Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Doc Rivers, Mark Few among candidates for Basketball Hall of Fame class

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Carmelo Anthony may go into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice next year.

The Hall of Fame released its list of candidates for the Class of 2025 on Thursday, with the list of first-time nominees including Anthony and fellow retired NBA stars Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol.

WNBA greats Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Chamique Holdsclaw are all first-time candidates as well, along with NBA coaches Doc Rivers and Billy Donovan, Miami Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, Gonzaga men's coach Mark Few and former Iowa women's coach Lisa Bluder.

Among the repeat nominees: the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, which included Anthony.

The Hall also unveiled an update to its eligibility requirements, reducing the waiting period for player candidates from three full seasons out of the game to two seasons. The change was unanimously approved by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors.

“To better recognize the distinguished careers of potential first-ballot nominees in a more timely manner, the board has appropriately shortened the waiting period," Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "We are excited about this change and believe that honoring individuals while their contributions are still fresh in people’s minds is both meaningful and impactful.”

Thursday's announcement is the first step of the process. Finalists will be selected on Feb. 14 in San Francisco at NBA All-Star weekend, and the enshrinement class will be revealed on April 5 in San Antonio at the men's NCAA Final Four.

Enshrinement events take place on Sept. 5 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut and Sept. 6 at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

There are 189 candidates under consideration in an array of categories, the Hall said.

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