Nowitzki & Bird: FIBA Hall of Fame Inductees

MALE (Suiza) – On World Basketball Day, FIBA ​​is proud to announce the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame Class of 2026, paying tribute to legendary figures whose contributions have shaped global basketball.

A total of seven players and one coach are being recognized for their outstanding individual contributions to the sport.

Members of the class of 2026 will be honored at an investiture ceremony on April 21 in Berlin.

Basketball icons such as Dirk Nowitzki of Germany and Sue Bird of the United States lead the group of new members.

Nowitzki, the MVP of both the 2002 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup in Indianapolis and EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade, represented his country in FIBA ​​competitions for two decades. He started with the youth teams in 1995, before leading the senior national team in numerous tournaments until 2015.

With the Dallas Mavericks, the 7-foot-1 power forward won an NBA title, competed in multiple playoffs and was named NBA MVP. He was a recurring All-Star.

A 5-foot-9 point guard, Bird was the heart and soul of the United States women’s team that dominated international basketball from 2002 until her international retirement following the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She led the United States’ runs to four FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup titles and also played an integral role in five consecutive Olympic gold medal teams, with the Americans winning every game they played.

Nowitzki and Bird is accompanied in 2026 by Dumerc Celsiness, Tüchanguana Clarisse, Clarity of the Mechanguana,

Dumerc, a guard for France when they won the 2009 Women’s EuroBasket, achieved runners-up finishes on three other occasions and a third place finish in the competition. The speedy player had a reputation for scoring clutch shots for her team, including at the 2012 Olympics where she propelled the team to a silver medal.

Türkoğlu is a Türkiye legend who rose to prominence when his country reached the final of EuroBasket 2001 in Istanbul. In 2009, the NBA veteran led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals. A year later, when the 2010 FIBA ​​World Cup was held in his country, he led the national team to the final and was named in the tournament’s Ideal Quintet.

Clarisse Machanguana was an outstanding center from Mozambique. One of the most revered players in African basketball, Clarisse led her country to third place in the 1993 AfroBasket Women and second place in 2013, resulting in Mozambique’s historic first qualification for the FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup.

Wang Zhizhi of China captured two FIBA ​​Asia Cup titles, in 2001 and 2011. The explosive scorer also competed in four Olympic Games (1996, 2000, 2008, 2012) and two FIBA ​​World Cups (2006, 2010), becoming the first Chinese to be selected and play in the NBA.

Ludwik Miętta-Mikołajewicz of Poland coached the Wisla Kraków women’s team and led them to 14 national titles between 1963 and 1981. He also had the honor of coaching the Poland women’s team, guiding them to two runners-up finishes in the 1980 and 1981 Women’s EuroBasket, and leading the team to the 1983 FIBA ​​Women’s World Cup.

Ismenia Pauchard is a legend of the Chilean women’s team and will be inducted posthumously. Pauchard was the third leading scorer in both the 1957 and 1964 FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball World Cups.

Here is the complete list of members that make up the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame class of 2026:

Players

Coaches

Members of the Class of 2026 will be honored at an investiture ceremony to be held on April 21 in Berlin, the same day as the draw for the FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026. Both the investiture ceremony and the draw will take place in Berlin at Kraftwerk, a former power plant that has been transformed into an impressive event venue. This distinctive setting captures the creative energy and vibrant urban culture of the city.

FIBA

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About the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame

The FIBA ​​Hall of Fame is a shrine dedicated to the extraordinary people who have laid the foundation for basketball as a global sport from its inception to its current glory.

Its aim is to be a genuinely international institution, active in the promotion and remembrance of basketball around the world, welcoming the great men and women who have been proactive and outstanding in the improvement and development of our sport.

Created in 2007, it has already seen the induction of 200 notable Hall of Famers from 45 countries and five continents to date. Its headquarters are the Patrick Baumann Basketball House in Mies, Switzerland.