Former Suns Coach Set to Be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

The Suns will be well represented in this year's Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Mar. 26 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash (13) and forward Amare Stoudemire (1) talk with New York Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni prior to the first half at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images | Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will be represented by not one but two members of the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class.

After it was reported earlier this week that Amar'e Stoudemire would be part of this year's class, former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

2x NBA Coach of the Year and the creator of the “7 Seconds or Less” offense ☄️

Congrats, Mike D’Antoni, on being named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026! pic.twitter.com/pBLzEr3ceM

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 4, 2026

Former Suns guard Kevin Johnson was also originally a finalist for the class, but not among the nine inductees who will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 14-15.

The announcement came ahead of this weekend's NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis.

More on D'Antoni's Induction

D'Antoni is the lone inductee labeled as a contributor in this year's class. Here is the full list of the inductees:

• North American Committee (in alphabetical order): Joey Crawford [Referee], Mark Few [Coach], Doc Rivers [Coach], Amar’e Stoudemire [Player]
• Women’s Committee: 1996 United States Women’s National Team, Elena Delle Donne [Player], Chamique Holdsclaw [Player], Candace Parker [Player]
• Contributors Committee: Mike D’Antoni

“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to welcome the Class of 2026, a group that reflects the very best this sport has to offer,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in a release.

“From a referee who set the standard over four decades, to coaches who built dynasties at every level, to players who redefined their positions, to a visionary who changed how the game is played — and a women’s class headlined by a national team that helped launch an entire league, alongside three of the most accomplished players the women’s game has ever seen — we are honored to welcome them to Springfield.”

D'Antoni was a two-time NBA Coach of the Year (2005, 2017), and he coached the Suns from 2003-08 and helped usher in a new era of basketball with his "Seven Seconds or Less" Suns team that notably featured Stoudemire and Steve Nash.

The official release detailed more on D'Antoni's career and his contributions to basketball:

"An important figure in the evolution of modern basketball, D’Antoni influenced the game through innovation via his up-tempo, space-and-pace philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy, emphasizing ball movement, shooting and efficiency, and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport. D’Antoni’s impact spans continents, having coached professionally in Italy for eight seasons before bringing his ideas to the NBA, where he amassed nearly 1,200 career wins. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice (2005, ‘17), served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, and was recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history in 2008."