Anthony, Howard, Rivers up for Basketball Hall of Fame spots

NEW YORK — Former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol and NBA champion coach Doc Rivers were among the first-time nominees for the Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday (Friday Manila time).

The list of candidates for induction in 2025 also included women's stars Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Chamique Holdsclaw.

"The nominees on the official ballot for the Class of 2025 represent a broad cross-section of our game," Hall of Fame president John L. Doleva said.

"From Olympic gold medals to NBA and WNBA titles to collegiate championships, these nominees epitomize the career of a Hall of Famer."

Finalists will be selected by various screening committees and announced on February 14. The final Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be revealed on April 5.

The Hall also announced an eligibility change, cutting the wait time for player candidates to be out of the game from three seasons to two.

"To better recognize the distinguished careers of potential first-ballot nominees in a more timely manner, the board has appropriately shortened the waiting period," said Jerry Colangelo, the Hall of Fame chairman.

"We're excited about this change and believe that honoring individuals while their contributions are still fresh in people’s minds is both meaningful and impactful."

The enshrinement ceremony will be conducted September 6 at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Anthony, 40, was a 10-time NBA All-Star forward who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds a game over 19 seasons in the league, claiming the NBA scoring crown in 2013 while with New York. He also played for Denver, Oklahoma City, Houston, Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers.

He also helped the United States to three Olympic gold medals and a bronze.

Three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Howard, 39, won an NBA crown with the Lakers in 2020. The top overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft played for seven different clubs through 2022 before a final campaign in Taiwan. He averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds over his career.

Spaniard Gasol, 39, won an NBA title with Toronto in 2019. The 2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year also played for the Lakers and Memphis in an NBA career from 2008-2021. He also played for Barcelona and Girona in Spain.

Rivers, the current coach of the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks, coached the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA title and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2000.