The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023.
Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, Becky Hammon, David Hixon, Dirk Nowitzki, Gary Blair, Dwyane Wade, Gene Bess, Gene Keady, Gregg Popovich, Jim Valvano, and the 1976 Women's Olympic Basketball Team will all be recognized with the highest honor in the game.
The 2023 class is full of high-profile basketball legends. While the players eligible for 2024 aren't as star-studded as the 2023 class, plenty of legends are soon to be Hall of Famers. Here are some candidates who may be picked to become Hall of Famers in 2024.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, players must be fully retired for at least four years. They are eligible to be nominated for the Hall of Fame in their fifth year of retirement.
Coaches can be nominated after four years of retirement, or if still active, they must have been coaching for at least 25 seasons. The same eligibility rules apply to referees. Four seasons being retired, or 25 years of reffing duty if still active. A person is eligible to be elected a Hall of Famer as a “contributor” at any point if the Contributor Direct-Elect Committee and the Basketball Hall of Fame's Election Process Committee think there have been significant contributions to the sport.
Four hundred thirty-six players, coaches, and other significant contributors to the game of basketball are enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame prior to the 2023 class inductions.
Players Eligible for Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024
First-Year Eligible: These notable players retired after the 2019-20 NBA season, making them eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
- Vince Carter
- Jamal Crawford
- Kyle Korver
- Joakim Noah
- Tyson Chandler
- J.J. Barea
Basketball Reference gives Vince Carter a 94.5% chance of making the Hall of Fame. The other notable first-year eligible players aren't likely to make the Hall of Fame.
Carter was nicknamed Air Canada for his high-flying capabilities as a member of the Toronto Raptors. Arguably the game's best dunk artist ever, Carter also played for the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks from 1998-2020. Carter was an eight-time All-Star, 2001 All-NBA Second Team member, and 2000 All-NBA Third Teamer.
The 1999 Rookie of the Year put on a show in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. The winner of that event, Carter put together arguably the most impressive performance in dunk contest history, capping things off by famously saying, “It's over” after an off-the-bounce alley-oop between his legs finish and an elbow dunk. “Vinsanity” and “Half Man, Half Amazing” were other nicknames the star was given because of his aerial arsenal.
Carter impressively transitioned from a high-flying, generational athlete in his early days to more of a role player with an exceptional three-point shot as he grew older. Many freak athletes struggle to have long and productive careers when the athletism is sapped by old age; Carter is the exception. Carter played for 22 seasons, all the way until his age 43 season. He retired as the fourth oldest player ever to play the game.
Already Hall of Fame Eligible
With a relatively weaker crop of recent retirees, here are some players not in the Hall of Fame who have a case for being selected. In parenthesis is their Basketball Reference Hall of Fame probability. One or multiple of these players will likely get into the Hall of Fame soon.
- Larry Foust (94.2%)
- Chauncey Billups (84.4%)
- Shawn Marion (75.6%)
- Amar'e Stoudemire (72.9%)
- Shawn Kemp (38.4%)
- Jermaine O'Neal (31.8%)
Larry Foust played for the Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, and St. Louis Hawks in the '50s and early '60s. At 6-foot 9-inches, Foust was one of the game's first great big men and a pioneer for the center position. Foust was an eight-time All-Star.
Chauncey Billups was nicknamed Mr. Big Shot because of his clutch shot-making. Predominately known for his time with the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets, Billups led the 2004 Pistons to perhaps the most unlikely championship in league history with a Finals win over the Los Angeles Lakers, a series in which he won Finals MVP. Billups averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game for his career from 1997-2014. He is currently the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers.
Shawn Marion is most known for his unique shot form, but he was an incredibly productive player throughout his career. The Matrix played from 1999-2015 and was an incredible defensive talent. A four-time All-Star, Marion was a key component to the five-seconds or less Phoenix Suns teams. He also won a ring with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Marion was incredibly versatile and could guard multiple positions.
Amar'e Stoudemire was a teammate of Marion. He averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during his 14-year career. He was a six-time All-Star and was an unstoppable offensive force when healthy.
Like Carter, Shawn Kemp is among the greatest dunkers in the history of the NBA. Kemp was on the receiving end of lots of Gary Payton alley-oop passes and was one of the first players to popularize the lob. Kemp's best days were with the Seattle Supersonics in the '90s. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game for his career.
Jermaine O'Neal was a center that came into the league incredibly young and straight out of high school. While he played for seven teams throughout his career, all six of his All-Star appearances came with the Indiana Pacers. The 2002 Most Improved Player averaged 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for his career.
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