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| (Image Source: FIBA) |
Coinciding with the celebration of the third annual World Basketball Day, FIBA proudly announced the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductees, paying tribute to legendary figures whose contributions have shaped the global game. Seven players and one coach from different parts of the globe playing in and for their respective national teams and global basketball leagues are being recognized for their stellar individual contributions to the sport.
Headlining the group of new inductees are hoops icons Dirk Nowitzki of Germany and Sue Bird of USA. Nowitzki, the MVP of both the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2002 in Indianapolis and EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade, represented his country in FIBA competitions for two decades. He started with the youth teams in 1995, before leading the senior team at numerous tournaments until 2015. With the Dallas Mavericks, the 2.13 m (7 ft) power forward won an NBA title, competed in numerous playoffs, and claimed the NBA MVP award. He was a perennial All-Star. Bird, a 1.75 m point guard, was the heart and soul of the USA women's team that dominated international basketball from 2002 until her international retirement at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She spearheaded the USA runs to four FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup titles and also played an integral role in five consecutive Olympic gold medal-winning teams when the Americans won every game they played. Joining Nowitzki and Bird in the 2026 class are:
• Céline Dumerc, France's point guard when they won the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2009, claimed runners-up spots on three other occasions in the competition and a third-place finish. The lightning quick playmaker had a reputation for hitting shots in the clutch for her national team, including at the 2012 Olympics when she sparked the team on a run that finished with a silver medal.
• Hedo Türkoğlu is a legend of Türkiye who shot to prominence when his team reached the FIBA EuroBasket 2001 Final in Istanbul. In 2009, the long-time NBA star led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals. A year later, when the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup was hosted in his country, he took the 12 Giant Men to the Final and was named to the All-Star Five.
• Clarisse Machanguana was a celebrated center of Mozambique. One of the most revered players in African basketball, Clarisse led her country to third place at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket in 1993 and second place in 2013. The second achievement resulted in a historical first qualification of Mozambique to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.
• Ludwik Miętta-Mikołajewicz of Poland was the coach of the Wisla Kraków women's team and led it to 14 domestic titles, the first in 1963 and the last in 1981. He also had the honor of coaching Poland's women's national team and eventually guided them to two runners-up finishes at the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket in 1980 and 1981 and led the team to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in 1983.
• Wang Zhizhi of China claimed two FIBA Asia Cup titles in 2001 and 2011. The explosive scorer also competed in four Olympics (1996, 2000, 2008, 2012) and two FIBA Basketball World Cups (2006, 2010). He was the first-ever Chinese to be drafted and play in the NBA.
• Ismenia Pauchard is a legend of the Chile women's national team and is being inducted posthumously. Pauchard was the third leading scorer at both FIBA Women's Basketball Cups in 1957 and 1964.
The FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be honored at an enshrinement ceremony on April 21, 2026 in Berlin, Germany – the same day as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Draw. Both the enshrinement ceremony and the draw will take place at Kraftwerk, a former power plant that has been transformed into a striking event venue. This distinctive setting captures the city’s creative energy and vibrant urban culture.
Established in 2023 by the United Nations, World Basketball Day is observed annually on December 21, the date when Dr. James Naismith first introduced the game of basketball at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. in 1891, and celebrates cross-cultural unity through a shared passion for the game and the values it represents. Today, basketball is the fastest-growing sport in the world and the No. 2 sport globally. The celebration was conceptualized by New York University professor and lifelong basketball devotee David Hollander with the support of the FIBA Foundation, giving sports fans and basketball enthusiasts all the chance to promote and celebrate how the sport makes the world a better place. Coinciding with this year's celebration of World Basketball Day, there were 43 Basketball For Good Festivals that took place with the backing of the FIBA Foundation in 33 different countries and across all five FIBA regions while over 6,000 participants benefitted from World Basketball Day campaigns around the key categories of Health & Wellbeing, Gender Equality, Disabilities, Refugees, and Climate Action.
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis commented, "On this third edition of World Basketball Day, there are so many positives to reflect on and to celebrate. Not least, after the exciting and hugely successful Continental Cups, we enter the period of our World Cups in Berlin 2026 and Doha 2027. World Basketball Day shines an even stronger spotlight on the grassroots projects and Basketball for Good festivals helping to shape and change lives, the 3x3 basketball dreams from the streets to the Olympics, as well as the legends and icons of the game, who we are excited to be honoring as the newest FIBA Hall of Fame inductees. World Basketball Day is also the perfect time to encourage our family, friends and colleagues who are not yet engaged to pick up a ball or watch some action as we continue growing the sport around the globe."
