As the NBA descends on Indianapolis for the annual All-Star Game and festivities this weekend, a few former players received some big news regarding the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced 14 finalists on Friday afternoon, players that have taken the next step in being part of the 2024 class. And among them were two former Tar Heels.
Both Vince Carter and the late Walter Davis were among the 14 finalists to take that next step. They were joined by North American committee finalists: Chauncey Billups, Michael Cooper, Bo Ryan, and Charles Smith. Women’s committee finalists: Seimone Augustus and Marian Washington. Veteran committee finalists: Dick Barnett and Harley Redin. International committee finalist: Michele Timms. And Contributors committee finalists: Doug Collins, Herb Simon, and Jerry West.
Carter spent four seasons at North Carolina before being drafted fifth overall in the 1998 NBA draft. He went on to make eight NBA All-Star games, was the 1998-99 Rookie of the Year and the winner of the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
He averaged 16.7 points per game (21.3 as a starter) in his career while being the only NBA player to ever play in four different decades.
For Davis, he was a standout at North Carolina, winning a gold medal with Team USA in 1976. He was the fifth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns and is the all-time leading scorer in Suns franchise history. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and won the 1978 Rookie of the Year.
The class will officially be announced on April 6 in Phoenix during the Final Four.
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