FIBA Hall of Fame 2022 ushers in legendary figures in women's basketball
MIES (Switzerland) - Lisa Leslie, Geno Auriemma and Robyn Maher headline the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2022, a nine-strong group of individuals that have contributed enormously to the development of women's basketball.
The enshrinement ceremony will take place on November 30 at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
Women in Basketball is one of the strategic priorities of FIBA and the decision to make women the focus of this year's induction reflects that, while also aligning with the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022, which is now being staged in Sydney, Australia.
Leslie is among the most decorated players in international basketball history. The top scorer on USA teams that won FIBA Basketball World Cups in 1998 and 2002, Leslie was also leader in the American sides that captured Olympic gold medals in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Among her bevy of honors were three WNBA MVP awards, and WNBA Finals MVP awards in 2001 and 2002 after she led the Los Angeles Sparks to championships.
Auriemma, the coach of the USA from 2010 to 2016, steered the women's team to two world cups and three Olympic gold medals. As the coach of the University of Connecticut, he led the school to a record 11 NCAA Women's titles from 1995 to 2016.
Maher, the legendary leader in an Opals side that made a stunning run to the Semi-Finals of the World Cup in 1994 as hosts and captured the imagination of the country, played 372 senior games for Australia from 1978 to 1999. Maher was captain for 174 of those contests.
The entire group of the Class of 2022 is made up of players and coaches that have left indelible marks on basketball.
The other inductees are 1997 FIBA Women's EuroBasket gold medalist Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene of Lithuania; four-time FIBA Women's AfroBasket MVP Mame Maty Mbengue of Senegal; Olympic silver and bronze medal winning coach Milan "Ciga" Vasojevic of Serbia (posthumously); legendary Spanish coach Maria Planas; long-serving Brazil women's coach Antonio Barbosa; and seven-time FIBA Euroleague Women winner Catarina Pollini.
Here is the full list of inductees that make up the 2022 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame:
Players
Lisa Leslie (USA)
Robyn Maher (Australia)
Catarina Pollini (Italy)
Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene (Lithuania)
Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal)
Coaches
Geno Auriemma (USA)
Antonio Barbosa (Brazil)
Milan "Ciga" Vasojevic (Serbia - posthumously)
Maria Planas (Spain)
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About the FIBA Hall of Fame
The FIBA Hall of Fame is a shrine dedicated to the amazing people who built the foundations of the global sport of basketball since its birth until its accomplished glory of today. It strives to be a genuinely international institution, active in the promotion and remembrance of basketball all over the world and houses the great men and women who were proactive and outstanding in the improvement and development of our sport. Created in 2007, it assembles over 110 outstanding players and coaches from 37 countries and all five continents to date. Its home is the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
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About FIBA
FIBA (fiba.basketball) - the world governing body for basketball - is an independent association formed by 212 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
For further information about FIBA, visit fiba.basketball or follow FIBA on facebook.com/fiba, twitter.com/fiba, instagram.com/fiba and youtube.com/fiba.
