The Class of 2026 got its flowers on Saturday, as retired WNBA forwards Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne and current Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve officially entered the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Two-time MVPs Parker and Delle Donne both enter with Olympic gold and WNBA titles to their names, as the pair gears up for another induction into the Naismith Basketball HOF later this summer.
“I wouldn’t have won a championship if I didn’t play against Candace, and go through the headache of playing her,” said Delle Donne.
Reeve’s honor came alongside the Minnesota boss’s 379th career victory, tying ex-Mystics coach Mike Thibault for most regular-season WNBA wins.
“This game has given me a fulfilling lifetime of joy,” Reeve said. “To share the Hall with so many women’s basketball greats makes me glad I never got a real job.”
Former WNBA MVPs and champions Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne headline the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.
Candace Parker is the only player in WNBA history to win championships with three different franchises, capturing titles with the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces. She remains the only player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 2008.
Parker's dominance extends beyond the WNBA. She won the dunk contest at the McDonald's All American Game in high school, before captured two NCAA championships at Tennessee. She later went on to add two Olympic Gold medals to her elite resume.
Elena Delle Donne joins Parker as a two-time league MVP, winning the honor in 2015 and 2019. She subsequently became the first WNBA player to finish a season shooting 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range, and 90% from the free throw line. The sharpshooter led the Washington Mystics to its only WNBA title in 2019.
Parker and Delle Donne are just the latest WNBA icons to heed the Hall of Fame call. Last year, pro basketball superstars Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles joined the Class of 2025.
Basketball Hall of Fame Sets August Enshrinement Ceremony
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame's enshrinement ceremony will take place this August in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame dropped its Class of 2026 finalists on Wednesday, with WNBA icons Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne leading the lineup of 21 women's and men's players, coaches, and referees.
Two-time MVP Parker retired in 2024 as the only WNBA player to win championships with three different teams, and remains the only player in league history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season (2008).
Fellow retired two-time MVP Delle Donne became the first player in WNBA history to register a 50/40/90 season, doing so en route to claiming a first-ever league championship with the Washington Mystics in 2019.
Joining Parker and Delle Donne on the Hall of Fame finalist roster are fellow WNBA veterans and Team USA Olympic gold medalists Jennifer Azzi and Chamique Holdsclaw, as well as Molly Bolin-Kazmier, a prolific scorer and the first player signed to the sport's first-ever pro league in the US — the Women's Professional Basketball League (1978-1981).
Notably, Azzi is on the ballot twice, as her Olympic gold medal-winning 1996 US Women's National Team — whose roster also includes Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, and Dawn Staley, plus Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer — made the cut for helping to "elevate the global profile of women's basketball and [contribute] to the launch of the WNBA."
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will announce the official Class of 2026 during the NCAA Final Four in early April, with the induction ceremony set for Saturday, August 15th.
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame is ushering in a blockbuster new class, announcing a list of its 2026 inductees this week with honorees spanning four players, two coaches, an ESPN contributor, and a posthumous veteran standout.
Two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker (LA Sparks, Chicago Sky, Las Vegas Aces) headlines the player lineup, with the three-time WNBA champion joined by 2019 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics) and French standout Isabelle Fijalkowski (Cleveland Rockers), as well as three-time WNBA champ with the Houston Comets Amaya Valdemoro.
Minnesota Lynx manager and four-time WNBA Coach of the Year Cheryl Reeve also received a nod alongside nine-time national championship-winning Kirkwood Community College head coach Kim Muhl and former Clemson great Barbara Kennedy-Dixon, while ESPN analyst Doris Burke snagged an honor for her decades-long coverage.
Calling the Class of 2026 "eight distinguished legends of this exceptional sport," Hall of Fame president Dana Hart said in Friday’s release that "They exemplify the highest standards in women's basketball and have made substantial contributions to the sport, along with shaping the game's historical trajectory."
The formal induction ceremony of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will take place at Knoxville's Tennessee Theatre on June 27th.
The basketball world didn't hold back on Tuesday, with many of the sport's biggest names voicing support for Napheesa Collier after the Lynx star publicly criticized WNBA leadership in a now-viral press conference.
"I'm grateful to have those type of people to be able to continue to speak up for us," four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson told reporters after her Las Vegas Aces' Game 5 semifinal win. "I'm going to ride with Phee always…. Moving forward, we've gotta continue to stand on business as we talk about this CBA negotiation."
"I agree with everything," said Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull prior to Tuesday's playoff decider. "We're at a really important time in the league and changes need to be made… really proud of [Collier] for making that statement today."
"It's the care for the human part for me. I'm still not sure if [WNBA commissioner] Cathy [Engelbert] knows I retired. Heard from everyone but her," two-time league MVP Elena Delle Donne wrote on Instagram.
"10/10. No notes!" tweeted Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, while 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers posted a photo of her and Collier to Instagram marked with the caption "Queen Phee."
The WNBA Players Association also spoke out, releasing a statement backing Collier as a longtime union leader.
"When Phee speaks, people listen," the WNBPA wrote. "The leaders of the league and its teams would benefit from listening to her powerful statement. The players know their value even if the league does not."
"They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball."
WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne is returning to the court, with USA Basketball announcing on Monday that the two-time league MVP will join the 3×3 Women's National Team as its first-ever managing director.
The 36-year-old officially retired in April 2025 after struggling with injuries, capping a career that spanned winning gold at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FIBA World Cup with Team USA as well as two WNBA championships.
"Elena has been a member of the USA Basketball family for almost 15 years," USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in Monday's press release. "Her wealth of knowledge of the sport of basketball and our organization will be an asset as we continue our journey."
As part of her duties, Delle Donne will be responsible for selecting the USA Basketball 3x3 team's coaching staff and players prior to the 2028 LA Olympics, the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and other major international competitions.
"USA Basketball was an important part of my on-court career for a decade and a half. To have the opportunity to continue my journey with the organization, and to help shape and grow the 3x3 program, is something that I take very seriously," Delle Donne said. "I'm excited to get started."
Delle Donne's new position is the 3x3 version of fellow WNBA icon Sue Bird's role, as the newly minted Hall of Famer became the managing director of the USA Basketball women's 5x5 arm in May.
"To now think that I'm going to be on the other side of the phone letting someone know that their dream has come true and they've made the team is going to be such a fulfilling, full circle moment for me," Delle Donne said.
Two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne is officially retiring from pro basketball, with the 2016 Olympic gold medalist calling the decision "one of the hardest parts of my career" in a Friday announcement.
After the Chicago Sky chose Delle Donne as the overall No. 2 pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, she quickly established herself as a force on the court, winning her first MVP title with the Sky in 2015 before a trade sent her to the Washington Mystics in 2017.
Delle Donne thrived with Washington, earning her second MVP honor while leading the Mystics to their first-ever WNBA championship in 2019 — and recording the only 50-40-90 season (shooting over 50% from the field, over 40% from beyond the arc, and over 90% from the foul line) in league history along the way.
"She put us over the top," former Mystics head coach Mike Thibault told reporters on Friday. "We were trying to build to where we could have a team that somebody like her would want to play with and we could win the championship that she was seeking and that we were seeking."
Injuries and illness fueled Delle Donne's decision
At the same time, however, Delle Donne struggled with injuries, later undergoing back surgery after competing in that 2019 title run with three herniated disks. Those injuries, plus a chronic Lyme disease diagnosis, eventually led Delle Donne to sit out the 2024 season — despite earning a core tag from the Mystics.
Taking last season off gave Delle Donne the space to come to terms with retirement, with the 35-year-old stating "my body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it."
Despite exiting the competitive court, however, Delle Donne will remain close to the game, with the Mystics announcing that the star will serve as a special advisor to the WNBA team's ownership group, Monumental Sports.
"This game has been my life, and I am grateful for the memories and how much it’s given me," Delle Donne said on social media. "It feels good to close this chapter knowing I gave it my all and I can’t wait for what’s next!"
Elena Delle Donne is taking some time away from basketball, according to ESPN.
The two-time WNBA MVP will not sign the one-year supermax offer from the Washington Mystics. It’s unclear how long Delle Donne will stay away from basketball, according to ESPN’s sources. While free agency contracts can now be signed, the 34-year-old reportedly needs more time to think about what her future holds.
Delle Donne told the Mystics that she was unsure about her future prior to the free agency process beginning. She had hoped not to interfere with the team’s offseason plans.
Still, Washington opted to core their star player. As a result, the team holds her exclusive negotiating rights. Delle Donne could only explore other teams if a trade were to be made.
Should Delle Donne sit out this WNBA season, the team could again place the core tag on her.
One of the top free agents this offseason, Delle Donne has appeared in just 53 games for the Mystics since 2017. She’s struggled with injuries, including a back injury that required surgery and kept her limited from 2020 through the 2022 season.
Last season, she averaged 16.7 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Elena Delle Donne could be on the move.
While the Washington Mystics extended a core qualifying offer to Delle Donne on Jan. 13, a number of teams have inquired about the availability of the guard, according to Khristina Williams. Among those teams are the Phoenix Mercury.
SOURCES: The Mystics are seeking draft pick compensation for Elena Delle Donne, if a trade were to be completed. https://t.co/a3x3gWfUxr
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) January 22, 2024
Any type of deal would have to be completed via a sign-and-trade, and according to Williams, the Mystics are seeking draft pick compensation for the star.
Currently, the Mercury hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, as well as the No. 13 pick and the No. 25 pick.
Delle Donne is one of the top free agents this offseason and has played for the Mystics since 2017. In that time, she won a WNBA championship with the team, but appeared in just 53 total games of her contract due to injuries.
Under the core tag, Delle Donne cannot talk to teams unless given the okay by the Mystics. A trade by the team would have to happen with her agreement.
The Washington Mystics aren’t letting Elena Delle Donne go just yet.
Per the WNBA’s transactions page, the Mystics extended a core qualifying offer to the forward. It comes after a report from The Next Hoops last week that Delle Donne was going to sign with another team in the offseason.
Delle Donne is one of the league’s top free agents and has played for the Mystics since 2017. In that time, she won a WNBA championship with the team and was a four-time WNBA All-Star. But she appeared in just 53 total games of her contract after a back injury kept her limited from 2020 through the 2022 season.
Last season, she averaged 16.7 points and 5.4 rebounds, although she did miss time with injuries.
The core tag doesn’t mean that Delle Donne couldn’t realistically sign with another team in the offseason, it just makes it more difficult. Under the core tag, Delle Donne has been offered a one-year, supermax contract by the Mystics. A different deal can still be negotiated with the Mystics.
Delle Donne cannot talk to other teams, unless the Mystics were to give the okay. She can still be traded by the team, although it cannot happen without her agreement.
In September of last year, both sides indicated that the decision about Delle Donne’s future with the team would not be an easy one. Delle Donne, for her part, said she still feels like she has “a lot of really good basketball left in her.”
“I think you always need to take a little bit of time to just kind of reflect and see what your next steps are going to be,” Delle Donne said.
“I just want to win. That’s truly what I care about most. It’s been my whole career, but especially coming back from all the back stuff and feeling like I’m really the strongest I’ve ever been. I’m in great shape. I feel like I have a lot more basketball to play, and I want to win.”