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9 women’s basketball contributors inducted into FIBA ​​Hall of Fame

Nine individuals who have made significant contributions to women’s basketball were officially inducted into the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2022. The ceremony took place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball.

They are legendary players: Lisa Leslie (USA), Robyn Maher (Australia), Catarina Pollini (Italy), Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal), Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene (Lithuania) and coaches: Geno Auriemma (USA), Antonio Carlos Barbosa (Brazil), Milan “Ciga” Vasojevic (Serbia – posthumously) and Maria Planas (Spain).


Lisa Leslie with FIBA ​​President Hamane Niang


Robyn Maher with FIBA ​​Secretary General Andreas Zagklis

One of FIBA’s strategic priorities for the current cycle of work is women in basketball, with a particular focus on increasing the number of girls and women playing the sport, but also on the number of female coaches, referees, leaders and administrators. The class of 2022 is intended to reflect these efforts.

Geno Auriemma led the United States national team to multiple Olympic and World Cup basketball gold medals, and led UConn to 11 NCAA championship titles. Still a coach at this university, he was unable to attend the ceremony but was present via Zoom.

Antonio Carlos Barbosa dedicated 20 years of his life to coaching Brazil and won numerous medals on the international stage.

Lisa Leslie is a two-time World Cup champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Robyn Maher is one of the most distinguished players in Australian basketball history. With 374 games played, including 174 as captain, she represented the Opals at the World Cup six times.

Mame Maty Mbengue has stood on the top step of the AfroBasket podium five times during her impressive career, earning her recognition as the greatest African player of all time.

Maria Planas is a true pioneer of Spanish women’s basketball and remains to this day the only female coach in her country’s long and storied history of senior national teams.

Italy’s Catarina Pollini’s brilliant career has been marked by 252 appearances for the national team and multiple titles on the national and continental stages.

In addition to numerous titles in clubs – she notably played in Valenciennes from 1994 to 98 – Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene, contributed enormously to the Lithuanian title at EuroBasket 1997.

The arrival of Milan Vasojevic as coach of the Yugoslavian national team in 1980 triggered a true golden period.

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