The Basketball Hall of Fame opens its doors. A select few enter with drop steps and after turning.
These newest additions to Springfield range from the fiery Amar’e Stoudemire to the nimble grace of Candace Parker. Saturday’s choruses show love to MVPs, gold medalists, head coaches and even one referee.
Here’s what fans of the game need to know before the big occasion.
How to watch the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony
- Venue: Symphony Hall — Springfield, Mass.
- Date: Saturday, August 15
- time: 19:00 ET
- TV: NBA TV
- Transmission: Fubo (Stream for free now)
NBA TV is also available on the NBA app.
Hall of Fame induction ceremony coverage
The NBA TV broadcast runs for two hours, from 7 to 9 p.m. ET, and features speeches from the new members at the podium. More than 50 Hall of Famers are expected to attend the ceremony.
In recent years, these speeches have produced some of the most enduring moments in basketball. Emotional Dwyane Wade called his father on stage in 2023 Vanessa Bryant gave a a tearful tribute To Kobe Bryant, her late husband who was received posthumously 2021. And the internet was never the same after Michael Jordan 2009 address.
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This year’s Hall of Famers
The Class of 2026 consists of one NBA player, three WNBA players, three coaches, one referee and one full team.
Players
Elena Delle Donne he led the NCAA in scoring at the University of Delaware, then was the MVP for both the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. She also won the scoring title with the former and the WNBA title with the latter.
Chamique Holdsclaw starred for the University of Tennessee and won three straight national championships from 1996-98. As a professional, she earned six All-Star honors and three All-WNBA honors in a career that spanned from 1999 to 2010. Holdsclaw led the league in points per game once and rebounds per game twice while with Washington.
Candace Parker was a two-time national champion in Tennessee. She made history as the first WNBA player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season (2008). Parker spent 13 of her 16 W campaigns with the Los Angeles Sparks. She also earned a ring in all three of her professional stops: with the Sparks in 2016, the Sky in 2021 and the Las Vegas Aces in 2023.
Amar’e Stoudemire he was a six-time All-Star and made five All-NBA teams during his playing career. His best seasons were as a member of the Phoenix Suns, who drafted him No. 9 overall out of high school in 2002. He averaged 21.4 points and 8.9 rebounds over eight years in Phoenix.
Head coaches
Mike D’Antoni he was a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, with the Suns in 2004-05 and the Houston Rockets in 2016-17. He helped create the ultra-quick “Seven Seconds or Less” style and was nominated by the Associates Committee for his role in the development of the modern offense.
Mark Few is a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year with 773 wins at Gonzaga. His current .832 winning percentage is the best mark in Division I men’s basketball history.
Doc Rivers won NBA Coach of the Year in 1999-00 as the leader of the Orlando Magic. He hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Rivers just coached the Milwaukee Bucks in 2025-26.
Referees
Joey Crawford officiated NBA games for nearly 40 years. From 1977 to 2016, he participated in 374 playoff contests.
The team
1996 United States Women’s National Team won gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Coached by Tara VanDerveer, the team included legends like Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes and Dawn Staley.
Lecturers from the Hall of Fame
Attendees choose other Hall of Famers to meet. The player-coach duo of Stoudemire and D’Antoni will honor each other. Here’s who will be invited during Saturday’s ceremony:
- Joey Crawford — Danny Crawford and Rod Thorn
- Mike D’Antoni — Jerry Colangelo, Bob McAdoo, Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire and Rod Thorn
- Elena Delle Donne — Sylvia Fowles and Marianne Stanley
- Mark Few — John Calipari, Grant Hill and John Stockton
- Chamique Holdsclaw — Tamika Catchings, Tina Thompson and Teresa Weatherspoon
- Candace Parker – Tamika Catchings, Allen Iverson, Cheryl Miller and Dwyane Wade
- Doc Rivers — Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce
- Amar’e Stoudemire — Jerry Colangelo, Mike D’Antoni, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Steve Nash and Rick Welts
- 1996 United States Women’s National Team — Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Katrina McClain, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes and Tara VanDerveer
The new New York Times Hall of Fame archives
Elena Delle Donne
After being mobbed by her teammates, Delle Donne took a quick look toward the stands. She found perhaps her two biggest fans five rows back in their usual seats: Ernie, her father, and Gene, her brother. Like the rest of the crowd, they pumped their fists and exchanged high fives. “There you are!” Ernie shouted, pointing an outstretched hand at his daughter. — Ben Strauss, 2013
Mark Few
“I know after the tournament, when I throw a line on the stream, I’m going to start smiling,” Few said. “I’m always working. To think back in 1989 I was a high school basketball coach and now all this. This is a special place and I’m grateful for it.” — Joe Drape, 2002
Candace Parker
While Parker admits to some physical and mental fatigue, she’s trying to use these Olympics to do more than help the United States win its fourth straight gold medal in women’s basketball. With his bright smile and transcendent game, Parker is close to becoming his sport’s first international icon. — Pete Thamel, 2008
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers has a trophy bearing the likeness of Red Auerbach and the words “Coach of the Year,” an award that has nothing to do with Rivers’ success with the Celtics, but may have foreshadowed it. Rivers made his NBA Finals debut on Thursday as he successfully coaxed three All-Stars to share the glory and combine their talents for the greater good. — Howard Beck, 2008
Amar’e Stoudemire
Amar’e Stoudemire was in the Madison Square Garden marquee, wearing a white Knicks jersey with the number 1 on the chest. His picture filled the electronic billboards around the bar. On a large banner inside was the slogan “Stat City,” which played on his nickname STAT (Standing High and Talented). Finally, early Monday night, Stoudemire appeared wearing a blue Knicks cap and said, “The Knicks are back.” — Beck, 2010
1996 United States Women’s National Team
They were already unique, returning home from their professional exile to play basketball in America in an unprecedented 10-month effort to reclaim an Olympic gold medal. Now, and forever, they are golden. The United States Women’s National Team, which has been on edge during its tough winter and spring training, defeated Brazil 111-87 tonight to win the Olympic tournament. In front of a raucous crowd of 32,997 at the Georgia Dome, the final leg of the demanding world tour was a victory lap around the edges of the field. — Malcolm Moran, 1996
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