Women's Basketball Hall Adds Six for 2027 Class
The Hall of Fame announced six inductees, including Diana Taurasi in her first year of eligibility.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Basketball
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2027 class of six inductees on November 5, 2026. Diana Taurasi, who retired from the WNBA in February 2025, enters the Hall in her first year of eligibility.
Why it matters
The class recognizes a mix of players, coaches, officials and a pioneering league record-holder, reflecting the breadth of contributions to women's basketball. Taurasi's induction cements her standing among the sport's most decorated figures.
Taurasi holds the WNBA all-time scoring record with 10,646 points, three league championships and six Olympic gold medals, figures drawn from her career totals. The announcement does not address how the selection committee weighed each candidate against the others.
The players
Diana Taurasi
Taurasi is a Phoenix Mercury guard and six-time Olympic gold medalist who holds the WNBA all-time scoring record, having grown up in Chino, California.
Sandy Brondello
Brondello is a WNBA coach who has won two league championships and currently leads a team based in Toronto.
Mike Thibault
Thibault is a veteran WNBA coach with a 379-289 career record across his tenure leading professional teams.
The details
The six inductees are Diana Taurasi, WNBA coaches Sandy Brondello and Mike Thibault, longtime official Dee Kantner, Dr. Judith Holland and Molly Bolin Kazmer. The class will be inducted at the Tennessee Theatre on June 26, 2027.
Timeline
February 2025: Diana Taurasi retires from the WNBA.
November 5, 2026: The Hall of Fame announces the 2027 class.
June 26, 2027: The class is inducted at the Tennessee Theatre.
Season Trajectory
Taurasi's induction follows her February 2025 retirement, placing her career among the WNBA's foundational record-holders alongside its earliest champions. The class also recognizes coaches and officials who shaped the league's development over several decades.
Taurasi's induction makes her one of the few players with a Hall of Fame plaque in her first year of eligibility, a distinction that reflects her league-leading career totals. Fans can follow the June 26, 2027 ceremony for the full class roster.
The takeaway
Taurasi's first-year induction underscores how a player's championships, scoring totals and international medals can align to earn immediate Hall recognition. Readers following the sport can track how the 2027 class is honored at the June ceremony.
What happens next
The class will be formally inducted at the Tennessee Theatre on June 26, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more basketball coverage for context on the WNBA's record-setting players and coaches.
