There will be a handful of basketball icons whose respective legacies will forever be honored when they are officially enshrined as part of the 2023 class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place on August 12, 2023, and with this prestigious event now just eight months away, the Hall of Fame committee has announced the initial list of candidates for next year's class.
Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tony Parker are the most high-profile names that lead the pack for the class of 2023. Joining them is San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who will also be eligible for the Hall despite the fact that he is still an active coach in the NBA today.
Wade, Gasol, Nowitzki, and Parker are all first-ballot candidates. This means that they have been nominated in the first year of their eligibility. Most folks consider these four as “locks” for next year's class, potentially making all of them first-ballot Hall of Famers. All four had historic NBA careers and it is only fitting that they are honored accordingly.
Other players that have also been included in the initial shortlist are Chauncey Billups, Michael Finley, Mark Jackson, and Shawn Marion. All four have been shortlisted in the past and they are hoping that 2023 will be their year.
The Class of 2023 will officially be announced on April 1 during the NCAA Final Four tournament. The enshrinement ceremony will take place on August 12th at the Symphony Hall in Springfield.
Follow Us
Subscribe