Who's Next Up? Five Former NBA Players on the Doorstep of Basketball Hall of Fame

Key Points:

• The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will induct nine new members in 2026, including Amar’e Stoudemire, Doc Rivers, Mike D’Antoni, Joey Crawford, Mark Few, and three WNBA legends: Elena Della Donne, Candace Parker, and Chamique Holdsclaw, alongside the 1996 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team.
• Amar’e Stoudemire is the only former NBA player inducted this year, despite not winning an NBA title, highlighting that championship rings are not the sole criteria for Hall of Fame induction.
• Several notable former NBA players are strong candidates for future induction, including Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook, each with distinct career achievements and varying degrees of postseason success.
• Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, both with MVP awards and extensive All-Star and All-NBA honors, are considered near-locks for induction once eligible, despite neither having won an NBA championship.
• Andre Iguodala's Hall of Fame case is bolstered by four NBA titles and a Finals MVP, emphasizing the value of key role players in championship teams, whereas Derrick Rose's MVP season and injury-impacted career present a compelling but less certain case.