Former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, along with former women’s star Sue Bird, highlighted a decorated group named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 on Saturday.
Women’s stars Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, head coach Billy Donovan, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, referee Danny Crawford and the 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s team also were inducted.
Anthony and Howard were members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
The class was announced Saturday at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
Enshrinement weekend will begin at Uncasville, Conn., on Sept. 5, while the enshrinement ceremony will be in Springfield, Mass., the following day.
“The Hall of Fame is thrilled to celebrate the Class of 2025, a group that has left a profound mark on the sport at every level,” said John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “This year’s class embodies excellence, innovation, and an enduring passion for basketball — whether through game-changing performances, leadership on the sidelines, or shaping the sport’s global reach. We look forward to honoring this Class and their lasting contributions to the game.”
Anthony ranks 10th in NBA history with 28,289 career points and was a 10-time All-Star. He won three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016), led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA title and was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021.
“When the call comes and in my case, I saw Springfield on the phone,” Anthony said on ESPN. “You know what time it is when Springfield is on the phone. You know who it is. You get the phone call and you hear, ‘You’re in.’ And I think for me, it was a burden off of my shoulders.”
Howard, who was elected as a first-ballot member, was a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2009-11) and eight-time All-Star. He ranks 10th in NBA history with 14,627 career rebounds and 13th with 2,228 blocked shots.
Bird won five Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020), four WNBA titles and two college crowns at UConn. She was a 13-time WNBA All-Star and holds the league’s career assists record of 3,234.
Donovan coaches the Chicago Bulls after previously leading the Oklahoma City Thunder and has 434 regular-season victories following a victory Friday. He also led Florida to back-to-back NCAA titles (2006, 2007) while accumulating 502 college wins.
The 2008 U.S. Olympic team went 8-0 while winning the gold medal and prevailed by an average of 27.9 points. The co-captains were Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade, while other members included LeBron James, Chris Paul as well as Anthony and Howard.
“USA Basketball is thrilled to see the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic Team elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. “The Redeem Team’s celebrated run in Beijing marks a pivotal moment in U.S. men’s Olympic basketball history and has propelled us to five straight gold medals.”
Moore led the Minnesota Lynx to four WNBA titles (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and won two NCAA titles at UConn and picked up two Olympic gold medals.
Fowles won four Olympic gold medals, retired as the WNBA’s leading rebounder (4,006) before being passed and was an eight-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion.
Arison has owned the Miami Heat since 1995 and presided over three titles (2006, 2012, 2013).
“For some, this is an individual honor. But for me, this speaks to what our entire Heat family — players, coaches, staff and fans — have built together,” Arison said.
Crawford was an NBA referee from 1985-2017 and officiated in over 2,000 regular-season games and 300 playoff games, including the NBA Finals in 23 consecutive seasons.
