A new class will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night, with legendary players like Candace Parker and Amar'e Stoudemire, as well as the 1996 U.S. Women's Olympic Team, will be recognized at the Springfield Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. Parker headlines a trio of legendary players on the women's side, while Stoudemire is the only player from the men's side in this year's class.
Additionally, three standout coaches, including Doc Rivers, will be recognized. Longtime NBA official Joey Crawford will receive his moment of recognition as well. Each honoree has an inspirational story that has shaped modern basketball, whether it in the men's or women's game at the professional or college level.
Here is how to watch this year's induction ceremony, along with the complete list of inductees and what to know about each member of this year's class. Date: Saturday, Aug. 15 | Time: 7 p.m. ETLocation: Symphony Hall -- Springfield, MassachusettsTV channel: NBA TV | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free) It seems quite fitting that in the year the WNBA is celebrating its 30th anniversary, the team that helped launch the league is being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
This legendary roster went a perfect 8–0 at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, resulting in a gold medal after an 111–87 victory over Brazil. The victory helped Team USA bounce back from a Bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games. It also marked the first of eight consecutive gold medals that Team USA has won at the Olympics.
Team USA's efforts from that particular year helped create so much more for women's basketball. They spent 10 months traveling around the world on a pre-Olympic tour, selling out arenas while posting a 52-0 record against top-tier NCAA programs and international teams. Their success proved that a women's NBA could receive fan support and entice sponsors.
"That's when we knew the magnitude of what we were doing," Dawn Staley said during a 30 for 30 episode. "We had something other than the gold medal to fight for, to play for." With stars like Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Dawn Staley, the 1996 U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team went 60-0 on an exhibition tour that ended in winning an Olympic gold medal which served as an "audition" to launch the WNBA in 1997.30 seasons in to the league’s… pic.twitter.com/NkzMBEpSFC Crawford served as an NBA referee for 39 seasons, beginning in 1977 until his retirement in 2016.
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