Minnesota basketball legend and Gopher women’s basketball head coach Lindsay Whalen was announced as a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, making the Hutchinson native eligible to join the class of 2022.
Whalen joined Manu Ginobili and Tom Chambers as first-time nominees for the class. She will also join a group of previously nominated candidates such as Chauncey Billups, Swin Cash and Becky Hammon.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Newly Eligible Candidates for the Class of 2022. #22HoopClass
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— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) December 21, 2021
Whalen has had a major impact on women’s basketball in Minnesota, helping lead the Gopher women’s basketball team to the 2004 Final Four. After becoming the fourth overall pick in that year’s WNBA Draft, she was traded to the Lynx prior to the 2010 season.
That trade helped spark a dynasty as Whalen became a four-time WNBA champion, six-time All-Star and three-time All-WNBA first-team selection. She is also a two-time gold medalist and WNBA’s all-time leader with 2,345 career assists.
The Hall of Fame finalists for this year’s class will be announced on Feb. 18 and the Class of 2022 will be unveiled during the NCAA Men’s Final Four in New Orleans. The enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 9-10 in Springfield, Mass.
