The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday announced the 11 finalists for the Class of 2022, with a star-studded group of first-time nominees joining several returners on the ballot.
Manu Ginóbili, an Olympic gold medalist (2004 for Argentina) who won four NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs, is a first-time nominee. So too is Lindsay Whalen, who played for the Connecticut Sun prior to winning four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx. Now the head coach of the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team, the two-time Olympic gold medalist finished her WNBA career as the winningest player in league history.
Former Boston Celtics player Chauncey Billups, who currently coaches the Portland Trail Blazers, was announced as a nominee in December but did not crack the list of finalists.
Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists
Leta Andrews
Swin Cash
Michael Cooper
Hugh Evans
Manu Ginobili
Tim Hardaway
Bob Huggins
Marques Johnson
George Karl
Marianne Stanley
Lindsay Whalen
The Class of 2022 will be announced in April, with the induction ceremony scheduled for early September in Springfield, Mass.
