Former NBA dunking and scoring machine Vince Carter and current Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups , who led the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 championship, will be among the latest class of inductees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
An official announcement will come on Saturday during the NCAA Final Four, in which the full class will be revealed.
Carter was an eight-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 1999. Along the way, he made two All-NBA teams with the Toronto Raptors and became one of the league’s most-noted dunkers, winning the Slam Dunk contest in 2000.
He is also the only player in NBA history to have played 22 seasons, retiring in 2020 when in his early 40s.
Most of his memorable years came with the Raptors, though he also had a nice run with the Brooklyn Nets. He also spent time with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. He ranks 24th in the NBA in career points at 25,728.
Meanwhile, Billups was an All-Star five times and made three All-NBA teams, as well as two All-Defensive teams. He was named NBA Finals MVP in 2004, after leading the Pistons past the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers.
Overall, Billups spent 17 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2014. Along with the Pistons, he also played for the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers — compiling career averages of 15.2 points and 5.4 assists.
Unlike some other sports, the Basketball Hall of Fame honors American and international professionals, along with American and international amateurs.
There are multiple voting committees for the Basketball Hall of Fame as well. They are the International Committee, North American Committee, Women’s Committee, Contributor Direct Election Committee, Early African-American Pioneers Committee, and Veterans Committee. Each committee makes its own selections for inductees.
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