Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal lead 2016 Hall of Fame finalists

Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal lead the finalists for the  Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s class of 2016 that were announced by the NBA today (February 12).

Iverson and O’Neal are in the running to be inducted as well as Kevin Johnson. Other finalists include 27-year NBA referee Darell Garrettson, Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo, Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton, Maryland Terrapins coach Lefty Driesell, Wisconsin Badgers coach Bo Ryan, Dunbar High School coach Robert Hughes and Denver Rockets coach John McLendon, the first African-American to coach in a professional league. McLendon is already enshrined as a “contributor” and now has the possibility of being recognized as a coach.

The Women’s Screening Committee named finalists Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s coach Muffet McGraw, four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes and Granbury High School coach Leta Andrews, who finished her coaching career with 1,416 career wins. The Wayland Baptist University women’s basketball team is also recognized. The squad won 10 AAU National championships in a 20 year span and won 131 consecutive games from 1953-58.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming was also named a finalist with Iverson and O’Neal and can be selected for induction by the Direct Elect International Committee.

Iverson spent 14 seasons in the NBA and was drafted in 1996 out of Georgetown University by the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1997, he famously pulled a double crossover on Michael Jordan and was Rookie of the Year. He won the league MVP in 2001. The following year, Iverson made headlines for questioning the need for practice to the media.

O’Neal won four championships, three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat in his 19 years in the NBA. He was named league MVP three times after being drafted as the first overall pick out of LSU by the Orlando Magic.

Johnson was active in the NBA for 12 seasons, mostly with the Phoenix Suns. He became the first player to sustain an average of at least 20 points, 10 assists, a .500 field goal percentage and two steals per game throughout a season.

What a class!!

WATCH the 2016 @HoopHall Announcement:https://t.co/qsNgg8zqdU pic.twitter.com/Wz7Hk8IBDa

— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2016

The Class of 2016 inductees are to be announced April 4 at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game. Each finalist needs at least 18 votes from the 24 members of the Honors Committee in order to be enshrined.

The induction weekend is slated for September 8-10 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Victoria Hernandez is a contributing writer for The Sports Blaze. Follow her on Twitter @LadyViii.