Guess who’s headlining the 2024 class of the revamped New York City Basketball Hall of Fame? It’s none other than the legendary Carmelo Anthony! The Brooklyn native and former Knicks All-Star will be joined by streetball icon Joe Hammond and former Christ the King star Tina Charles, among others. The NYC Basketball HOF is making a comeback after a six-year hiatus, and they’ve got some exciting plans in store.
The original founders of the NYC Basketball HOF, including local legends Tom Konchalski, Cecil Watkins, Bob Williams, and Howard Garfinkel, unfortunately passed away, leading to the relaunch of the organization. But fear not, a new group has taken the reins, led by president Nate “Tiny” Archibald and CEO Michael Cohen. They’ve moved all the records online to hoopshallny.org and are currently scouting venues for a physical hall of fame and the 2024 induction ceremony.
The plan is to hold the ceremony next summer at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan, the same spot where previous induction events took place. The NYC Basketball HOF has a rich history, starting back in 1990 with an inaugural class that included basketball legends like Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy, Connie Hawkins, Dolph Schayes, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Now, let’s talk about the 2024 class. This is the first class since 2017, and they’ve made some exciting additions. They’ve introduced a sportscaster category to honor ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, and they’re also recognizing the contributions of director Spike Lee, actor Denzel Washington, and author Charley Rosen with an Arts and Culture Award. But the real star of the show is Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony, who retired from basketball in May, is a true New York City icon. Born in Red Hook, he won the hearts of the NYC community during his time with the Knicks. He currently holds the ninth spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and his son Kiyan is a top college prospect who played for Christ the King.
The 2024 class has some other incredible inductees as well. Lauren Cargill, the CUNY all-time leading scorer, will be joining the hall of fame, along with Ron Naclerio, the winningest coach in PSAL history. Ronnie Nunn, a former NBA official, and Mike Malone, the Queens native and current NBA champion head coach of the Nuggets, will also be honored.
In other basketball news, the Knicks have been making some moves with their roster. They’ve recently made a few cuts and signed some new players. Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, and Dylan Windler are now part of the opening day roster. Jacob Toppin and Duane Washington Jr. have secured two-way contracts, while Charlie Brown Jr. has also joined the team. Unfortunately, Isaiah Roby, Jaylen Martin, and Nathan Knight didn’t make the cut.
Arcidiacono and Jeffries have been with the program for a while and were expected to make the roster. If they’re not waived by January 10th, their contracts will be guaranteed. Toppin, the younger brother of former Knick Obi Toppin, is the only rookie in the group and will likely spend most of his time with the G-League Westchester. Two-way players earn 50 percent of the NBA’s rookie minimum salary.
So there you have it, folks! Carmelo Anthony is set to lead the 2024 New York City Basketball Hall of Fame class, and it’s going to be an event to remember. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting basketball journey!