January 4, 2024—Legendary Mount St. Mary's men's basketball coach Jim Phelan has been included on the list of eligible candidates for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Phelan is named on the list of 38 nominees on the North America ballot for this year's class.
Phelan arrived at the Mount in 1954, accepting a one-year contract to lead the team as the youngest coach in college basketball. 49 years later, he had guided the efforts of the Mountaineers' men's basketball program to 830 career victories and 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, he led the Mount to the 1962 College Division National Championship and Final Four appearances in 1957, 1961, 1981 and 1985.
His all-time win total stands 13th all-time in NCAA men's basketball history and he was the winningest active coach in the sport from 1997 to 2003, following the retirement of Dean Smith at North Carolina. Beginning his career as the youngest coach in 1954, Phelan ended as the oldest active coach, retiring at the age of 73. His 49 seasons at the helm in Emmitsburg are the third-most for any coach in one single location.
Finalists from the Honor's Committee for the Class of 2024 will be announced on Friday, February 16, in Indianapolis, Indiana, during NBA All-Star Weekend. The entire Class of 2024 will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, April 6, in a nationally televised broadcast.
Enshrinement weekend will begin at the Mohegan Sun on Friday, August 16, with the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala, followed by the Enshrinement ceremony on Saturday, August 17, at Springfield's historic Symphony Hall.
Updated North America Nominees
* Indicates First-Time Nominee
| 2008 U.S. Olympic Redeem Team (TEA)* |
| Rick Barnes (COA)* |
| John Beilein (COA) |
| Chauncey Billups (PLA) |
| Vince Carter (PLA)* |
| Tom Chambers (PLA) |
| John Clougherty (REF) |
| Michael Cooper (PLA) |
| Joey Crawford (REF) |
| Terry Cummings (PLA) |
| Jack Curran (COA) |
| Walter Davis (PLA)* |
| Bobby Dibler (REF)* |
| Don Donoher (COA)* |
| Robert Foley (COA)* |
| Mike Gminski (PLA)* |
| Anfernee Hardaway (PLA)* |
| Lou Henson (COA) |
| Marques Houtman (PLA)* |
| Marques Johnson (PLA) |
| Marv Kessler (COA)* |
| Bill Laimbeer (PLA)* |
| Jim Larranaga (COA) |
| Mike Leonardo (COA)* |
| Maurice Lucas (PLA) |
| Shawn Marion (PLA) |
| Rollie Massimino (COA) |
| Bill Morse (COA)* |
| Dick Motta (COA) |
| Jack Nagle (COA)* |
| Jim Phelan (COA) |
| Bo Ryan (COA) |
| Charles Smith (COA)* |
| Stan Spirou (COA) |
| Reggie Theus (PLA) |
| Jerry Welsh (COA)* |
| Buck Williams (PLA) |
| John Williamson (PLA) |
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame Museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame Museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit
hoophall.com, follow @hoophall, @hoophallu, @hoophallclassic, or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.