SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Carmelo Anthony could be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice next year.
The Hall of Fame released its list of candidates for the Class of 2025 on Thursday, with the list of first-time nominees including Anthony and fellow retired NBA stars Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol and Amar’e Stoudemire.
WNBA greats Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Chamique Holdsclaw are also first-time candidates, along with NBA coaches Doc Rivers and Billy Donovan, Miami Heat general managing partner Micky Arison, men’s coach of Gonzaga, Mark Few, and former Iowa women’s coach Lisa Bluder.
Repeat nominees include the 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, which included Anthony.
The Hall also released an update to its eligibility requirements, reducing the waiting period for player candidates from three full seasons out of the game to two seasons. The change was unanimously approved by the Hall of Fame board of governors.
“To better recognize the distinguished careers of potential first-ballot nominees in a more timely manner, the board has appropriately shortened the waiting period,” Hall of Fame President Jerry Colangelo said. “We are excited about this change and believe that honoring individuals while their contributions are still fresh in people’s minds is meaningful and impactful.”
Thursday’s announcement is the first step in the process. Finalists will be selected on February 14 in San Francisco during NBA All-Star Weekend, and the winning class will be revealed on April 5 in San Antonio at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Enshrinement events will take place on September 5 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut and on September 6 at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
There are 189 candidates under consideration in a variety of categories, the Hall said.
