Manu Ginobili Headlines 1st-Time Basketball Hall of Fame Nominees

Former NBA player Manu Ginobili and former WNBA player Lindsey Whalen highlighted the list of first-time nominees for the 2022 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame class announced on Tuesday. 

Other nominees included former NBA players Chauncey Billups, Tim Hardaway, Richard Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Tom Chambers, Muggsy Bogues and Mark Jackson, former WNBA players Becky Hammon and Swin Cash, former NBA coach George Karl and long-time men's college basketball head coach Bob Huggins. 

Ginobili, 44, was a four-time champion with the San Antonio Spurs, two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA third team selection and the 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year award winner. He averaged 13.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. 

Billups, 45, was a five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection (one second-team and two third-team selections) and one-time champion who averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game. He is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Hardaway, 55, was a five-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection who averaged 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his career. 

Whalen, 39, was a five-time WNBA All-Star and four-time champion who averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in her career. She is now the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. 

Cash, 42, won three WNBA titles and two college national championships. She was a four-time All-Star, averaging 10.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She is currently the vice president of basketball operations and team development for the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Hammon, 44, was a six-time WNBA All-Star, averaging 13 points and 3.8 assists per game in her career. She is currently an assistant coach for the Spurs.  

The Class of 2022 will be revealed at the Final Four in April and inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on Sept. 9-10.