The NBA Hall of Fame has honored a remarkable and varied group of players, coaches, and referees since 2000, each having a memorable impact on the sport.
It has been home to the icons that changed the game since 1959, those whose names reverberate through arenas and motivate new generations of ballers.
Imagine Michael Jordan's swagger, his gravity-defying dunks ingrained in sports history for all time—or Shaquille O'Neal, whose size and skill made him an unstoppable force in the paint.
The Hall of Fame is a monument to the variety of skills that define the game of basketball, from the silky smooth shots of Larry Bird to the sky-walking dunks of Dr. J.
The Hall of Fame's class of 2000 included the Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas, one of the shortest NBA players who won two NBA titles alongside the 1975 NBA MVP Bob McAdoo.
Danny Biasone's contribution to the league can be best highlighted as a sports manager and the founding owner of the Syracuse Nationals (currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers).
Moses Eugene Malone played center in the NBA and ABA for nine teams, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA championship and earning the Finals MVP honor.
Malone was a prolific rebounder in addition to his scoring prowess. With 16,212 career rebounds, he ranks fifth all-time in the league, a testament to his unwavering grit and positional skill.
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was inducted into the 2003 Hall of Fame due to his contribution to the league as the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers for over 40 years.
In addition, Hearn served as the team's assistant general manager for about seven years from 1972. Earl Lloyd was the first African American to play in the NBA, winning the 1955 NBA title.
The two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Hubie Brown, was the only NBA coach to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2004.
Brown served as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, and Memphis Grizzlies and as an assistant coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in the league.
Furthermore, he led the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association to the championship title as a coach in 1975.
Barkley played power forward in the NBA for the 76ers, Suns, and the Rockets, being named the NBA MVP once and the NBA All-Star eleven times.
The Detroit Pistons shooting guard Joe Dumars led the team to two NBA titles in 1989 and 1990 and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1989.
Likewise, Dominique Wilkins is a veteran NBA small forward who led the league in scoring in 1986. His excellence in the court was rewarded with nine All-Star appearances.
The 2007 list of NBA Hall of Famers is shown below:
Coaches:
Phil Jackson (1978-2011)
Referees:
Mendy Rudolph (1953-1975)
Phil Jackson's contribution to the league as a coach includes eleven NBA titles, four All-Star Game head coach appearances, and one Coach of the Year honor.
He guided the league as an assistant coach of the Nets and the Bulls and as the head coach of the Bulls and the Lakers throughout his career.
Marvin "Mendy" Rudolph served the league for 22 years as a professional basketball referee, becoming the first to officiate over 2,000 games.
Bill Davidson was inducted into the 2008 Hall of Fame due to his contributions to the league as an owner of the Detroit Pistons for over 30 years, leading the team to three NBA titles.
Dick Vitale's contributions to the league aren't limited to a single career. He served the league as the head coach of the Pistons for a season and called several NBA games as an ESPN broadcaster.
The 2009 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame included players like Michael Jordan, David Robinson, and John Stockton, whose names echo throughout the court as the greatest NBA players ever.
With his vertical leap of 48 inches, Michael Jordan was an integral part of the Chicago Bulls around the 1980s and 1990s, leading the team to six NBA titles.
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss was more than an NBA owner; he was a showman, an innovator, and a basketball alchemist.
He turned the Los Angeles Lakers into a worldwide sensation between 1979 and 2013, winning ten NBA titles and inducting himself into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, Tom Sanders finally received the recognition his talent deserved.
He contributed 18 years to the league as a player and coach, winning eight NBA championship titles. He personified a rebellious and self-expressing mentality that still motivates athletes and spectators today.
The present, high-scoring era of basketball was made possible by the innovative coaching of Don Nelson, a master of the sideline who reinvented offensive basketball.
He earned Coach of the Year honors thrice in 1983, 1985, and 1992, recognizing his ability to get the most out of his players.
Russ Granik, a titan of the NBA's executive branch, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and earned his proper position there.
Throughout his 29 years with the league, he progressed from staff attorney to deputy commissioner, helping to shape today's NBA.
Beyond statistics,Bob "Slick" Leonard is a legendary coach. His 18-year career in the ABA and NBA is a mosaic of victories and evidence of his exceptional basketball skills.
His three ABA titles (1970, 1972, 1973) with the Indiana Pacers cemented his reputation as a victor.
Jerry Reinsdorf is a brilliant businessman, a Chicago sports great, and the creator of one of history's most successful NBA dynasties.
He acquired the Chicago Bulls in 1985, a struggling franchise, and led the team to six NBA championships (1991-93, 1996-98) the most by any owner in the Eastern Conference.
Behind closed doors, Jerry Krause was a cigar-chomping, bespectacled executive who helped create one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA history.
As the architect of the Chicago Bulls' six NBA titles from 1991 to 1998, Krause (general manager) was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Ray Allen earned him a place among the NBA's all-time greats, culminating in his well-deserved induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
He hoisted two NBA championship trophies (one with the Celtics, one with the Heat) and participated in 10 All-Star games.
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, Bill Fitch's legacy stands tall, a testament to his basketball IQ and unwavering will.
He led the Boston Celtics, the team with the most hall of famers, to the 1981 NBA championship win by molding Larry Bird's raw talent into championship gold.
Tomjanovich earned his place among the legends in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with his unassuming demeanor belied by a fierce competitive spirit and basketball IQ.
His calm demeanor and strategic acumen flourished, leading Houston to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995.
Cotton Fitzsimmons, synonymous with coaching brilliance, earned his rightful place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Cotton, the two-time NBA Coach of the Year, became the NJCAA champion twice, in 1966 and 1967, with the Moberly Area Community College basketball team.
Manu was an essential contributor to the Spurs' dynasty. His clutch shooting and fierce defense were pillars of the team's four NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
Manu demonstrated his influence off the bench, going above and beyond just scoring goals with the 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
Wade illuminated the NBA for over a decade, leaving an indelible mark on the game and earning his rightful place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
One of the first ballot hall of famers, Wade, became a legendary player for the Miami Heat and a champion for all time because of his clutch performances and Finals MVP honor in 2006.
