A Hall of Fame Celebration
Knoxville, Tennessee, will host the annual induction ceremony that honors a distinguished class of athletes, coaches and administrators who have defined women’s basketball over multiple eras.
Candace Parker, a two‑time Olympic gold medalist and double WNBA MVP, arrives at the ceremony after guiding Tennessee to two national championships and amassing a career marked by dominance in the paint and versatility across positions.
Elena Delle Donne’s Trailblazing Journey
Elena Delle Donne, the 2013 No. 2 overall WNBA draft pick, joins Parker as a inductee after earning three Colonial Athletic Conference Player of the Year awards, two WNBA MVP honors and an Olympic gold medal that underscored her international impact.
The ceremony also welcomes Amaya Valdemoro, whose contributions helped the Houston Comets secure three consecutive WNBA titles, and Isabelle Fijalkowski, the French national team’s all‑time leading scorer who debuted in the league’s inaugural 1997 season.
Cheryl Reeve, a four‑time WNBA Coach of the Year winner, will be recognized for steering the Minnesota Lynx to four championships and later guiding the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal as head coach in 2024.
Kim Muhl, who retired after 37 years as a collegiate head coach with 1,108 career victories, and Doris Burke, who transitioned from Big East men’s basketball analysis to become ESPN’s first full‑time NBA analyst, round out the inductee list with enduring legacies.
Barbara Kennedy‑Dixon, a longtime administrator at Clemson and a former player, is remembered for her behind‑the‑scenes influence on the sport before her passing in 2018.
Looking Ahead to the Naismith Hall of Fame
Parker and Delle Donne are slated for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this summer, cementing their places among the all‑time greats and highlighting the continued rise of women’s basketball on the global stage.
The ceremony in Knoxville not only celebrates past achievements but also signals a vibrant future, as the sport’s pioneers inspire the next generation of players, coaches and administrators.