Hall Of Fame Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

September 7th, 2025 at 8:54am CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA greats Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard headlined a stellar class that was officially welcomed into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night, writes Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press.

Anthony, who ranks 12th in career scoring with 28,289 points, played for six teams in 19 NBA seasons. The 10-time All-Star was serenaded with “Melo!” chants as he walked to the podium to deliver his induction speech and teared up as he addressed the crowd.

“Tonight I just don’t step into the Hall of Fame, I carry the echoes of every voice that ever told me I couldn’t,” Anthony said. … “I had to build a new road. I had to write a new ending.”

“I never got an NBA ring,” he later added. “… But I know what I gave to the game.”

Howard was one of the league’s most dominant big men during his 18-year career, which saw him spend time with seven teams. He paid tribute to other historically great centers, mentioning Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dikembe Mutombo, and referenced his long-running “Superman feud” with Shaquille O’Neal.

The eight-time All-Star wrapped up his speech with a message for his children, telling them, “You only die once, but you live every day.”

Anthony and Howard were also inducted as members of the “Redeem Team,” which reclaimed the gold medal for the U.S. at the 2008 Olympics after Team USA for the bronze in 2004. All the members of that team were present at the ceremony, except for Kobe Bryant, who died in 2020. Anthony and Howard joined Bryant, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as double enshrinees.

Also inducted on Saturday were former WNBA players Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, Bulls coach Billy Donovan, Heat managing general partner Micky Arison and longtime referee Danny Crawford. Arison delivered one of the night’s funniest lines, referencing LeBron James‘ prediction when he teamed up with Bosh and Wade in Miami.

“In 2010, with Dwyane, LeBron and Chris Bosh we knew we could win,” Arison said. “Not one, not two … I guess it was just two.”

Heat Notes: Arison, Training Camp, Jakucionis, Highsmith

September 6th, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

In advance of tonight’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Micky Arison participated in Friday’s media session and spoke about his memories from three decades as majority owner of the Heat, per Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Under Arison, who was elected in his first year as a finalist, Miami has made seven trips to the NBA Finals and captured three titles.

“I would just say I’m appreciative. It is an honor… It was never a goal,” he said of the Hall of Fame selection. “Our goal was to win championships. Was fortunate enough to win three. Our goal was to create a fantastic atmosphere in Miami. Most great NBA players, coaches it’s a goal for them. It’s never been a goal for me. Despite that, I’m extremely appreciative.”

Hall of Fame weekend marks a rare moment in the spotlight for Arison, as Jackson and Chiang note that he hasn’t spoken with beat reporters since 2013 and declined interview requests regarding his election. As his presenters, he chose Heat president Pat Riley and franchise legends Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade.

“They were three key elements to our history for 30 years,” Arison said. “Pat was with me almost from the very beginning. Zo (was acquired) the first year. From there the culture was created. Dwyane Wade helped take it to the top. Obviously the greatest player in Heat history; (he has) a statue on the top steps (of Kaseya Center). I’m glad those three will be with me.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (subscription required) previews several battles to watch when training camp opens later this month, including Kel’el Ware vs. Nikola Jovic for a potential starting spot and Tyler Herro vs. Davion Mitchell to be the crunch-time point guard. Winderman expects Andrew Wiggins and newly acquired Norman Powell to both be in the starting lineup, but coach Erik Spoelstra‘s decision on how to use them could factor into their long-term future with the team. Powell has an expiring contract, and Wiggins holds a player option for next season.
The fate of Kasparas Jakucionis is also worth keeping an eye on, Winderman adds. The first-round pick struggled during Summer League games and seemed like he might need some time in the G League, but Winderman suggests he may be able to avoid that fate with a strong showing in camp and the preseason.
Haywood Highsmith, who was traded to the Nets last month, recently offered a heartfelt farewell to the Heat organization and fans on his Instagram account. “You gave an undrafted kid from Baltimore a chance and I’m forever grateful for the journey, challenges, and growth I’ve experienced here,” he wrote. “Miami will always have a special place in my heart.”

Community Shootaround: Future Hall Of Famers

September 6th, 2025 at 3:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With a starry new Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class being inducted into Springfield this weekend, Zach Kram of ESPN and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic consider which current NBA players are on track for the honor down the line

This weekend, former All-NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are joining the Hall as first-ballot honorees.

Kram and Vorkunov both tackled the topic of who’s next by stratifying players into tiers of candidacy. Although each differed slightly on who the surefire “locks” would be, there was some overlap.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors guard Stephen Curry and forwards Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, Mavericks big man Anthony Davis and wing Klay Thompson, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Clippers guards James Harden and Chris Paul and wing Kawhi Leonard, Lakers forward LeBron James, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Sixers center Joel Embiid, and free agent guard Russell Westbrook are considered no-brainer picks by both parties.

There are a few other NBA players that only one of the two is convinced will be guaranteed honorees. Vorkunov is confident that Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will earn the honor. Kram, meanwhile, believes the Hall will anoint Sixers forward Paul George, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, while Vorkunov views those players as “near” locks.

Further down on each list — beyond young guns seemingly on track to get to Springfield like Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic — both Kram and Vorkunov each look at some fringe cases. Kram limits his list to active players, while Vorkunov also examines the candidacy of a few recent retirees.

Among current “bubble” players, both agree that former All-Stars and champs Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love are in the mix for Hall of Fame berths. Kram believes DeMar DeRozan ranks among this group, while Vorkunov is more confident that the six-time All-Star is already a virtual lock.

We want to hear from you. Who do you think has punched their ticket already? Who needs to do more to make the grade? Who doesn’t deserve to be a lock? Weigh in below.

And-Ones: Carmelo, Howard, 2026 Draft, Raveling, Armani

September 4th, 2025 at 8:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Ahead of Carmelo Anthony‘s induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, Dave McMenamin of ESPN revisits the forward’s impressive career at the college, NBA, and international levels, laying out why he was a “no-brainer” choice to make the Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Zach Kram makes a similar case for another of this weekend’s inductees, detailing why center Dwight Howard, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is a worthy first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. In Kram’s view, Howard has actually become somewhat underrated, since his drop-off in production during his 30s made it easy to forgot how high his peaks were in his prime.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

With the start of the 2025/26 college basketball season around the corner, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his 2026 NBA mock draft, running through all 60 hypothetical picks, from Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 1 to Connecticut big man Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 60.
After longtime college basketball coach and Nike sports marketing director George Raveling died on Monday at age 88, NBA commissioner Adam Silver put out a statement lauding Raveling for his “influence on the game of basketball at every level” and sending condolences to his family and friends (Twitter link).
Giorgio Armani passed away on Thursday at the age of 91, as Eurohoops relays. While he’s more known for his role in the fashion world than for his contributions to basketball, Armani had owned the EuroLeague club Olimpia Milano since 2008. In a statement issued on Thursday, the EuroLeague credited the Italian fashion designer for “ushering in a new golden era” for Olimpia Milano during his tenure as owner, which included six Italian League championships and the team’s first EuroLeague Final Four appearances in nearly three decades.

Heat Notes: Jones, Jakucionis, Burks, Powell, Preseason

August 12th, 2025 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Kai Jones‘ workout with the Heat on Monday wasn’t just a one-day affair. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, the free agent center is actually spending four days working out at Kaseya Center this week as the club considers whether to sign him. No decisions have been made yet, but a source tells Jackson that the Heat have “long shown an appreciation” for the former first-rounder’s skill set.

The Heat have 14 players on standard contracts and could make Jones their 15th man, but the club is just a little over the luxury tax line and may not fill that final roster spot to open the season. The big man is also ineligible to receive a two-way contract.

While Jackson suggests an Exhibit 10 deal could be a possibility, Jones has reportedly drawn serious interest from the Italian team Virtus Bologna, who could offer him guaranteed money and a more significant role, so it’s unclear if a non-guaranteed camp contract would appeal to the 24-year-old.

We have more on the Heat:

Within that same Herald story, Jackson spoke to a veteran Eastern Conference scout to get his take on the Heat’s place in the Eastern Conference hierarchy, their offseason acquisition of Norman Powell, what they can expect from Simone Fontecchio, and his impressions of first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis. On that last subject, the scout wasn’t especially enthusiastic. “NBA people I talked to in Las Vegas were killing him, didn’t have anything nice to say about him,” the scout said of Jakucionis. “Quickness and shooting were my concern. Can he beat [skilled NBA players] off the dribble? He better be able to make shots. His play was disappointing, but I’m not ready to judge. He’s [very young at 19].”
While Alec Burks expressed interest at the end of last season in returning to the Heat, a reunion with the veteran guard no longer makes sense after the club added Powell and Fontecchio, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).
The Heat have no shortage of players benefiting from international competition this summer, with Powell, Fontecchio, Nikola Jovic, and Pelle Larsson all representing their national teams, as Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Powell led Jamaica to the two wins they needed in order to advance out of the World Cup pre-qualifying round before sitting out the third and final game of this competition window, Winderman adds (via Twitter).
The Heat and Magic announced on Tuesday that they’ll open their preseason with a game in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 4. In total, the Heat will play six preseason games, as they outlined in a press release.
Heat Hall-of-Famers Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Mourning, and Pat Riley will be the presenters when longtime team owner Micky Arison is inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, per a press release.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Towns, Lineup, Carmelo

August 8th, 2025 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

In a subscriber-only story, Zach Braziller of The New York Post considers whether the Knicks‘ coaching change will benefit Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns in their second year with the team.

Bridges had an up-and-down first season in New York, while Towns put up big numbers but wasn’t always involved in the offense enough, including in some playoff games. New head coach Mike Brown is expected to bring a faster pace and more ball movement with him to the Knicks, Braziller notes, which could result in better looks for Bridges and Towns.

James L. Edwards III of The Athletic covers similar ground in a mailbag, observing that Brown used some creative offensive sets in Sacramento to get DeMar DeRozan good mid-range looks and could run similar sets for Bridges. Edwards also thinks the Knicks could use Towns as the hub of their offense more frequently and take advantage of his passing.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Edwards also explores some lineup and rotation questions in his mailbag, speculating that the Knicks will open the season with Towns and Mitchell Robinson starting alongside one another in the frontcourt in order to provide more rim protection on the first unit.
Whether it’s Robinson or Josh Hart in the starting lineup, Edwards projects both players to be regular parts of the rotation along with Towns, Bridges, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele. Whether Brown opts to go beyond a nine-man rotation to open the season could depend on who the Knicks sign to fill out their roster and whether or not any of the club’s young players stand out during the preseason, Edwards writes.
Former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has chosen Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade to be his presenters when he’s formally inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, according to a press release.
In case you missed it, Mike Weinar withdrew from the Knicks’ search for a lead assistant, but Chris Jent of the Hornets remains under consideration. In other Knicks news, we recently passed along the details on Bridges’ four-year extension with the team, including his unique trade kicker.

Anthony, Howard Headline 2025 Hall Of Fame Class

April 5th, 2025 at 11:41am CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard headline the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The organization has confirmed the news.

The full list of inductees is as follows:

Carmelo Anthony – 10-time All-Star, six All-NBA teams, three Olympic gold medals with Team USA, NCAA championship with Syracuse, member of the 75th Anniversary team.
Dwight Howard – Eight-time All-Star, eight All-NBA teams, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, five rebounding titles, NBA champion, Olympic gold medal.
Sue Bird – 13-time WNBA All-Star, eight-time All-WNBA, four-time WNBA champion, five Olympic gold medals.
Maya Moore – Seven-time All-WNBA, six-time WNBA All-Star, four-time WNBA champion, 2013 Finals MVP, 2014 MVP.
Sylvia Fowles – Eight-time All-WNBA, eight-time WNBA All-Star, four-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, two-time WNBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, 2017 MVP.
Danny Crawford – Officiated over 2,000 regular season games and 30 NBA Finals.
Billy Donovan – Currently head coach of the Bulls, Donovan will be inducted for his accomplishments at the college level, including winning back-to-back national championships with Florida in 2006 and ’07.
Micky Arison – The longtime Heat owner was inducted as a contributor. Miami has won three NBA titles and made the NBA Finals seven times during his tenure.
2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Team – Known as the “Redeem Team,” the Americans went 8-0 en route to a gold medal in Beijing after finishing with a surprising bronze in 2004.

As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes, Anthony and Howard will essentially be inducted twice in the same year, as both were members of Team USA in 2008. Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd, Chris Bosh and Kobe Bryant, all of whom were already in the Hall of Fame, were also members of that team, as were LeBron James and Chris Paul — both of whom are still active NBA players.

The 17 finalists for the 2025 class were announced in February.

Dwight Howard Elected To Hall Of Fame

April 4th, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA center Dwight Howard has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and will be part of the class of 2025, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The first overall pick in the 2004 draft, Howard immediately became the starting center for the Magic and spent the next eight seasons in Orlando, winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards with the team and finishing in the top five in MVP voting in four consecutive seasons from 2008-11. The Magic made the playoffs in six straight years during Howard’s tenure, appearing in the NBA Finals in 2009.

From 2012-22, Howard bounced around the NBA, spending time with the Lakers, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards, and Sixers. He had three separate stints with the Lakers during that decade and won his first and only championship with the team in 2020.

Howard earned a total of eight All-Star nods and appeared on eight All-NBA teams, including five First Teams, over the course of his 18-year NBA career. In addition to winning DPOY three times, he made an All-Defensive team five teams, including claiming a spot on the First Team for four years in a row from 2009-12.

Howard led the league in rebounding five times and currently ranks 11th on the NBA’s all-time rebounding list. He was also the league leader in blocked shots twice and ranks 15th all-time in that category.

The big man didn’t play college basketball but fortified his Hall of Fame résumé by winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Beijing in 2008.

The Hall of Fame will officially announce its full class of 2025 on Saturday at the NCAA Final Four. According to reporting from Charania, Howard and another former NBA star, Carmelo Anthony, will be among the first-ballot selections in that group.

Carmelo Anthony To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

April 2nd, 2025 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony has been notified that he has been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and will be part of the 2025 class, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Anthony was among 17 Hall of Fame finalists who were announced in February. While the new Hall of Famers from that group won’t be formally revealed until this Saturday (April 5) at the NCAA Final Four, Charania’s report indicates Anthony will be among them.

The third overall pick in the 2003 draft, Anthony appeared in 1,260 regular season NBA games across 19 seasons in the league, averaging 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest, with a shooting line of .447/.355/.814. He spent his first six-and-a-half professional seasons with Denver before being traded to New York, where he played from 2010-17.

After playing his prime years with the Nuggets and Knicks, Anthony spent time with the Thunder, Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Lakers from 2017-22 before calling it a career. The 6’7″ forward was named an All-Star 10 times over the course of his career and earned six All-NBA nods (two Second Team and four Third Team).

Anthony also led the league in scoring in 2012/13, ranks 12th on the all-time points list, and was one of 75 players named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.

In addition to his strong NBA résumé, Anthony made an impact in NCAA and international competition. He won a national championship during his first and only college season with Syracuse in 2002/03 and brought home three Olympic medals for Team USA. Anthony was widely lauded for how he adjusted to the FIBA game and was a valuable contributor to the U.S. teams that won gold in Beijing (2008), London (2012), and Rio (2016).

Anthony, who announced his retirement in 2023, is one of many former NBA players who have taken to podcasting and currently puts out weekly episodes of his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast.

Anthony said in the latest episode of 7PM in Brooklyn that he has interest in joining an NBA ownership group, specifically naming the Wizards as a team he’d like to get involved with (Twitter video link).

“Former player. I understand players. I understand personnel, I understand being fatigued,” Anthony said as part of a longer explanation for why he thinks he’d make a good team owner (hat tip to Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report). “I understand how to build teams, but I also understand what I don’t understand. I know what I don’t know. You also have to put people in those positions. President, GM, you put all the basketball acumen in those positions, and then you cover that with business model.”

And-Ones: Hall Of Fame, Cap Projections, Cassell, Midseason Grades

February 14th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame unveiled its list of 17 finalists for its 2025 class via a press release.

10-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, one of the most prolific scorers in league history, and three-time former Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard headline the list from the NBA side. Former All-Star forwards Marques Johnson and Buck Williams also made the final group.

The 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, a repeat nominee, moved on to this final round of consideration.

A total of 189 candidates for enshrinement were initially announced in December.

WNBA superstars Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, and Maya Moore — all first-time nominees — made the cut. Coaches Billy Donovan, Mark Few and Jerry Welsh are also now finalists. Heat owner Micky Arison, who has won three championships with Miami, is among this final 17 as a contributor.

The full 2025 Hall of Fame class will be announced in San Antonio at the NCAA Tournament on April 5.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

Following a more active-than-usual trade deadline, several teams have new financial outlooks in 2025/26 and beyond. Keith Smith of Spotrac breaks down which clubs do and don’t project to have cap room this summer in the wake of a litany of moves.
Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell is expected to be a top contender for the head coaching vacancy at Florida State, reports Steve Bulpett of Heavy. “Once the athletic department reaches out to me, then (FSU’s interest) is official,” Cassell told Bulpett. “The athletic director hasn’t reached out to me yet.” Cassell, an All-Star and champion as a player, has interviewed for head coaching positions with the Lakers and Clippers. “Listen, man, I have a great life. I’m associate head coach of the Boston Celtics. It’s good livin’ right here.”
The 2025 All-Star break is generally seen as a time for teams to take stock of their personnel and assets and appraise where they stand around the league — and for pundits to do the same. Accordingly, The Athletic’s staff grades the seasons of all 30 teams heading into the break.