Lock or Longshot? Predicting the 2026 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees
The Naismith Hall of Fame just narrowed down its Class of 2026. For the women’s committee, the ballot is stacked with icons. The Hall is notoriously selective, with first-time legends and historic pioneers all competing for a spot. We’re breaking down who is a “lock” for Springfield and who might be left waiting on the bubble.
Starting with the lock on the list, Candace Parker, the greatest to ever do it! Parker’s career is defined by her versatility and “firsts.” She is officially the only player in WNBA history to win championships with three different franchises. Beginning with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016, then leading her hometown Chicago Sky to a title in 2021, and finally capping her career with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. Beyond the rings, Parker achieved a feat that may never be matched again. remaining the only player in the league to sweep the Rookie of the Year and League MVP awards in the same season, in 2008. With two MVPs and two Olympic Gold medals to her name, Parker isn’t just a finalist; she is a first-ballot guarantee.
While Parker is the undisputed headliner, Elena Delle Donne is a very close second in terms of likelihood. Delle Donne’s career was a masterclass in efficiency, punctuated by her 2019 season, where she became the first WNBA player to join the exclusive 50/40/90 shooting club. As a two-time league MVP in 2015 and 2019, and seven time all-star, her resume is nearly bulletproof. Although chronic back injuries forced an early retirement in 2025, the Hall of Fame committee typically rewards “peak dominance,” and few have ever dominated the game quite like Delle Donne. Her status as a near certainty for the Class of 2026 remains firm.
The Women’s Committee also named the 1996 Olympic Team as a finalist, and their induction is considered a “lock” by most experts. This squad went an incredible 60-0 during their world tour and Olympic run. More importantly, their success in Atlanta was the catalyst that proved women’s basketball was commercially viable, directly leading to the birth of the WNBA just one year later. Given their institutional impact, it is difficult to imagine a 2026 class that doesn’t honor the group that effectively built the modern professional landscape.
However, in such a top-heavy year, the “bubble” becomes a crowded place for other legends. Jennifer Azzi and Chamique Holdsclaw both find themselves as finalists in a year where voters may experience “star fatigue.” Azzi, a 1996 Gold Medalist and NCAA Champion at Stanford, is a pioneer whose shooting records still stand, but she has been a finalist before without the final nod. Similarly, Holdsclaw was arguably the greatest college player of all time at Tennessee, but without a WNBA Championship or pro MVP to her name, she faces an uphill battle in a class featuring two multi-time MVPs. In a less competitive year, both would be favorites, but for 2026, they remain the most likely to be left waiting when the final class is announced on April 4th during the Final Four weekend.
