The American, widely regarded as the sport's best ever player, heads a list of nine players who will be initiated into the Hall of Fame at the Theatre of Hotel Casino Barriere in Lille on September 19.

Lithuanian Šarūnas Marčiulionis, a member of the Soviet Union team that won Olympic gold medals at Seoul 1988 and one of the first Europeans to cement a place in the NBA, and double EuroLeague winner Antoine Rigaudeau, part of the French side who clinched silver medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, are also both on the list.

The playing contingent on the list of inductees also includes three-times FIBA World Cup medallist Vladimir Tkachenko of Ukraine, Cuban Olympic bronze medallist Ruperto Herrera Tabio, as well as American Anne Donovan, a double Olympic champion at Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988 and who also coached the US team that won at Beijing 2008.  

As well as retired players, Australian coach Jan Stirling, awarded a member of the order of Australia in 2008 for her services to the sport, technical official Robert Blanchard of France and Israel's Noah Klieger, former chairman of the basketball section of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) and a leading basketball journalist, will also be inducted.

After the ceremony on September 19, all of the nine inductees are due to be paraded in the half-time break during the EuroBasket final the following day.

“We are very honoured to announce the illustrious 2015 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame,” FIBA President Horacio Muratore said.

“These nine individuals are great personalities who have experienced tremendous success on and off the court.

“Just as important, they also stand out for the character they have displayed and the countless efforts they have made to help promote our sport.

“We look forward to honouring them.”

The six former players, coach, technical official and contributor were selected from a list of 150 candidates.

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