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0 The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the list of 14 Finalists who have been selected from various committees, including North American, Women’s, Men’s Veterans, Women’s Veterans, International, and Contributors. The announcement was made during the NBA All-Star Weekend in 2024. The Finalists will be presented to the Honors Committee for consideration for election as members of the Class of 2024. The new class of inductees will be announced on April 6 at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Phoenix.
The North American Committee Finalists, in alphabetical order, are Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan, and Charles Smith. The Women’s Committee has two Finalists: Seimone Augustus and Marian Washington. The Veterans Committee has two Finalists: Dick Barnett and Harley Redin. The International Committee has one Finalist: Michele Timms. The Contributors Committee has three Finalists: Doug Collins, Herb Simon, and Jerry West.
Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, said, “Being named a Finalist for the Class of 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is a testament to the highest echelons of achievement in the sport. It’s an honor that reflects not only individual greatness but also the long-lasting impact on the game itself. Each Finalist embodies the pinnacle of basketball excellence, from the strategic brilliance of coaches to the unmatched abilities of players and the influential roles of a coach/broadcaster, an esteemed owner, and a dynasty-building executive. Their inclusion underscores the diverse contributions that have shaped and enriched the sport, making this recognition truly exceptional.”
The Class of 2024 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, on August 16-17. VIP packages for the 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend are now available. Single-event tickets will go on sale on April 6, following the 2024 Class Announcement.
The Finalists from the North American Committee are a group of well-known basketball players and coaches. Chauncey Billups, also known as “Mr. Big Shot,” was a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2004 Finals MVP after leading the Detroit Pistons to their third NBA championship. Vince Carter, a former North Carolina standout, was an eight-time All-Star in his twenty-two seasons in the NBA and is the only player in NBA history to play in four different decades.
Michael Cooper, who spent his entire 12-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, won five championships, and was named to eight NBA All-Defensive Teams, taking home First-Team accolades five times and winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1987. Walter Davis is the all-time leading scorer in Phoenix Suns’ history and was a six-time All-Star during his 15-year NBA career.
Bo Ryan, the former head coach of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Wisconsin, had an impressive record of 747-233 (.762) in 32 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Charles Smith is Louisiana’s all-time winningest high school head coach, surpassing the previous mark of 1,071 in 2020, with eight state championships to his name.
The Women’s Committee Finalists include Seimone Augustus, a former WNBA player who won four Olympic gold medals with the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team, and Marian Washington, a former head coach of the University of Kansas women’s basketball team for 31 seasons.
The Veterans Committee Finalists include Dick Barnett, who won two NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973, and Harley Redin, who coached the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens to consecutive AAU national championships in 1956, 1957, and 1958.
Michele Timms, the International Committee Finalist, is a former Australian basketball player who played in the WNBA from 1997 to 2001 and won a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 1997.
The Contributors Committee Finalists include Doug Collins, a former NBA player and coach who has been a television analyst for the NBA on TNT since 2003, Herb Simon, the owner of the Indiana Pacers, and Jerry West, a former NBA player and coach who is currently a consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers.
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