Basketball’s Hall of Fame opens its doors. The chosen few enter with drop steps and post spins.
These latest additions to Springfield range from the fiery rim-running of Amar’e Stoudemire to the dexterous grace of Candace Parker. Saturday’s proceedings show love to MVPs, gold medalists, head coaches and even one referee.
Here’s what fans of the game need to know ahead of the momentous occasion.
How to watch the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Venue: Symphony Hall — Springfield, Mass.
Date: Saturday, Aug. 15
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBA TV
Streaming: Fubo (Stream Free Now)
NBA TV is also available in the NBA app.
Hall of Fame induction ceremony coverage
NBA TV’s broadcast runs for two hours, from 7-9 p.m. ET, and features podium speeches from the new members. More than 50 Hall of Famers are expected to attend the enshrinement.
In recent years, these speeches have produced some of basketball’s most enduring moments. An emotional Dwyane Wade invited his father up on stage in 2023. Vanessa Bryant gave a tearful tribute to Kobe Bryant, her late husband who was posthumously inducted in 2021. And the internet was never the same after Michael Jordan’s 2009 address.
This year’s Hall of Fame inductees
The 2026 class comprises one NBA player, three WNBA players, three coaches, one referee and one whole team.
Players
Elena Delle Donne led the NCAA in scoring at the University of Delaware, then was an MVP for both the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. She also won a scoring title with the former and a WNBA title with the latter.
Chamique Holdsclaw starred for the University of Tennessee and won three straight national championships from 1996-98. As a pro, she earned six All-Star nods 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 champ at 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 got a ring at all three of her pro stops: with the Sparks in 2016, the Sky in 2021 and the Las Vegas Aces in 2023.
Amar’e Stoudemire 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 across eight years in Phoenix.
Head coaches
Mike D’Antoni was a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, with the Suns in 2004-05 and the Houston Rockets in 2016-17. He helped pioneer the ultra-fast “Seven Seconds or Less” style, and was nominated by the Contributors Committee for his role in developing modern offense.
Mark Few is a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year with 773 victories 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 lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Rivers just coached the Milwaukee Bucks through the 2025-26 season.
Referee
Joey Crawford officiated NBA games for almost 40 years. He reffed 374 playoff contests from 1977 to 2016.
Team
The 1996 United States Women’s National Team won gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Coached by Tara VanDerveer, that squad included legends like Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes and Dawn Staley.
The Hall of Fame presenters
Inductees choose other Hall of Famers to introduce them. The player-coach duo of Stoudemire and D’Antoni will do the honors for each other. Here’s everyone who will be called on 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
New Hall of Famers in the New York Times archives
Elena Delle Donne
After she was mobbed by teammates, Delle Donne sneaked a quick glance 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 were fist-pumping and exchanging high-fives. “There you go!” Ernie shouted, pointing an outstretched arm at his daughter. — Ben Strauss, 2013
Mark Few
“I know that after the tournament, when I’m out throwing a line on the stream, I’ll start laughing,” Few said. “I always do. To just think that back in 1989, I was a high school basketball coach and now all of this. This is a special place and I’m grateful for that.” — Joe Drape, 2002
Candace Parker
While Parker admits to some physical and mental fatigue, she is attempting to use these Olympics to do more than help the United States win its fourth consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball. With her resplendent smile and transcendent game, Parker is close to becoming the first international icon in her sport. — Pete Thamel, 2008
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers has a trophy that bears Red Auerbach’s likeness and the words “Coach of the Year,” an award that has nothing to do with Rivers’s success with the Celtics, but perhaps foreshadowed it. Rivers made his N.B.A. finals debut Thursday because he successfully coaxed three All-Stars into sharing the glory and blending their talents for the greater good. — Howard Beck, 2008
Amar’e Stoudemire
Amar’e Stoudemire was on the Madison Square Garden marquee, wearing a white Knicks jersey with a No. 1 on the chest. His image filled electronic billboards across the premises. A large banner inside bore a slogan, “Stat City,” that played on his nickname, STAT (Standing Tall and Talented). Finally, early Monday night, Stoudemire emerged with a blue Knicks cap on his head and proclaimed, “the Knicks are back.” — Beck, 2010
1996 United States Women’s National Team
They were already unique, coming home from their professional exile to play basketball in America in an unprecedented 10-month effort to regain an Olympic gold medal. Now, and forever, they are golden. The United States women’s team, pushed throughout its harsh winter and spring of preparation, defeated Brazil, 111-87, this evening to win the Olympic tournament. Before a raucous crowd of 32,997 at the Georgia Dome, the final trip of the demanding worldwide tour was a victory lap around the edges of the court. — Malcolm Moran, 1996
Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
NBA, Men's College Basketball, WNBA, Women's College Basketball, Fubo Partnership, How to Watch
2026 The Athletic Media Company