Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.

Springfield was founded in 1636 and is the county seat for Hampden County. The city is located on the Connecticut River in scenic western Massachusetts and has an estimated population of 153,000 citizens. Besides the Hall, Springfield is known for being the home of numerous colleges and universities. In fact, the corridor between Springfield and Hartford, Connecticut has the second highest concentration of higher education facilities in the US.

Location - 1000 Hall of Fame Ave, Springfield, MA 01105

Members are selected for inclusion in one of four categories: Player, Coach, Referee, or Contributor. Players, Coaches, and Referees must be retired 4 years before they are eligible for selection. However, active Coaches and Referees can be considered if they have been active in that capacity for at least 25 years. On the other hand, Contributors have no minimum time requirements to be eligible. Contributors include positions like ownership, management, and executives.

Inductees are nominated by members of two Screening Committees (North American [9 members] and Women’s [7 members]). The Screening Committees can forward a maximum of 10 (North American) and 4 (Women’s) nomination to the Honors Committee as finalists for consideration for enshrinement. The Honor Committee is comprised of two committees (North American and Women’s), each with 24 members. To be selected for the Hall a nominee must be listed on 75% of the ballots of the Honor Committee members

There is one additional way to induction and that is through the Direct-Elect Committees (the Contributors, the Early African-American Pioneers, the International Game, and the Veterans [35+ years since retirement]) where no more than one person can be selected for Enshrinement each year.