Two of the NBA’s most celebrated point guards headline a list of eligible nominees for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.
Jason Kidd and Steve Nash are among six former NBA players who are eligible in their first year. Kidd and Nash are ranked second and third respectively in career assists behind John Stockton.
Kidd was a 10-time All-Star, who won an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
Nash, who was an eight-time All-Star, won back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards in 2005 and 2006 while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
On Tuesday, The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame formally announced changes to its enshrinement process, the most significant of which will allow players, referees and coaches to be eligible after just three seasons of retirement.
Other notable first timers announced by the Hall of Fame on Thursday are:
Ray Allen, a 10-time All-Star who won titles with in 2008 with the Boston Celtics and 2013 with the Miami Heat, is the all-time leader in made three-pointers.
Chauncey Billups, a seven-time All-Star who won an NBA title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Grant Hill, a seven-time All-Star and co-rookie of the year in 1995 (with Kidd), who played 18 seasons in the NBA. While at Duke, he won two national titles and was twice named an All-American.
Richard Hamilton, who played alongside Billups on the Pistons championship team, was selected to three All-Star teams.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Ballot
* Indicates First-Time Nominee
North American Committee Nominations
- Mark Aguirre (PLA)
- Ray Allen (PLA)*
- Chauncey Billups (PLA)*
- Muggsy Bogues (PLA)
- Irv Brown (REF)
- Jim Burch (REF)
- Maurice Cheeks (PLA)
- Charles “Lefty” Driesell (COA)
- Hugh Evans (REF)
- Steve Fisher (COA)*
- Bill Fitch (COA)
- Cotton Fitzsimmons (COA)
- Richard Hamilton (PLA)*
- Tim Hardaway (PLA)
- Ed Hightower (REF)*
- Grant Hill (PLA)*
- Bob Huggins (COA)*
- Kevin Johnson (PLA)
- Marques Johnson (PLA)
- Bobby Jones (PLA)
- Jerry “Tiger” Jones (COA)
- Gene Keady (COA)
- Ken Kern (COA)
- Jason Kidd (PLA)*
- Rollie Massimino (COA)
- Gary McKnight (COA)
- Danny Miles (COA)
- Sidney Moncrief (PLA)
- Dick Motta (COA)
- Steve Nash (PLA)*
- Jake O’Donnell (REF)
- Jim Phelan (COA)
- Lamont Robinson (PLA)
- Lee Rose (COA)
- Bo Ryan (COA)
- Bob Saulsbury (COA)
- Jack Sikma (PLA)
- Steve Smith (COA)
- Harry Statham (COA)
- Eddie Sutton (COA)
- Rudy Tomjanovich (COA)
- Ben Wallace (PLA)
- Chris Webber (PLA)
- Willie West (COA)*
- Paul Westphal (PLA)
Women’s Committee Nominations
- Leta Andrews (COA)
- Jennifer Azzi (PLA)
- Becky Hammon (PLA)*
- Susie McConnell (PLA)
- Pearl Moore (PLA)
- Kim Mulkey (COA)
- Kim Mulkey (PLA)
- Harley Redin (COA)
- Theresa Shank (PLA)
- Katie Smith (PLA)*
- Marianne Stanley (COA)
- Barbara Stevens (COA)
- Valerie Still (PLA)*
- Tina Thompson (PLA)*
- Wayland Baptist (TEA)
- Theresa Weatherspoon (PLA)
DIRECT-ELECT CATEGORY: Early African-American Pioneers Committee Nominations
- Clarence “Puggy” Bell
- Sonny Boswell
- Chuck Cooper
- Bill Garrett
- Inman Jackson
- Clarence “Fats” Jenkins
- Bucky Lew
- Davage “Dave” Minor
- Hudson Oliver
- Al “Runt” Pullins
- James “Pappy” Ricks
- Paul Robeson
- Eyre Saitch
- William “Wee Willie” Smith
DIRECT-ELECT CATEGORY: International Committee Nominations
- Tal Brody
- Jackie Chazalon
- Vlade Divac
- Alphonso Ford
- Semen Khalipski
- Vladimir Kondrashin
- Toni Kukoc
- Marcos Leite
- Aldo Ossola
- Amaury Pasos
- Dan Peterson
- Dino Radja
- Manuel Sainz
- Togo Soares
- Ranko Zeravica
DIRECT-ELECT CATEGORY: Contributor Committee Nominations
- Marv Albert
- Al Attles
- Dick Baumgartner
- Henry Bibby*
- Marty Blake
- Vic Bubas
- Wayne Duke
- Harry Glickman
- Marty Glickman
- Simon Gourdine*
- Curt Gowdy
- Tim Grgurich
- Del Harris
- Greg Heineman*
- Robert Indiana
- Johnny “Red” Kerr
- Bill King
- John Kline
- Red Klotz
- Bobby Lewis
- Jack McCloskey
- Jerry McHale*
- Johnny Most
- Dennis Murphy
- Joe O’Toole
- Billy Packer
- Jack Powers
- Dee Rowe
- Zelda Spoelstra
- Rod Thorn*
- Jim Valvano
- Donnie Walsh
- Frank Walsh
- Rick Welts*
DIRECT-ELECT CATEGORY: Veterans Committee Nominations
- 1936 US Olympic Team (TEA)
- 1964 State Department Basketball Ambassadors (TEA)
- Ron Boone (PLA)
- Sid Borgia (REF)
- Carl Braun (PLA)
- Frank Brian (PLA)
- Joe Caldwell (PLA)
- Mack Calvin (PLA)
- Jack Coleman (PLA)
- Bob Dandridge (PLA)
- Charles Eckman (REF)
- Leroy Edwards (PLA)
- Leo Ferris (CONT)
- Clarence “Bevo” Francis (PLA)
- Buck Freeman (COA)
- Donnie Freeman (PLA)
- Travis Grant (PLA)
- Bob Grody (PLA)
- Robert Harrison (PLA)
- Flo Harvey (PLA)
- Dick Hemric (PLA)
- Cam Henderson (COA)
- Robert Hopkins (PLA)
- Lou Hudson (PLA)
- Warren Jabali (PLA)
- Jimmy Jones (PLA)
- Charles Kenaith (PLA)
- Freddie Lewis (PLA)
- Jim Loscutoff (PLA)
- Loyola of Chicago (TEA)
- Billy Markward (CONT)
- Ed McCluskey (COA)
- Ray Mears (COA)
- Francis Meehan (PLA)
- Donald “Dudey” Moore (COA)
- Willie Naulls (PLA)
- Philadelphia SPHAS (TEA)
- Mel Riebe (PLA)
- Glenn Roberts (PLA)
- Holcombe Rucker (CONT)
- Kenny Sailors (PLA)
- Fred Schaus (PLA)
- Charlie Scott (PLA)
- Kenny Sears (PLA)
- Frank Selvy (PLA)
- George Senesky (PLA)
- Paul Seymour (PLA)
- Charles Siler (CONT)
- Talvin Skinner (PLA)
- Ken Suesens (PLA)
- Tennessee A&I (TEA)
- Dick Van Arsdale (PLA)
- Tom Van Arsdale (PLA)
- Willie Wise (PLA)
- Max Zaslofsky (PLA)
