Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces eligible candidates for Class of 2024

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2024, including several high-profile, first-time nominees, including the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team (“Redeem Team”), Vince Carter, Seimone Augustus, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Barnes, Mike Fratello and Penny Taylor.

A first look at the list of eligible nominees will be provided by “NBA Today” on ESPN, hosted by Malika Andrews, with Class of 2023 Hall of Famer Becky Hammon, Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, and Brian Windhorst.

Here’s the complete list of eligible candidates.

North American Nominees

* Indicates First-Time Nominee

Women’s Nominees

Contributor Nominees

International Nominees

Women’s Veteran Nominees

Veteran Nominees

Finalists from the Honor’s Committee for the Class of 2024 will be announced on Friday, February 16, in Indianapolis, Indiana, during NBA All-Star Weekend.

The entire Class of 2024 will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, April 6, in a nationally televised broadcast.

The announcement time and broadcast network for both the Finalist and the Class Announcement will be announced in the near future.

Enshrinement weekend will begin at the Mohegan Sun on Friday, August 16, with the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala, followed by the Enshrinement ceremony on Saturday, August 17, at Springfield’s historic Symphony Hall.

VIP Packages for the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend will go on sale on Friday, February 16. All single-event tickets to the Ceremony, Tip Off Celebration, and Awards Gala, as well as other ancillary events, will go on sale on Saturday, April 6, at 12:00 p.m. EST. All packages and tickets will be available for purchase at hoophall.com.

The complete listing of events and pricing will be released by February 1.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame also announced changes to its election process that will more carefully examine candidates from the International, Men’s Veteran’s, Women’s Veteran’s, and Contributor Committees. Since 2011, the Hall of Fame has allowed these categories to be stand-alone ‘direct-elect’ committees with the objective of ensuring candidates who may have ‘fallen through the cracks’ received focused and specialized consideration in these various categories. The Election Process Committee has determined that this objective of more acute consideration has been met during this 12-year period, and now candidates put forth from these categories will revert back to the previous and traditional process of being presented for final consideration to the Honors Committee for election.

For the latest news and updates, follow @hoophall on X (formally Twitter) and Instagram.

NBA debuts short film ‘The Heist’ to fuel anticipation for inaugural In-Season Tournament

CVV News l October 25, 2023

EW YORK — The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the global premiere of “THE HEIST,” the league’s brand campaign celebrating the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, which tips off on Friday, Nov. 3.

“THE HEIST” cast includes seven NBA All-Stars – Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Darius Garland, Draymond Green, Kawhi Leonard, Julius Randle and Trae Young – alongside Emmy Award-winning actor Michael Imperioli, as they execute an elaborate scheme to steal the first-ever NBA Cup.  “THE HEIST” is streaming now across all @NBA social platforms and on the NBA App.

“THE HEIST showcases the NBA’s newest annual tradition to fans through a fun and familiar story arc,” said NBA Chief Marketing Officer Tammy Henault.  “The film introduces the tournament framework through the lens of an elaborate heist, ultimately ushering in this new competition that will add yet another layer of energy and excitement to the NBA calendar.”

Set in a Las Vegas casino, the film begins with Michael Imperioli hatching a plan for “something that’s never been done before – 30 teams, one NBA Cup.”  Such high stakes will require a team with a special set of skills and a calculated strategy. As he unfurls the plan, he introduces the NBA stars, each with their own technique to grab the Cup for their squad.

As Anthony Davis sits at a blackjack table, he flips a three-of-clubs card toward the In-Season Tournament bracket – a nod to the Lakers forward’s jersey number.

In the distance, DeMar DeRozan, dressed in a smooth black and white suit, traverses the casino floor inconspicuously light on his feet, similar to how he plays his game.  As DeRozan enters an elevator, he runs into Trae Young, a “guy with ice water in his veins,” a reference to the sharpshooting guard’s ability to make shots in clutch moments.  Both DeRozan and Young realize they’re after the same thing and chaos ensues.

Imperioli’s narration continues as he introduces a pair of laser-focused lookouts in Darius Garland and Julius Randle, hiding in plain sight in a stylish ride out front.

Disguised as a casino security guard, Draymond Green pushes a cart with the elusive NBA Cup hidden inside.  As Green navigates through security, into the kitchen and out to the casino lobby, his movements are picked up by inside man Kawhi Leonard and the others looking to take the Cup.  As the moment seems right to make “THE HEIST,” the NBA Cup is revealed next to Imperioli, stolen by the mastermind himself.  He turns and says, “looks like you’ll have to play for it,” as the players take in their missed opportunity and realize the fierce competition that lies ahead in the new NBA In-Season Tournament.

THE HEIST” storyline will continue with additional chapters to debut ahead of the Knockout Rounds and Semifinals and Championship rounds featuring Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson alongside Imperioli. The spot will highlight the final race to the NBA Cup, as Johnson declares he is “all in” with an effortless flip of a poker chip.

Check out behind-the-scenes action, showcasing the cast on set and discussing the filming of “THE HEIST.”  Created in conjunction with creative agency Translation, the spot was directed by Karim Huu Do and shot by cinematographer Chayse Irvin.  “THE HEIST” will air across 214 countries and territories and will be translated into more than 15 languages.  Additional :30-, :15- and :10-second versions will also air and the film will be supported across channels with complementary creative that will come to life in out-of-home, digital, social, audio and print assets.

The full cast of “THE HEIST” includes:

• The Mastermind: Michael Imperioli (“Goodfellas,” “The Sopranos,” “The White Lotus” and more)
• The Heavy: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
• The Sly Guy: DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
• The Ice Man: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
• The Lookouts: Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• The Vet: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
• The Inside Man: Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)

The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament will tip off with Group Play on Friday, Nov. 3 in NBA team markets and culminate with single-elimination Semifinals (Dec. 7) and Championship (Dec. 9) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  Broadcast partners ESPN and TNT will combine to air 14 games during Group Play.  The first Tournament Night (Nov. 3) will feature a doubleheader on ESPN with the Knicks visiting the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Denver Nuggets hosting the Dallas Mavericks at 10 p.m. ET.  More information about the In-Season Tournament is available here.

California Classic returns to Sacramento in July with expanded lineup

CVV News l May 30, 2023

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Golden 1 Center will host the fifth annual California Classic Summer League, presented by Ticketmaster, for players and teams preparing for NBA action. The San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets, who hold the No. 1 and No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft respectively, will join the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat for an expanded Classic. Beginning July 3, the six teams will play a total of six games featuring rookies selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, sophomores and athletes competing to make NBA and G League regular season rosters.

“We are thrilled to welcome the California Classic back to Golden 1 Center with two new teams joining the exciting lineup,” said Sacramento Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “This event is the perfect kick-off to the NBA Summer League, giving fans the opportunity to watch the next generation of basketball talent and enjoy a world-class entertainment experience.”

This summer basketball celebration – Monday, July 3, and Wednesday, July 5 – will feature a triple-header matchup each day with all six teams participating. Similar to other Summer League matches, modified game play rules will be in place, including 10-minute quarters. In addition, the two days will include exciting family friendly entertainment.

Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, June 1, Kings Season Ticket Members will have early access for two-day passes covering all games at Golden 1 Center and the option to add discounted admission to Fourth on the Field at Sutter Health Park. General public will be able to purchase passes on Monday, June 5 at Kings.com/CAClassic.

Team rosters, entertainment, fan activations, broadcast information and additional ticket options will be announced at later dates.

For more information, visit Kings.com/CAClassic.