Basketball legends Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, both ten-time and eight-time All-Stars respectively, are set to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September. The official announcement of their induction as part of the 2025 class was made on Saturday in San Antonio, coinciding with the NCAA Men`s Final Four.
In a unique honor, both Anthony and Howard will be inducted twice. Alongside their individual accolades, they will be recognized as part of the iconic `Redeem Team,` the squad that triumphantly secured a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. This legendary team also included basketball icons such as Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, Deron Williams, Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, and Michael Redd.
WNBA stars Sue Bird and Maya Moore, both boasting four WNBA championships and two NCAA titles with the UConn Huskies, join Anthony and Howard as first-ballot Hall of Famers. Sylvia Fowles, a dominant force in the paint alongside Moore during two of those Lynx championship seasons, also earns her place.
Rounding out the first-time inductees is Billy Donovan, celebrated for leading Florida to consecutive NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007. Donovan currently coaches the Chicago Bulls.
The 2025 class also honors Danny Crawford, an NBA referee with over three decades of experience and 23 consecutive NBA Finals officiated, and Micky Arison, the owner of the Miami Heat since 1995, a tenure marked by three NBA championships for the team.
Carmelo Anthony`s career is distinguished not only by his prolific scoring ability in the NBA but also by his remarkable achievements in international basketball, including leading Syracuse to an NCAA championship in his single college season. A six-time All-NBA selection, Anthony led the league in scoring in 2013 and was named to the NBA`s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He spent significant portions of his 19-year NBA career with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. Representing Team USA, Anthony secured three Olympic gold medals, with only Kevin Durant surpassing his scoring record for the U.S. men`s Olympic team.
Dwight Howard is recognized as one of the NBA`s most formidable defenders and rebounders. During his peak performance with the Orlando Magic, he earned five consecutive All-NBA First Team selections, three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards, and five consecutive All-Defensive team honors. Howard led the league in rebounding five times, blocks twice, and won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. His NBA career spanned 18 seasons.
Sue Bird`s illustrious 21-season career with the Seattle Storm includes a record 13 All-Star selections and eight All-WNBA team honors. She stands as the WNBA`s all-time leader in wins, games played, assists, and minutes. Bird led the league in assists three times and contributed to Team USA`s dominance with five Olympic gold medals and four FIBA World Cup gold medals.
Maya Moore dedicated seven seasons to the Lynx before retiring to advocate for criminal justice reform in the United States. Her achievements include Rookie of the Year in 2011, Finals MVP in 2013, MVP and league scoring leader in 2014, six All-Star selections, and seven All-WNBA team honors. With Team USA, Moore won two Olympic gold medals and two FIBA World Cup gold medals.
Jasper Hawthorne