SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Carmelo Anthony may go into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice next year.
The hoops shrine in Springfield released its list of candidates for the class of 2025 on Thursday, with the list of first-time nominees including Anthony and fellow retired NBA stars Marc Gasol and Dwight Howard.
WNBA greats Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, Chamique Holdsclaw and Maya Moore are all first-time candidates as well, along with NBA coaches Billy Donovan and Doc Rivers, Miami Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, Gonzaga men's coach Mark Few and former Iowa women's coach Lisa Bluder.
Among the repeat nominees: the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, which included Anthony.
Holdsclaw, who was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville in 2018, was a collegiate star for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Holdsclaw won three NCAA titles while playing for legendary coach Pat Summitt.
There are 189 candidates under consideration in an array of categories, the Hall of Fame said, including current Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes, who is on the ballot for the second year in a row.
Barnes is in his 45th year as a coach, his 38th leading a program and his 10th in charge of the Volunteers, who reached the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight last season. That was his 28th time leading a team to the tourney.
The Hall of Fame also unveiled an update to its eligibility requirements, reducing the waiting period for player candidates from three full seasons out of the sport to two seasons. The change was unanimously approved by the Hall of Fame's Board of Governors.
"To better recognize the distinguished careers of potential first-ballot nominees in a more timely manner, the board has appropriately shortened the waiting period," chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "We are excited about this change and believe that honoring individuals while their contributions are still fresh in people's minds is both meaningful and impactful."
Thursday's announcement is the first step of the process. Finalists will be selected on Feb. 14 in San Francisco at NBA All-Star Game weekend, and the enshrinement class will be revealed on April 5 in San Antonio at the Final Four for the NCAA Division I men's tournament.
Enshrinement events take place on Sept. 5 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut and Sept. 6 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.