Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announces 14 finalists in class of 2024

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fameannounced today at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 the selection of 14finalists from the following committees: North American, Women’s,Men’s Veterans, Women’s Veterans, International, andContributors.

The finalists will then be put forwardto the Honors Committee to be considered for election as members ofthe Class of 2024. The new class will be announced in Phoenix onApril 6 at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

North American Committee Finalists (inalphabetical order):

Chauncey BillupsVince CarterMichael CooperWalter DavisBo RyanCharles Smith

Women's Committee Finalists:

Seimone AugustusMarian Washington

Men’s Veteran Committee Finalist:

Dick Barnett

Women's Veteran CommitteeFinalist:

Harley Redin

International Committee Finalist:

Michele Timms

Contributors Committee Finalists:

Doug CollinsHerb SimonJerry West

"Being named a Finalist for the Classof 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is a testament to thehighest echelons of achievement in the sport,” said JerryColangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “It'san honor that reflects not only individual greatness but also thelong-lasting impact on the game itself. From the strategicbrilliance of coaches to the unmatched abilities of players and theinfluential roles of a coach/broadcaster, an esteemed owner, and adynasty-building executive, each Finalist embodies the pinnacle ofbasketball excellence. Their inclusion underscores the diversecontributions that have shaped and enriched the sport, making thisrecognition truly exceptional."

The Class of 2024 will be enshrinedduring festivities in Springfield, Mass., on August 16-17. VIPpackages for the 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend are nowavailable. Single-event tickets will go on sale on April 6,following the 2024 Class Announcement.

North American CommitteeFinalists:

CHAUNCEYBILLUPS[Player]– Nicknamed"Mr. Big Shot" for his ability to deliver crucial plays in pivotalmoments, Billups was a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2004 FinalsMVP after leading the Detroit Pistons to their third NBAchampionship. During his 17-year career, Billups’ averaged 15.2points and 5.4 assists per game, while his 89.4 freethrow percentage is sixth best in NBA/ABA history. Billups wasdrafted third overall in 1997 by the Boston Celtics after earningSecond Team All-American honors at Colorado. He is the current headcoach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

VINCECARTER[Player]– Renowned forhis high-flying dunks, the former North Carolina standout was aneight-time All-Star in his 22 NBA seasons (1998-2020). Carter, whowon the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, was named the 1998-99 Rookie of theYear and is the only player in NBA history to play in fourdifferent decades. Carter averaged 16.7 points per game (21.3 as astarter) and also played a pivotal role in the success of the 2000Sydney Olympics, clinching a gold medal with the U.S. Men'sBasketball Team. He currently holds the single-season franchisescoring record for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and TorontoRaptors.

MICHAELCOOPER[Player]–Cooperwas named to eight NBA All-Defensive Teams, taking home First-Teamaccolades five times and winning Defensive Player of the Yearhonors in 1987. The former third-round draft pick (60th overall)out of the University of New Mexico spent his entire 12-year NBAcareer (1978-90) with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning fivechampionships while routinely matching up with the opponent’s topshooter. Following his playing career, Cooper entered the coachingranks and earned WNBA Coach of the Year accolades in 2000 with theLos Angeles Sparks before winning back-to-back WNBA titles in2001-02.

WALTERDAVIS[Player]–Theall-time leading scorer in Phoenix Suns’ history was a six-timeAll-Star (1978-81, ‘84, ‘87) during his 15-year NBA career with theSuns (1977-88), Denver Nuggets (1988-92) and Portland Trail Blazers(1991). Before Phoenix chose Davis with the fifth pick in the 1977draft, the standout player from North Carolina won a gold medal inthe 1976 Summer Olympics. He then averaged 24.2 points per game inhis first NBA season and was named the 1978 Rookie of the Year. Thelate Davis hadhis No. 6 retired by the Suns, and in 2004, hewas enshrined in the team's Ring of Honor.

BO RYAN[Coach]–Ryan went 747-233 (.762) in 32 seasons as acollegiate head coach with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville(1984-89), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1999-2001) andUniversity of Wisconsin (2001-15), including a 364-130 (.737)ledger in 14-plus seasons in Madison. Ryan, honored four times asthe Big Ten Coach of the Year, led Wisconsin to unprecedentedsuccess, clinching four Big Ten regular-season titles, winningthree Big Ten tournament championships, and making back-to-backFinal Four appearances (2014-15). The four-time Division IIIchampion (1991, ‘95, ‘98-99) was inducted into the CollegeBasketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

CHARLESSMITH[Coach] – Smith is Louisiana's all-timewinningest high school head coach, surpassing the previous mark of1,071 in 2020. With eight state championships to his name, Smith’scoaching tenure at Peabody Magnet High School began in 1985 afterstarting as a math teacher in 1975. He guided the Warhorses to apair of perfect seasons, going 41-0 in 2004 and 2010 and earningnational top-five rankings. Smith, ESPN’s National Coach of theYear in 2010, was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Famein 2019 and the National High School Athletic Coaches AssociationHall of Fame in 2021. In addition, Smith served as a head coach atthe McDonald’s All-American game in 2020.

Women’s CommitteeFinalists:

SEIMONEAUGUSTUS[Player]–Augustus,who was selected first overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft, was afour-time champion and eight-time All-Star during her 15-year WNBAcareer (2006-2020). The cornerstone player for the Minnesota Lynx,where she spent 14 of her 15 seasons, averaged 15.4 points per gameand was named the 2006 Rookie of the Year and 2011 Finals MVP. AtLSU, Augustus led the Tigers to three straight Final Fourappearances and won the Naismith College Player of the Year andWooden Awards in back-to-back campaigns (2005-06).

MARIANWASHINGTON[Coach] – Washington led the University ofKansas women’s basketball team for 31 seasons (1973-2004) andrecorded a school-record 560 wins. The Jayhawks made 11 NCAAtournament appearances under her guidance, including two trips tothe Sweet 16 (1996, ‘97). Washington, who also served as Kansas’director for women’s athletics from 1974-79, was named herconference’s Coach of the Year on three occasions (Big Eight: 1992,’96; Big 12: 1997). She was a pioneer on the international stage,becoming one of the first two African American women to compete inbasketball internationally at the 1971 World Championships and thefirst black woman to coach a United States team in internationalplay at the 1982 R. William Jones Cup. Washington, who was thefirst female president of the Black Coaches Association, wasinducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

Men’s Veteran CommitteeFinalist:

DICKBARNETT[Player] –Barnettfirst gained prominence at Tennessee A&I University, where heled the Tigers to three straight NAIA national championships(1957-59), the first historically black school to claim a men’sbasketball title. The “Skull” played 14 NBA seasons with theSyracuse Nationals (1959-61), Los Angeles Lakers (1962-65) and NewYork Knicks (1965-73), winning a pair of titles in the Big Apple(1970, ‘73) and making his lone All-Star team in 1968. The Knicksretired his No. 12, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famehonored his 1957–59 Tigers squad in 2019.

Women’s Veteran CommitteeFinalists:

HARLEYREDIN[Coach]–Redin went 431-66 in 18seasons leading Wayland Baptist’s women’s basketball program andcaptured six AAU National Championships. He coached the FlyingQueens to two undefeated women’s seasons (1956, ‘57), 17 top-fivefinishes, and went 110-2 during his first four campaigns at WaylandBaptist. Redin also coached the Women’s U.S. National Team in 1959,the 1971 Pan-American Games, and the 1963 World Tournament in Peru.He was the recipient of the Jostens-Berenson Service Award by theWomen’s Basketball Coaches Association for his lifetime of serviceto women’s basketball in 1992, inducted into the Women’s BasketballHall of Fame in 1999, and honored with the Naismith Award forOutstanding Contribution to the game of women’s basketball in2000.

International CommitteeFinalist:

MICHELETIMMS[Player]–Atrailblazer in Australian women’s basketball, Timms becamewell-known as one of the best point guards in the world,representing the Australian national team throughout the 1980s and1990s. Timms won a pair of Olympic medals with the Opals, winningbronze in 1996 and silver in 2000, and was the first Australian,male or female, to play professional basketball internationallywhen she suited up for Lotus München in Germany. In addition, Timmsspent five seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, guiding the team to aberth in the 1998 WNBA Finals and earning an All-Star selection in1999. The Sport Australia Hall of Fame inducted her in 2003, theWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, and the FIBA Hall of Famein 2016. The Mercury retired her No. 7 jersey in 2002.

Contributor CommitteeFinalists:

DOUGCOLLINS[Coach/broadcaster]–Collins'versatile career in basketball is marked by significantachievements in roles ranging from player to coach to broadcaster,underscoring his wide-ranging impact on the sport. Following an NBAcareer where he was a four-time All-Star with the Philadelphia76ers, he transitioned into coaching and accumulated over 400 winswith the Chicago Bulls (1986-89), Detroit Pistons (1995-98),Washington Wizards (2001-03) and 76ers (2010-13). Collins, whocoached Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in both Chicago andWashington,also served as an analyst for various NBA-relatedbroadcasts for CBS, NBC, TNT, TBS, and ABC/ESPN, along with workingfor NBC at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

HERBSIMON[Owner] – Simon, the longest-tenured governorin the history of the NBA, purchased the Indiana Pacers, along withhis late brother Mel, back in 1983. Under Simon’s stewardship, thePacers won numerous Central Division titles and made thefranchise’s first NBA Finals in 2000. Throughout his ownershipperiod, the Pacers have been home to legendary players likeJermaine O’Neal, Rik Smits, and Reggie Miller (Class of 2012).Beyond ownership, Simon's influence extends deeply into the heartof the Pacers’ organization, shaping its identity and impact bothon and off the court through his philanthropic endeavors and civicengagement.

JERRYWEST[Executive] – Enshrined as a player in 1980,West then went on to establish himself off the court as one of themost successful executives in the sport’s history. West played apivotal role as the architect of a pair of Los Angeles Lakers’dynasties during the 1980s and 2000s, drafting key players likeMagic Johnson and James Worthy, acquiring Kobe Bryant, signing freeagent Shaquille O'Neal, and hiring head coach Phil Jackson. Hetotaled eight NBA championships in Los Angeles (1980, ‘82, ‘85,‘87-88, 2000-02) and was named Executive of the Year twice (1995,2004). Following his time in the Lakers’ front office (1979-2000),West served as GM of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-07 beforeearning two additional NBA championships as an executive with theGolden State Warriors (2015, ‘17).