Seattle Storm legend Lauren Jackson and Sacramento Monarchs legend Yolanda Griffith have been nominated for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Val Ackerman and Michael Cooper.
Lauren Jackson, one of the greatest women’s players to ever play the game, and seven-time WNBA All-Star Yolanda Griffith are both eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for the first time, the hall announced on Tuesday.
Joining them is current Big East commissioner and inaugural president of the WNBA Val Ackerman. Michael Cooper, a former WNBA coach for the Los Angeles Sparks and Atlanta Dream, has also been nominated due to his credentials as an NBA player.
Other women’s basketball legends, Becky Hammon and Swin Cash, return to the ballot for 2021.
Jackson, a native of Australia, won the WNBA championship in 2004 and 2010 with the Seattle Storm and finished her career with averages of 21.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, which is incredible for a player who played 12 seasons in the league. Her all-around offensive talent made her an all-time great.
Griffith averaged 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds over 11 years and won the WNBA title with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005.
Finalists will be selected in March during NBA All-Star Weekend and the 2021 class will be finalized in April when the NCAA Final Four takes place.