Hall of Fame Selects Stoudemire, Rivers, Parker, Delle Donne for 2026

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has selected Amare Stoudemire, Doc Rivers, Candace Parker, and Elena Delle Donne as headliners for its Class of 2026, with the full list set for formal announcement on April 4 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The inductees, reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, represent a mix of NBA and WNBA excellence, spanning playing and coaching careers that shaped professional basketball over two decades.

Stoudemire, a dynamic power forward drafted ninth overall by the Phoenix Suns in 2002 straight out of high school, earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 and became a six-time All-Star. He anchored the Suns' innovative "Seven Seconds or Less" offense under coach Mike D'Antoni, pairing with point guard Steve Nash for explosive pick-and-roll plays. Over eight seasons in Phoenix, Stoudemire averaged 21.4 points and 8.9 rebounds on 54.4 percent shooting, earning five All-NBA selections, including one first-team nod, and finishing in the top 10 for MVP voting four times. His teams reached the Western Conference finals multiple times but never advanced to the NBA Finals. After signing with the New York Knicks in 2010 via sign-and-trade, he posted a standout...