Anthony, the third overall pick in the historic 2003 NBA Draft, was one of the most prolific scorers of his generation. He currently sits at ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 28,289 career points. The 6-foot-8 forward was named to six All-NBA teams and won the scoring title in 2013 when he averaged 28.7 points per game with the New York Knicks.
It’s an honor to just be considered for the Hall of Fame. To be recognized alongside so many other all-time greats, it’s humbling. This is the highest praise you can get in basketball.
– Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard was the most dominant center of the late 2000s and early 2010s. An absolute force on both ends of the court, Howard led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009 and won three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2009 to 2011. The eight-time All-NBA center ranks 12th in NBA history with 14,627 rebounds and 14th with 2,192 blocks.
Team USA Greats & Legendary Coaches
Interestingly, Carmelo Anthony was also nominated as part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, affectionately known as the “Redeem Team.” That star-studded squad, featuring fellow nominees Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh, captured the gold medal in dominant fashion. Anthony is the first male basketball player to earn three Olympic gold medals.
On the coaching side, Doc Rivers and Billy Donovan have remarkably similar resumes. Both played point guard in the NBA before transitioning to coaching, and both have coached multiple teams to the playoffs. Rivers won Coach of the Year in 2000 and an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, while Donovan has led an improbable run to the NBA Finals with a young Thunder squad in 2012.
WNBA Icons Get Their Due
The WNBA is well-represented among this year’s nominees, with four all-time greats up for consideration. Sue Bird and Maya Moore are two of the most decorated champions in basketball history, with a combined eight WNBA titles and nine Olympic and World Cup gold medals between them. Sylvia Fowles is the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder, while Chamique Holdsclaw was a three-time NCAA champion and the No. 1 pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft.
The Road to Springfield
Now that the nominees have been announced, the next step in the process is to determine the finalists. That will take place during NBA All-Star weekend on February 14th, with the official Class of 2025 set to be unveiled at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio on April 5th.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony will be held on September 5th at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, followed by a separate event the next day at the Hall of Fame’s permanent home in Springfield, Massachusetts.
A Celebration of Basketball Greatness
The Basketball Hall of Fame is not just for NBA superstars. It’s a shrine to the all-time greats from every level of the sport, including the WNBA, NCAA, and international competition. This year’s diverse nominee class is a perfect representation of that.
The Hall of Fame is the ultimate goal for anyone who picks up a basketball. To even be mentioned in the same breath as some of these names, it’s the pinnacle, the top of the mountain.
– Dwight Howard
It will be exciting to see which of these legendary figures will take their place among the immortals in the Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Based on their awe-inspiring resumes, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard have to be considered frontrunners to headline the class as first-ballot inductees.
But nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Hall of Fame voting. There’s no doubt that each and every one of these nominees is worthy of basketball’s highest individual honor. The only question is whether the selection committee will send them on the first ballot or make them wait a year or two.
Either way, the Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded ever, a fitting tribute to a golden generation that revolutionized the sport. From Anthony and Howard to Bird and Moore, these are the giants whose achievements will echo through the annals of basketball history forever.
