Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard headline the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s list of finalists for the 2025 class of inductees.
The 2008 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, which Anthony and Howard were part of, is also under consideration. This team won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, following a disappointing stretch that saw USA Basketball miss out on medals at two consecutive World Cups and win bronze at the 2004 Olympics.
The list is joined by women’s basketball legendary players Jennifer Azzi, Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore, and Molly Bolin.
Five-time All-Star Marques Johnson and New Jersey Nets legend Buck Williams are also among the 17 finalists alongside coaches Billy Donovan, Mark Few, Jerry Welsh, and Dusan Ivkovic.
Anthony and Howard are widely expected to get into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
Anthony is considered one of the best scorers in NBA history, being ranked 10th on the league’s all-time list. He suited up for six different franchises, including the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, and was named into the All-Star team 10 times while earning an NBA scoring title in 2013.
Howard, who played for seven teams over the course of his 18 seasons in the NBA, has eight All-Star nods, five All-NBA First Team selections, and was three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He won the NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
