The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has officially revealed its list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2024, announcing in a press release that this year’s group of first-time nominees includes longtime NBA star Vince Carter, who made eight All-Star teams and appeared in 1,541 regular season games across 22 seasons in the league.
Former Pistons big man Bill Laimbeer, four-time WNBA champion Seimone Augustus, and longtime NCAA head coach Rick Barnes are among the other nominees who are eligible for the first time in 2024.
Finalists will be announced during the NBA’s All-Star weekend on Friday, February 16, while the Class of 2024 will be unveiled on Saturday, April 6 during the NCAA’s Final Four. The enshrinement ceremony for 2024’s Hall of Fame inductees will take place on Saturday, August 17.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The 2025 FIBA AmeriCup will be played in Managua, Nicaragua from August 23-31, 2025, FIBA announced today in a press release. The qualifiers for the event will take place across three windows in February 2024, November 2024, and February 2025. Brazil hosted the last AmeriCup in 2022, losing to Argentina in the final. The U.S. team – which featured former NBAers like Norris Cole, Gary Clark, Jodie Meeks, and Patrick McCaw – placed third in ’22.
- In honor of the holidays, John Hollinger of The Athletic shares his “All-Stocking Stuffer Team,” which is made up of overlooked players who have emerged as unexpected contributors over the course of this season. Magic center Goga Bitadze, Kings guard Keon Ellis, Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio, and Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe are a few of the players singled out by Hollinger.
- Veteran guard Ben McLemore, who signed with AEK Athens in August, has officially left the Greek team and is joining CB Breogan in Spain, writes Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. McLemore parted ways with AEK B.C. earlier in the month and was said to be in advanced talks with a Turkish club before lining up a deal with CB Breogan instead.
Vinsanity is a no brainer. Seimone Augustus should go. Laimbeer should go in as a coach, not as a player.
I get Carter being on the ballot for the first time, but Lambeer? His playing career ended 20 years ago.
Is it that he had not received a prerequisite amount of votes until this year to appear on the ballot?
Was wondering the same thing. I hope somebody smarter than me knows!!
Bill Laimbeer stats:
As player:
2× NBA champion (1989, 1990)
4× NBA All-Star (1983–1985, 1987)
NBA rebounding leader (1986)
No. 40 retired by Detroit Pistons
Second-team Parade All-American (1975)
As coach:
3× WNBA champion (2003, 2006, 2008)
2× WNBA Coach of the Year (2003, 2015)
WNBA All Star Game Head Coach (2019)
In other words, his coaching career plus playing career are why he’s nominated. He’s considered one of the best WNBA coaches ever.
Remember, it’s the “Basketball” Hall of Fame, not the NBA Hall of Fame.
Vince Carter changed the game, he pulled the younger generation in along with a few others. Best dunk contest of all time along with the best dunk in Olympic history, RIP Frederic Weis that boy never wanted to show up in the NBA after that.
The nba hall of fame reminds me of the wwe hall of fame. If you were at all memorable, you’re in.
You are correct Cena. Same exact thing