Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard Officialy Inducted Into 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame

Last Updated:September 07, 2025, 07:46 IST

Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard lead the 2025 Naismith Hall of Fame class, joined by Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Danny Crawford, Billy Donovan, and Micky Arison.

Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard were officially inducted into the Basketball HOF as both individuals and as a part of the 2008 Redeem Team (Credit: X)

Retired NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard headlined the 2025 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class on Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts, joining a group of nine inductees.

Both Anthony and Howard were inducted not only for their individual careers but also as part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic “Redeem Team", which restored American dominance on the international stage after a disappointing bronze medal finish at the 2004 Athens Games.

“Sounds like a good thing to say you’re going into the Hall of Fame twice. That’s a hell of a thing," Anthony said. “That ’08 team really set the tone for how you show up as professional athletes."

Howard reflected on the support he received from his family. “You worked to help me achieve those goals day after day," he told his parents. “Look how life works. Pops, mom, your son is in the Hall of Fame."

Celebrating Legends Across the Game

The 2025 class also included Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles, three of the WNBA’s most decorated champions, as well as longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, and Miami Heat owner Micky Arison.

LeBron James, a key member of the 2008 Redeem Team and two-time NBA champion with Arison’s Heat, was in attendance to celebrate his former teammates and peers.

Jason Kidd, now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, recalled the intensity of those Redeem Team practices.

“It was a beautiful thing to watch Kobe and LeBron battle in practice," Kidd said. “Every morning they would battle. They had high energy. They set the tone."

Kidd also poked fun at his role as the veteran on the squad. “I might have been the captain, but I was more like the water boy, the towel boy. I kept the clock to make sure everybody was on time. Gatorade, I asked what color they liked."

Recognition Beyond Players

For referee Danny Crawford, the moment carried particular weight. “NBA referees don’t usually end up in places like this. We’re more used to boos than applause," Crawford said. “That’s why this recognition means so much."

(with agency inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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News sports Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard Officialy Inducted Into 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame

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