Overview
- The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame formally enshrined nine individuals and the 1996 U.S. women’s Olympic team on Saturday, Aug. 15, at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass.
- The Class of 2026 included WNBA stars Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw, NBA coaches Doc Rivers, Mike D’Antoni and Mark Few, six-time All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, and longtime referee Joey Crawford.
- Speeches and presentations drew attention throughout the night, with Mike D’Antoni thanking his Olimpia Milano years, Doc Rivers joined onstage by members of his 2008 Celtics title team, and Candace Parker delivering an emotional reflection on her career.
- The 1996 U.S. women’s team was honored as a unit for helping to spark the WNBA’s launch and for beginning a run of U.S. Olympic dominance in women’s basketball.
- The class reinforces a recent pattern of greater recognition for women in the Hall and spotlights coaching ideas, such as D’Antoni’s spacing-and-pace offense, that have reshaped modern NBA strategy and player roles.