Former Gonzaga star, rival coach to present Mark Few at Hall of Fame induction

Few will join the class of 2026 in Connecticut next month for induction into the HOF

USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill (left) and Gonzaga coach Mark Few (right). | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few, alongside the rest of the class of 2026, will be officially enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month.

Few was inducted in his second year on the ballot, joining a class that includes Doc Rivers, Amar'e Stoudemire, Candace Parker, Elene Della Donne, and Joey Crawford, among others. The longtime Zags head coach joins an exclusive group of active head coaches inducted into the HOF, a list that includes St. John's Rick Pitino, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, and Kansas' Bill Self.

On Wednesday, the Hall of Fame announced which previous inductees will present the members of the 2026 class. Few will be presented by the only other Gonzaga inductee, John Stockton, as well as current Arkansas head coach John Calipari and former Duke star and managing director of the USA men's basketball national team, Grant Hill.

Zag connection

Gonzaga alum and NBA legend John Stockton in attendance during the Zags’ Nov. 3, 2023, exhibition game against Lewis-Clark State. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Although Few and Stockton were never at Gonzaga at the same time, the two share their love of Spokane and the Zag basketball community. Stockton starred at GU from 1980-1984, averaging an outstanding 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.9 steals as a senior before being selected No. 16 overall in the NBA draft by the Utah Jazz.

Stocks then spent 19 years in Salt Lake City, finishing his illustrious career with 10 All-Star Game appearances and 11 All-NBA nods, while setting the NBA's all-time record in assists and steals.

He was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players in 1997 - while still an active player - and was on the 75th anniversary team in 2022 as well.

Stockton's son, David, played for coach Few from 2010-2014, averaging 4.8 points and 3.1 assists in 138 games before going on to a lengthy pro career.

Coaching rivals

Nov 20, 2022; Spokane, Washington, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari, left, shakes hands with Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few | USA TODAY Sports

It seemed likely a current college basketball head coach would be among Few's presenters, and of the available options, Calipari or Izzo were the best bets.

Few and Cal have squared off six times during their respective careers, with Cal getting the best of Few the first four times while Cal was at Memphis, and Few beating Cal two times in a row at Kentucky.

The two have long been friends, with Memphis being one of the few quality programs willing to play Gonzaga when they were an up-and-coming program. The six-year series between Gonzaga and Kentucky only featured coach Cal twice - with Gonzaga winning at the Spokane Arena and again at Rupp Arena - but the two are slated to face each other once again this October, with the Zags reportedly heading to Bud Walton Arena to take on Calipari at Arkansas in an exhibition game.

Team USA

USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill (left) and Gonzaga coach Mark Few (right). | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Grant Hill and Mark Few didn't overlap during Hill's extraordinary career at Duke, and weren't connected while Hill labored through a great, but injury-prone, NBA career that ended in 2013.

However, Hill served as the managing director for the USA men's basketball national team from 2021-2024 and had a hand in hiring Few as an assistant coach alongside Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue behind Steve Kerr at the 2024 Winter Olympics.

Few helped lead Team USA - featuring LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Anthony Davis - to a gold medal in what goes down as one of his biggest accomplishments. It's rare to see a college coach given this honor, and Hill not only helped make it happen but also came to Spokane to present Few with his Olympic ring in February of 2025.

Few and the 2026 class will be enshrined over a two-day ceremony beginning August 14 at the Mohegan Sun arena in Connecticut.