One of Israel’s greatest basketball players of all time may be in line for the ultimate honor: Tal Brody has been named a finalist for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Brody was also among the finalists last year.
Brody is considered one of the biggest legends in Israeli basketball history. Born and raised in the United States, he played college basketball before moving to Israel in the 1960s, where he led Maccabi Tel Aviv to numerous titles — including its first European Cup championship in 1977, with a victory over Mobilgirgi Varese. That European campaign also featured the club’s most famous win ever, against CSKA Moscow in Virton, after which Brody coined the immortal phrase: “We’re on the map, and we’re staying on the map — not only in sports, but in everything.”
With Maccabi Tel Aviv, Brody won 10 Israeli league championships and six State Cups. He has also been awarded the Israel Prize and was selected to light a torch at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.
Joining Brody on the list of 21 finalists is Amar’e Stoudemire, who starred in the NBA for 14 seasons. He was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2007, won Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 and was selected to six All-Star Games. Toward the end of his career, he played for Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning a championship with both teams. Other nominees include six-time All-Star Blake Griffin and coaches Doc Rivers and Mike D’Antoni.
The 2026 class of finalists also features women’s basketball legends Sue Bird and Candace Parker. Bird, widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards in women’s basketball history, won four WNBA championships. Parker — the sister of former Maccabi Tel Aviv star Anthony Parker — became the fourth woman to dunk in college basketball and the first to do so twice in a single game. She also won three championships with three different teams, the only player in history to achieve that feat.
The finalists will advance to the final stage of the selection process, where a panel will choose those who receive at least 18 of 24 votes from anonymous voters. The results will be announced on April 4 during the NCAA Men’s Final Four.