SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – As we embark on a new year, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors and reflects on the Hall of Famers who have passed away in the past 12 months.
“In a year that has undoubtedly been a challenging one for many people around the world, we’ve unfortunately lost 13 of our treasured Hall of Famers,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Nonetheless, we know their legacies will continue as their influence on the game of basketball and the world continue to ripple through future generations. We’re honored to showcase these outstanding people in our museum in an effort to keep their memory and impact alive.”
The Basketball Hall of Fame honors the memory of enshrinees who passed in the last 12 months:
Kobe Bryant
August 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020
Class of 2020
Tommy Heinsohn
August 26, 1934 - November 9, 2020
Class of 1986 & Class of 2015
Tom Jernstedt
November 24, 1944 – September 5, 2020
Class of 2017
K.C. Jones
May 25, 1932 - December 25, 2020
Class of 1989
Lute Olson
September 22, 1934 - August 27, 2020
Class of 2002
Jerry Sloan
March 28, 1942 - May 22, 2020
Class of 2009
Borislav Stankovic
July 9, 1925 - March 20, 2020
Class of 1991
David Stern
September 22, 1942 - January 1, 2020
Class of 2014
Eddie Sutton
March 12, 1936 - May 23, 2020
Class of 2020
John Thompson
September 2, 1941 - August 30, 2020
Class of 1999
Wes Unseld
March 14, 1946 - June 2, 2020
Class of 1988
Paul Westphal
November 30, 1950 - January 2, 2021
Class of 2019
Morgan Wootten
April 21, 1931 - January 21, 2020
Class of 2000
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.