Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne headline first-time women’s basketball nominees for the 2026 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 1996 United States women’s national team, which will celebrate the 30th anniversary of winning gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 2026, also received its first Hall of Fame nomination.
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As our Zachary Draves already proposedhonoring the 30th anniversary of the 1996 legends, is expected to be an integral part of the 2026 WNBA All-Star. Such a celebration would be a fitting prelude to the team’s induction into the Hall of Fame. The team, comprised of players who would become icons of the WNBA’s first generation, kicked off Team USA’s run of eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, their victory in Atlanta the culmination of a year-long, 60-game exhibition tour designed not only to prepare for the Olympics, but also to prove the viability of professional women’s basketball in the United States.
Along with the 1996 team, Parker, Delle Donne and an unnamed women’s hoops legend for the first time are also scheduled to enter the Hall in September 2026. Here’s more information on the open and closed records of Parker, Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw:
Candace Parker
Candace Parker entered the basketball consciousness with unreasonably high expectations, and despite considerable struggles, including redshirting her freshman year at Tennessee due to a knee injury and being injured for two straight seasons during what should have been her professional peak, Parker arguably — no, definitely — exceeded those expectations.
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It’s not just the accomplishments that make Parker a surefire Hall of Famer, but also her groundbreaking, cutting-edge style of play. She introduced the all-out archetype to women’s basketball, first for the Lady Vols and then for the Los Angeles Sparks. At 6-foot-4, she not only scored around the basket, but at all three levels. She would not only grab the defensive rebound, but also execute the break and lead the offense in the half court. Defensively, she could not only protect the rim, but also make plays guarding all over the court. Whatever it was, Parker could do it.
That versatility earned her multiple conference and national player of the year titles in college, as well as two MVP awards to go along with her two national championships. In the WNBA, she collected two MVPs, three titles, a Finals MVP and a Defensive Player of the Year award, as well as a multitude of All-WNBA and All-Star selections and two gold medals.
The beginning and end of Parker’s WNBA career perfectly encapsulate her instant and prolonged impact. In her first season in the WNBA, Parker became the only player to win MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season, a feat that will likely never happen again. In her age-35 season, her third to last, she delivered a first championship to her hometown Chicago Sky before, in her final season, winning another championship with the Las Vegas Aces.
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Elena Delle Given
When Elena Delle Donne became one of the top prospects in women’s basketball, coveted by every top college program, she had a road to cover. supposed to be continued. Delle Donne, however, decided to do it her own way. And, as with Parker, this path wouldn’t happen without added doses of adversity, but she still built a career defined by excellence.
After temporarily turning Delaware into a basketball powerhouse and earning a bunch of All-American honors while getting buckets upon buckets for the Blue Hens, Delle Donne arrived in the WNBA and immediately elevated the Sky to relevance, taking them to the playoffs, including a trip to the Finals, during her four seasons in Chicago. At the same time, she won the MVP award, in addition to a series of other honors on and off the court, including a gold medal.
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Delle Donne then took her photo sweater to DC, prioritizing balancing basketball and her family. More accomplishments, another MVP, and the first title in Washington Mystics franchise history would follow. In 2019, she also accomplished the feat that sums up the game perfectly, becoming the first player in WNBA history to complete a 50-40-90 season, as she shot 51.5% from the field, 43% from 3, and 97.4% from the free throw line.
Although illness and injury problems interrupted her career too often, Delle Donne’s shooting touch – perhaps the best the game has ever seen – made her one of the most unstoppable and aesthetically pleasing scorers of all time.
Chamic Claw
Even though Chamique Holdsclaw’s career hasn’t reached the heights imaginable, his place in the Hall of Fame should not be in question.
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If the purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor the history of the game, and not simply enshrine those whose quantifiable accomplishments meet a certain standard, then Holdsclaw absolutely fits it. Holdsclaw was THE women’s basketball star of the 1990s, garnering attention that extended beyond the confines of women’s basketball. She took women’s basketball to a rare cultural level, as evidenced by her Nike advertising and the iconic SLAM cover.
She is the progenitor of what is increasingly becoming a norm: a hot women’s basketball star, sought after by top college programs, expected by fans and expected to raise the level of the professional game.
And even though Holdsclaw’s WNBA career didn’t elevate into the superstar stratosphere, she was still pretty good as a pro. A Rookie of the Year, she was a six-time All-Star and was in MVP conversations over multiple seasons. She also earned three All-WNBA honors, in addition to a scoring title, two rebounding crowns and a gold medal.
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His collegiate career is absolutely Hall of Fame worthy. A four-time All-American who also collected a cavalcade of conference honors, Holdsclaw twice won National Player of the Year awards as she led Tennessee to three titles during the definitional era of Lady Vol dominance. The Hall of Fame usually places great credibility on the college resumes of male nominees, and there are very few, if any, men’s college basketball players whose accomplishments come close to those of Holdsclaw.
And in a fun twist, Holdsclaw, like Parker, is the Lady Vol legend who had her best WNBA seasons with the Mystics, as did Delle Donne. So let’s hope Mique enters the room with CP3 and EDD.
Alongside 1996 U.S. Women’s National Team, Parker and Delle Donne, other first-time nominees are:
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Donor: Lynn Norberg Barry
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Nominees among female veterans: Patsy Neal, Rosie Walker
Among the recurring nominees who also deserve strong considerations are: Jennifer Azzi, Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Ticha Penicherio (players); Marian Washington (coach); Penny Taylor (international); Cheyney State 1982 Final Four team, Molly Bolin and Nashville Business College (veteran applicants).
