(Rizha Ubal / CC BY 2.0)
SEATTLE - The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced 11 finalists for the year, including two figures with local ties.
In sum, six players, four coaches and a referee are considered for election to the Hall of Fame:
- Hugh Evans
- Manu Ginobili
- Michael Cooper
- Tim Hardaway
- Marques Johnson
- Bob Huggins
- George Karl
- Leta Andrews
- Swin Cash
- Marianne Stanley
- Lindsay Whalen
George Karl is a veteran NBA head coach and the sixth-winningest coach of all time. Karl led the Seattle Supersonics for six years between 1992-1998, their strongest run in franchise history. The Sonics secured division titles in ’94, ’96, ’97 and ’98, and famously made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1979.
They fell to the Chicago Bulls in two closely-fought games against the likes of Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, and the Bulls edged out 4-2 to win the 1996 Playoffs.
Swin Cash is a four-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, whose 15-year career saw her tearing up the court with the Seattle Storm in 2010. She helped the team win a Championship in the 2010 WNBA Finals, with a 3-0 blowout win against the Atlanta Dream.
Cash’s career erupted from two NCAA National Championships at University of Connecticut in ’00 and ’02, a stint with the Detroit Shock in ’03 and ’06, and a gold medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Cash was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
"It is a tremendous honor to be named a Finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame and we’re elated to recognize the achievements by these outstanding men and women who have left a lasting impact on the game of basketball," said Hall of Fame Chairman Jerry Colangelo. "A heart-felt congratulations goes out to the finalists and their families and we very much look forward to revealing the Class of 2022 at the NCAA Final Four in New Orleans this April."
The Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be announced in New Orleans on Apr. 2, during the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
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