SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Former Phoenix Suns star Amar’e Stoudemire and coach Mike D’Antoni were enshrined Saturday in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of a nine-member Class of 2026 with deep ties to Arizona.
Stoudemire, a six-time All-Star, and D’Antoni, who revolutionized the NBA’s pace-and-space offense during his tenure in Phoenix from 2003 to 2008, were inducted alongside coach Doc Rivers, referee Joey Crawford and WNBA stars Candace Parker, Chamique Holdsclaw and Elena Delle Donne. Gonzaga coach Mark Few and the 1996 USA Basketball women’s national team were also honored.
D’Antoni entered the Hall as a contributor, recognized for the offensive philosophy he deployed most famously with the Suns’ “Seven Seconds or Less” era. That approach transformed the NBA and influenced a generation of coaches.
Stoudemire spent his first eight NBA seasons in Phoenix, where he averaged more than 21 points per game and made five All-Star appearances. He was named the 2003 Rookie of the Year and teamed with Steve Nash to form one of the most dynamic partnerships in league history.
“We’re just long overdue. Our ’96 team was full of players who really understood the assignment.”
— Dawn Staley, member of the 1996 USA Women’s Basketball team
Rivers recalled his own connections to the sport’s history during the ceremony, sharing a story about practicing with the Milwaukee Bucks as a freshman at Marquette University.
“It probably was the most illegal thing Nellie did: I practiced with the Bucks when I was at Marquette,” Rivers said of Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson. “Dave Wohl was an assistant for Nellie, Dave would pick me up and I’d literally practice with the Bucks my freshman and sophomore years.”
The ceremony also included an emotional tribute to Nelson, who died Aug. 10 at age 86. Hall chairman Jerry Colangelo — the former Phoenix Suns owner and longtime NBA executive — introduced the “In Memoriam” segment and traced his relationship with Nelson back nearly 70 years to their upbringing outside Chicago.
The 1996 USA women’s basketball team was inducted as a group entry for its Olympic gold medal in Atlanta and its lasting impact on women’s sports. The team paved the way for the founding of the WNBA the following year.
WNBA inductee Candace Parker, who won two league MVPs, and Elena Delle Donne, a two-time MVP, rounded out the class alongside Holdsclaw, a three-time college national champion at Tennessee.
The enshrinement brought together multiple generations of basketball figures with connections to the Phoenix sports community.
Source: NBA.com