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Chris Webber, Ben Wallace headline 2019 finalists for Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

jack baer
Staff writer
Chris Webber and Ben Wallace are among the most recognizable names in the finalists for the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019. (Photo by Nathaniel S.Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Chris Webber and Ben Wallace are among the most recognizable names in the finalists for the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019. (Photo by Nathaniel S.Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

It might not be as stacked as last year’s group, but the finalists announced Friday for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame don’t lack for meaningful places in basketball history.

Among the biggest names of the 14 finalists for today’s fans are Detroit Pistons great Ben Wallace, whose four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards ties him with Dikembe Mutombo for most all-time, and Chris Webber, the top recruit of the Fab Five who later achieved stardom in the NBA.

2019 finalists for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

The first-year finalists for induction include:

  • Marques Johnson, five-time NBA All-Star who also won national player of the year awards at UCLA under John Wooden

  • Jack Sikma, seven-time NBA All-Star with the Seattle Supersonics

  • Ben Wallace, four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year with the Pistons

  • Paul Westphal, five-time NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns

The finalists who have previously received consideration are:

  • Leta Andrews, won a national-record 1,416 games as high school head coach

  • Hugh Evans, NBA referee for 28 years

  • Bill Fitch, two-time NBA Coach of the Year

  • Bobby Jones, four-time NBA All-Star and eight-time NBA all-defensive first team with the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers

  • Sidney Moncrief, five-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year with the Bucks

  • Barbara Stevens, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year

  • Eddie Sutton, reached three Final Fours in 36-year college coaching career with stops at Arkansas and Kentucky

  • Teresa Weatherspoon, five-time WNBA All-Star and two time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year with the New York Liberty

  • Chris Webber, five-time NBA All-Star and top recruit of Michigan’s Fab Five team

The Naismith Class of 2019 is scheduled to be announced at the 2019 Final Four in Minneapolis. To earn election, a finalist must receive 18 votes from the Hall’s 24-person Honors Committee. Last year, eight of 13 finalists were elected alongside five directly elected members.

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