The finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame have disclosed the complete list of the finalists. The announcement was made last Saturday, February 14, 2015 at the NBA All-Star Weekend. The Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined 6 elite basketball players, 5 outstanding coaches, and an iconic referee from the Women's and North American committees which is subject to election this year.
According to the official website of NBA, this list for this year included 9 first-time finalists, 2-time NBA Coach of the Year Bill Fitch, 2-time College Coach of the Year John Calipari, 39-year NBA referee Dick Bavetta, 4-time Division III National Champion Coach Bo Ryan, all-time winningest high school coach Leta Andrews, 3-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie, all-time winningest High School Coach Robert Hughes, and 8-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutumbo. The previous finalists who belong to the list again for 2015 are 4-time NBA All-Star Spencer Haywood, 3-time NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, and 5-time NBA All-star Tim Hardaway.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame also announced the 5 Direct-Elects who have been initial Class of 2015 members. These include John Isaacs (Early African American Pioneers Committee), George Raveling (Contributor Direct Election Committee), Tom Heinsohn (Veterans Committee), Lindsay Gaze (International Committee), and Louie Dampier (American Basketball Association Committee).
The complete list of the ten finalist from North American Screening Committee includes coaches Robert Hughes, Bill Fitch, John Calipari, and Bo Ryan; players Spencer Haywood, Dikembe Mutumbo, Jo Jo White, Kevin Johnson and Tim Hardaway; and referee Dick Bavetta. And from the Screening Committee of Women includes player Lisa Leslie and coach Leta Andrews.
Based from Bleacher Report, these finalists go through scrupulous process of selection. Finalists who receive at least eighteen votes will be instantly inducted into this prominent Basketball Hall of Fame on September.
