Basketball Hall of Fame finalist announcements were made during All-Star weekend, with Vince Carter among the notable candidates in his first year of eligibility after a 22-season NBA career. Other finalists include Seimone Augustus, Chauncey Billups, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan, Doug Collins, Herb Simon, and Jerry West. The voting for the Class of 2024 will occur in the coming weeks, with the unveiling set for April 6 and the enshrinement on August 17 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Carter expressed his excitement, highlighting the prestigious opportunity and the presence of basketball legends at the event.
Additional finalists include Charles Smith, Marian Washington, Michele Timms, Dick Barnett, and Harley Redin, representing a diverse range of contributions to basketball. The diversity among the finalists was noted by Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame, acknowledging their collective impact on the sport. Notable omissions from the list this year include Penny Hardaway and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, known as the “Redeem Team.”
JoAn Scott received the John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award for her significant contributions to men’s basketball within the NCAA and her previous roles with Nike and USA Basketball. The Curt Gowdy Awards, recognizing significant contributions to basketball, were presented to J.A. Adande for print journalism, Debbie Antonelli for electronic journalism, and Slam Magazine and “NBA Inside Stuff” for transformative media. They will be honored during the Hall of Fame weekend festivities.
