Marshall University Athletics
Mike D’Antoni Named To Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
4/6/2026 4:25:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball
Marshall Hall of Famer, NBA Coaching icon announced as part of HOF’s Class of 2026
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer and NBA Coaching icon Mike D'Antoni has been named as a 2026 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The official announcement came during NCAA Final Four festivities in Indianapolis over the weekend. D'Antoni enters the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor.
"On behalf of Marshall Athletics, we proudly congratulate Mike D'Antoni on his selection to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame," said Gerald J. Harrison, Marshall's Vice President and Director of Athletics. "A true son of Marshall, Coach D'Antoni's impact on the game of basketball is undeniable. His innovative, record-breaking offensive approach helped reshape how the game is played at the highest levels, and his legacy continues to influence generations of players and coaches. This honor is a reflection not only of his remarkable career, but of the pride, creativity, and excellence that define Marshall."
D'Antoni is most known for a remarkable coaching career that revolutionized the sport of basketball on a national and global level with his "Seven Seconds or Less" scheme, which featured an up-tempo 'space-and-pace' philosophy.
His philosophy emphasized quick ball movement and efficiency in shooting, which helped redefine offense and the game as a whole by introducing an analytics-driven approach to the game.
D'Antoni's NBA coaching career spanned five different franchises with the Houston Rockets (2016-20), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-14), New York Knicks (2008-12), Phoenix Suns (2004-08) and the Denver Nuggets (1998-99).
The Mullens, W.Va. native was a Two-Time NBA Coach of the Year – in the 2004-05 season with the Phoenix Suns and the 2016-17 season with the Houston Rockets.
D'Antoni also 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.
D'Antoni started his coaching career in Italy's LBA League as the leader of Olimpia Milano – the place where he became an international legend as the league's all-time leading scorer and top point guard of all-time.
The 1997 Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame honoree spent four seasons as the head coach of Olimpia Milano (1990-94) before later joining Benetton Basket (Pallacanestro Treviso) where he had two different stints as a head coach – 1994-97 and 2001-02.
Prior to his coaching career, D'Antoni was a standout player for the Herd from 1970-73, leading Marshall to some of its top moments in Herd Men's Basketball history.
D'Antoni averaged 8.9 assists per game in the 1971-72 season – the single-season record for assists-per-game by a Marshall player. That was a season in which Marshall was 23-4 overall and ranked as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press Poll. The Herd finished No. 12 in the Final AP Poll that year.
D'Antoni has the top two single-season marks for assists-per-game (also was 8.4 apg in 1972-73) and boasts of the all-time career record for assists-per-game at 8.2 – a mark he holds by more than two assists per game. His 659 assists came in just 80 games and are No. 3 in Marshall's all-time record book. D'Antoni also scored 1,227 points in his time with the Herd.
Following his Marshall career, D'Antoni was drafted in the 2nd Round of the NBA Draft by the Kansas City-Omaha Kings where he played two seasons before joining the ABA's Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). He played for the San Antonio Spurs for two games in 1976 before joining Olimpia Milano in Italy and finishing his final 13 seasons there.
Enshrinement Weekend for the 2026 Class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will take place Aug. 14-15 in Springfield Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass.
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