On Friday, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 inductees, which includes former Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne and ex-Mystics general manager and head coach Mike Thibault. Former Washington Bullets head coach Dick Motta also received a nomination for the same class.
Elena Delle Donne had a standout WNBA career from 2013 to 2023, playing with the Chicago Sky (2013-2016) and the Washington Mystics (2017-2023). She earned two WNBA Most Valuable Player awards and helped lead the Mystics to the 2019 WNBA Championship. Mike Thibault served as head coach for the Connecticut Sun (2003-2012) and later the Mystics (2013-2022), guiding the Sun to two appearances in the WNBA Finals and the Mystics to two more in 2018 and 2019, eventually winning a championship in 2019.
Currently, Delle Donne works as an advisor for Monumental Basketball and as the managing director of the U.S. Women’s National Basketball Team, while Thibault coaches the Belgian women’s national basketball team. Dick Motta, who coached in the NBA for many years, earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1971 and led the Washington Wizards franchise to an NBA title in 1978 before retiring after his tenure with the Denver Nuggets in 1997.
Fan Take: This Hall of Fame recognition shines a well-deserved spotlight on two pivotal figures in WNBA history, celebrating their immense contributions to the game. For WNBA fans, it’s a powerful reminder of the league’s growing legacy and the lasting impact these legends have on shaping the future of women’s basketball.
