Sylvia Fowles

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

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.”

Anthony, Howard Headline 2025 Hall Of Fame Class

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.

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

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.