Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups are among the finalists named for induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, the NBA announced Friday.
Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan and Charles Smith were also among the North American Committee finalists along with Carter — an eight-time NBA All-Star — and Portland Trail Blazers coach Billups — a five-time NBA All-Star.
The Women’s Committee finalists list consists of two names: Seimone Augustus, an eight-time WNBA All-Star, and Marian Washington, who coached the University of Kansas women’s basketball team for 31 seasons.
Other finalists include Dick Barnett and Harley Redin (Veteran Committee); Michele Timms (International Committee); and Doug Collins, Herb Simon and Jerry West (Contributors Committee).
“Being named a Finalist for the Class of 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is a testament to the highest echelons of achievement in the sport,” Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. “It’s an honor that reflects not only individual greatness but also the long-lasting impact on the game itself.
“From the strategic brilliance of coaches to the unmatched abilities of players and the influential roles of a coach/broadcaster, an esteemed owner, and a dynasty-building executive, each finalist embodies the pinnacle of basketball excellence. Their inclusion underscores the diverse contributions that have shaped and enriched the sport, making this recognition truly exceptional.”
To be inducted into the 2024 class, finalists must be voted in by the Honors Committee. The class will be announced at the NCAA Men’s Final Four on April 6 in Phoenix and will be enshrined in Springfield, Mass., on Aug. 16-17.
Who stands out?
Carter scored more points in one season for two different teams (Nets, Raptors), but I remember him as the best dunker in NBA history. He also aged gracefully, playing 22 seasons and contributing to the end.
Billups was a point guard for the last championship team without a top-five player. He was a dominant, steady influence on the last great Pistons teams. It was fantastic when he would make a 3-pointer and Detroit’s PA announcer belted: “Chaunceeeeeey B-B-B-BILLUPS.”
Cooper was never an All-Star, but he was the defensive linchpin for the otherwise flashy Showtime Lakers.
Davis, who died in November, is the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, a 1976 gold medalist with Team USA and the 1978 Rookie of the Year. He was also at the center of one of the biggest drug scandals in NBA history. During the 1986-87 season, an All-Star campaign for Davis, he testified before a grand jury in Maricopa County (Ariz.) against several Suns teammates, who were eventually brought up on cocaine-related charges, so Davis could avoid prosecution.
Doug Collins was Michael Jordan’s first and last NBA coach, and enjoyed a long, fulfilling career as a broadcaster for a bunch of networks, including calling several USA gold medal runs at the Olympics. The last part is fitting because he was the best player on the 1972 American team that was robbed of a gold medal. Doug was a great player in his own right, but his nomination is for coaching and broadcasting.
Augustus is one of the greatest college players, USA players and WNBA players ever. She went to three Final Fours and was the women’s player of the year, won three Olympic gold medals, and won four WNBA titles during her illustrious career. — Joe Vardon, NBA senior writer
West isn’t just one of the best players ever, he’s also one of its best executives. He helped build the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s and then brought Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles in the 1990s. West also had a successful run with the Grizzlies and was an important adviser with the dynastic Golden State Warriors team. — Mike Vorkunov, NBA staff writer
Required reading
(Photo: Jason Miller / Getty Images)