"VAN" (Sports Desk - 23.04.2026) :: Seven tremendous players and an illustrious coach were officially inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2026.
The prestigious Enshrinement Ceremony was held at the Kraftwerk Berlin, alongside the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Draw, celebrating the enduring legacy of the game.
This year's Class included Sue Bird (USA), Céline Dumerc (France), Clarisse Machanguana (Mozambique), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Ludwik Miętta‑Mikołajewicz (Poland), Ismenia Pauchard (Chile), Hidayet Türkoğlu (Türkiye), and Wang Zhizhi (China).
Inducted that evening, FIBA Hall of Famer Sue Bird expressed on the global dimension of the FIBA Hall of Fame: "I’ve been lucky to have a lot of meaningful moments in my career, but this one feels different because it isn't about one team, or one league, or one city. It's about the game on a global level."
During his induction speech, Dirk Nowitzki reflected on the deeper impact of sport, saying: "Sport has a unique way of shaping qualities like integrity and character. When I look back at my own journey today, I realize I owe sport so much more than this honor tonight. I wasn’t discovered through sport, through sport I discovered life and the world."
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis highlighted Berlin's deep connection to the game: "Berlin and basketball have a special relationship. Berlin is where the world of basketball is looking tonight to this fantastic Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame 2026, and where all the eyes will be when the Women's World Cup comes in September."
To conclude, he highlighted the essence and global significance of the FIBA Hall of Fame: “The FIBA Hall of Fame honours those who made the game, those who excelled on the field of play. With 208 members, including this class, and 46 nations represented, their global impact carries the values of basketball, the values of FIBA: respect, fairness, leadership, and excellence.”
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