Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces 8 finalists for Class of 2020 Election
Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett among finalists
Official release
CHICAGO -- The
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today, at NBA All-Star Weekend, four extraordinary players and four exceptional coaches, as finalists from the North American and Women’s committees to be considered for election in 2020.
This year’s list includes four first-time finalists: 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion
Kobe Bryant, 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Finals MVP
Tim Duncan, 15-time NBA All-Star and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection
Kevin Garnett, and 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist
Tamika Catchings.
Previous finalists included again this year for consideration are three-time NCAA National Championship Coach of Baylor
Kim Mulkey, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year
Barbara Stevens, four-time National Coach of the Year
Eddie Sutton and two-time NBA Champion coach
Rudy Tomjanovich.
“When the nominees for the Class of 2020 were announced in December, we knew this class had the potential of being one of the most historic of all time,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The untimely passing of Kobe Bryant has left us in a state of reflective mourning and we’re proud to honor his legacy while also recognizing seven other individuals who have meant so much to our game. We congratulate our finalists and those who have supported them on their journeys, and we look forward to revealing the Class of 2020 at the Final Four in Atlanta.”
Given the magnitude and the unique circumstance surrounding the potential Class of 2020, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Election Process Committee has suspended the Direct Election Categories for one year with the exception of the International Committee. The suspension will affect the Men’s and Women’s Veterans Committees, the Early African American Pioneer Committee, and the Contributor Committee. It is expected these categories will return for consideration for 2021. The goal of this suspension is to provide each enshrinee with the recognition and notoriety he or she deserves upon election.
The complete list of five finalists from the North American Screening Committee includes: players Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett, plus coaches Eddie Sutton and Rudy Tomjanovich. The three finalists from the Women’s Screening Committee include: player Tamika Catchings; and coaches Kim Mulkey and Barbara Stevens.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Announcement will take place on Saturday April 4th at 11:00 AM EST on ESPN from the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia. A finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2020 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Birthplace of Basketball, August 28-30, 2020. VIP Tickets Packages for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Enshrinement events are on sale at
www.hoophall.com. Single event tickets will be available Saturday, April 4th, subject to availability.
Other awards to be honored during Enshrinement Weekend include:
2020 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award:
Dr. Tim Nugent
2020 Curt Gowdy Media Award (Print):
Michael Wilbon
2020 Curt Gowdy Media Award (Electronic):
Mike Breen
2020 Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award:
TNT's Inside The NBA
2020 Curt Gowdy Media Insight Award):
Jim Gray
North American Committee Finalists:
KOBE BRYANT [Player] – Recognized posthumously, Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-16) and 11-time All-NBA First Team selection (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006-13). As an All-Star, he earned the Game’s MVP trophy four times (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011). He was also a five-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010), the 2008 NBA MVP and Finals MVP twice (2009, 2010). He famously scored the second-most points in a single game in NBA history (81), led the NBA in total points for four seasons (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008) and ranks fourth on the NBA’s career points list (33,643). Often celebrated for his offensive prowess, Bryant was also a nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006-11). With USA Basketball, Bryant earned an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and 2012.
TIM DUNCAN [Player] - Duncan is a 15-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-11, 2013, 2015) and an eight-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999-2003, 2005, 2007, 2008). He is also a five-time NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), having earned Finals MVP three times (1999, 2003, 2005). In 2002 and 2003, he was named NBA MVP and in 1998 he won Rookie of the Year. Duncan is the only player in NBA history with 1,000 or more wins with one team, which he amassed in his 19 years with the Spurs. He is ranked in the top 10 for NBA all-time rebounds and blocks leaders. As a college athlete at Wake Forest, Duncan earned ACC Player of the Year and was a unanimous First Team All-American in 1996 and 1997. In 1997, he also collected the Wooden, Naismith, Rupp, and Oscar Robertson Awards, while being named AP College Player of the Year.
KEVIN GARNETT [Player] – Garnett is a 15-time NBA All-Star (1997-1998, 2000-11, 2013) and 2008 NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics widely regarded for his passion and intensity on the court. A nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection (2000-05, 2008-09, 2011), he led the league in rebounds for four consecutive seasons (2004-2007) and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. While playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2004, Garnett led the league in total points, field goals made and total rebounds while earning NBA MVP. He is ranked ninth in NBA’s all-time leaders for rebounds. With USA Basketball, Garnett earned an Olympic gold medal in 2000. Garnett played 21 NBA seasons and is currently ranked fourth in all-time minutes played (50,418).
EDDIE SUTTON [Coach] – Sutton is a four-time National Coach of the Year (1977, 1978, 1986, 1995), eight-time Conference Coach of the Year (1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1986, 1993, 1998, 2004) and the first coach in NCAA history to lead four different schools in the NCAA Tournament. Sutton ranks in the top ten among Division I coaches in all-time victories and has recorded only one losing season in 37 years of coaching. He coached Oklahoma State University from 1991-2006 and tied the conference record for wins by a first-year coach with 24. Collectively, Sutton guided his teams to three Final Fours, six Elite Eights and 12 Sweet Sixteen appearances.
RUDY TOMJANOVICH [Coach] – Tomjanovich spent 34 consecutive seasons with the Houston Rockets organization as a player (1970-1982), assistant coach (1983-1992) and head coach (1992-2003). He was named The Sporting News NBACoach of the Year in 1993. He is the only person in NBA history to score 10,000 career points as a player and win 500 career games with two championships as a coach. Tomjanovich led the Rockets to NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995 and is one of three coaches to win an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal. He led USA Basketball to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
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