Detroit Pistons Icons Isiah Thomas, Chuck Daly, Headline 2023 American Basketball Hall of Fame Nominees

(Detroit, MI)-The American Basketball Hall of Fame Foundation announced the list of 40 eligible candidates for the Class of 2023 today. The American Basketball Hall of Fame Foundation will combine both classes of 2022 and 2023 together to be enshrined. The American Basketball Hall of Fame (ABHOF) has inducted 50 players into the AHOF from the likes including former Boston Celtics Sam Jones, Harlem Globetrotter Legend Meadowlark Lemon, to the late great Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant.   

The goal of the ABHOF is to honor the history of basketball and also give players who have been overlooked another opportunity to be honored and a chance to be inducted into a national hall of fame from the levels of high school to college players/coaches, barnstorming teams, playground legends, and the CBA, ABA, WNBA, and contributors that have made an impact on the game of basketball. Robinson said that he is in talks with several cities that have shown interest in landing the project.  The goal is to build a state-of-the-art 80,000 sq. ft. basketball facility called the National Basketball Village that would include basketball courts, a weight room, track, classrooms, and a basketball theme restaurant along with the two halls of fame, the ABHOF and the HBCU Black College Basketball Hall of Fame.

10 of the 40 finalists for the Class of 2023 will be announced on March 8, 2022, and the entire Class of 2023 will be unveiled at a press conference. Basketball Hall of Fame Weekend Enshrinement and Festivities will take place in Detroit, Michigan on June 23-25, 2023.

40 eligible candidates for the American Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023:

1. Isiah Thomas -Player  
2. Richard “Pee Wee” Kirkland -Player 
3. Larry Johnson-Player -Player 
4. Earl “The Pearl Monroe -Player  
5. Darrell Scott -Player  
6. Artis Gilmore -Player  
7. Clark Kellogg -Player  
8. Dennis Hopson -Player  
9. Michael Ray Richardson -Player  
10. Albert King -Player  
11. Mark Aguirre -Player  
12. Mateen Cleaves -Player  
13. Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond -Player  
14. Brain Burdine -Player  
15. Walter Davis -Player  
16. George Gervin -Player  
17. Mack Calvin -Player  
18. Connie Hawkins -Player  
19. James “Fly” Williams -Player  
20. World B. Free -Player  
21. Adam “Dutize” Bostick -Player  
22. Ron Harper -Player  
23. Campy Russell -Player  
24. Jerome Macon -Player  
25. Ramona McCastle Neyland -Player  
26. Tyrone Crawford -Player  
27. Brian Burdine -Player 
28. David Thompson -Player  
29. Geoff Warren -Player  
30. Charles Oakley -Player  
31. Vincent Johnson -Player  
32. Olden Polynice -Player   
33.  Denny Lehnus -Coach   
34.  Chuck Daly -Coach 
35. Tom Izzo -Coach   
36. Sonny Hill – Contributor  
37.  Mat Ishbia – Contributor 
38. Bobby Grund -Contributor 
39. Stephen A. Smith – Contributor 
40. Harlem Clowns – Contributor