SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga head men's basketball coach
Mark Few is a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as announced Thursday on ESPN.
Candidates for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 include Few, Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Dwight Howard, Doc Rivers, Billy Donovan, Sylvia Fowles, Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Bluder, Marc Gasol, and Micky Arison.
"Being nominated for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is something I never thought was in the realm of possibility, but I am incredibly humbled and honored," Few said. "It's just a great testament to be surrounded by unbelievable people my whole career. I thank all the great players that have allowed us the privilege to coach them. I'm grateful for our tremendously talented hard-working coaches, and an administration that has worked so well with us. Most importantly, I'd like to thank my family that has been supportive of everything throughout all these years. This honor would not be possible without all these great people, as it's something we've accomplished together."
Few is among just eight first-time North American nominees, joining a select group that includes names such as Donovan, Robert Horry, Howard, Rivers, and Amar'e Stoudemire.
Few has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I basketball, and in the process has made Bulldog basketball a household name across the country. He served as an assistant coach at GU for 10 seasons prior to take the reins of the program for the last 26 seasons. Entering this season, Few ranks as the winningest active NCAA Division I coach by winning percentage at 83.3 percent (715-143).
Few has put together one of the most dominating runs in NCAA history. During his tenure as head coach, Few has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament every season (except 2019–20, when the team had secured an automatic bid, but the tournament was canceled).
Few led Gonzaga to the national championship game in the program's first-ever Final Four in 2017, and again in the second Final Four in 2021. Under Few, GU has appeared in five Elite Eights and 13 Sweet 16s. He has coached 22 All-Americans, nine Academic All-Americans, 102 all-conference selections, 17 WCC Players of the Year, 10 league newcomers of the year, and nine league defenders of the year.
The Zags have won or shared 22 regular season league titles in his 25 seasons and taken home the conference tournament championship 19 times.
Few has also cultivated NBA talent, coaching 18 players that have been drafted and 28 that have appeared in the league.
Few will receive the John R. Wooden Award "Legends of Coaching" Award in 2025. The "Legends of Coaching" honor recognizes coaches who exemplify Coach Wooden's high standard of coaching success and personal integrity. Few is a two-time NABC Coach of the Year and two-time Naismith Coach of the Year recipient. He was the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2017. He's also been named the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year a league record 14 times.
Few won a gold medal with Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris. He was an assistant coach for Team USA on the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. The staff included Head Coach and Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra and Clippers Head Coach Tyronn Lue.
Few boasts plenty of USA Basketball experience. Serving as an assistant coach at the 2018 USA National Team minicamp, Few was named an assistant coach for the 2019 USA Men's Select Team, a team that helped prepare the USA World Cup Team prior to playing in China. He returned in 2021 as an assistant coach for the USA Men's Select Team to help prepare the gold medalist U.S. Olympic Team prior to playing in Tokyo. He served as head coach of the 2015 U.S. Pan American Men's Basketball Team, a squad composed of collegiate players, and led the team to a bronze medal, and he also was an assistant coach for the gold medalist 2012 USA U18 National Team and a court coach for the 2009 USA Men's U19 World Cup/World University Games Team training camp.
Few and his wife, Marcy, have raised tens of millions of dollars for cancer research over the last 25 years, including hosting the country's largest Coaches vs. Cancer event, presenting the Ronald McDonald Charities Classic, endowing a weeklong camp for children with cancer, and spearheading the Community Cancer fund in Spokane.
Finalists chosen from the applicable Category Screening Committees for the Class of 2025 will be announced on Feb. 14, in San Francisco as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.
The entire Class of 2025 will be unveiled during a nationally televised broadcast at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio on April 5.
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Ballot
* Indicates First-Time Nominee
NORTH AMERICA NOMINEES
| 2008 United States Olympic Team (TEA) |
Marv Kessler (COA) |
| Carmelo Anthony (PLA)* |
Bill Laimbeer (PLA) |
| Rick Barnes (COA) |
Jim Larranaga (COA) |
| Gene Bartow (COA) |
Mike Leonardo (COA) |
| John Beilein (COA) |
Maurice Lucas (PLA) |
| Tom Chambers (PLA) |
Jack Madden (REF)* |
| John Clougherty (REF) |
Shawn Marion (PLA) |
| Danny Crawford (REF)* |
Rollie Massimino (COA) |
| Terry Cummings (PLA) |
Gary McKnight (COA) |
| Jack Curran (COA) |
Bill Morse (COA) |
| Bobby Dibler (REF) |
Dick Motta (COA) |
| Don Donoher (COA) |
Jack Nagle (COA) |
| Billy Donovan (COA)* |
Jim Phelan (COA) |
| Mark Few (COA)* |
Don Richardson (COA)* |
| Robert Foley (COA) |
Doc Rivers (COA)* |
| Mike Gminski (PLA) |
Lee Rose (COA) |
| Anfernee Hardaway (PLA) |
Stan Spirou (COA) |
| Lou Henson (COA) |
Harry Statham (COA) |
| Robert Horry (PLA)* |
Amar'e Stoudemire (PLA)* |
| Marques Houtman (PLA) |
Reggie Theus (PLA) |
| Dwight Howard (PLA)* |
Jerry Welsh (COA) |
| Marques Johnson (PLA) |
Buck Williams (PLA) |
WOMEN'S NOMINEES
| Leta Andrews (COA) |
Taj McWilliams-Franklin (PLA)* |
| Jennifer Azzi (PLA) |
Debbie Yosinoffalmore (PLA) |
| Sue Bird (PLA)* |
Maya Moore (PLA)* |
| Lisa Bluder (COA)* |
Ticha Penicheiro (PLA)* |
| Doug Bruno (COA) |
Ruth Riley (PLA)* |
| Cheryl Ford (PLA) |
Mike Thibault (COA)* |
| Wanda Ford (PLA)* |
Marian Washington (COA) |
| Sylvia Fowles (PLA)* |
Dean Weese (COA) |
| Bridgette Gordon (PLA)* |
Chris Weller (COA) |
| Chamique Holdsclaw (PLA)* |
Andrew Yosinoff (COA) |
| Becky Martin (COA) |
|
CONTRIBUTOR NOMINEES
| Micky Arison* |
Johnny "Red" Kerr |
| Pete Babcock |
Tom Konchalski |
| Dick Baumgartner |
Bobby Lewis |
| Henry Bibby |
Dan Lynch |
| Bernie Bickerstaff* |
Fred McCall |
| Marty Blake |
Jack McCloskey |
| Tal Brody |
Jon McGlocklin |
| Vic Bubas |
Speedy Morris |
| Tremaine Dalton* |
Dennis Murphy |
| Bill Duffy* |
Curly Neal |
| Wayne Duke |
Jack Powers |
| Bill Foster |
Jim Riswold* |
| Mike Fratello |
Will Robinson |
| Bob Gibbons |
Gene Shue |
| Roberto Gonzalez* |
Otis "Dino" Smiley |
| Simon Gourdine |
Scott Tarter |
| Tim Grgurich |
Donnie Walsh |
| Dennis Jackson* |
World Wheelers |
| Junius Kellogg |
|
INTERNATIONAL NOMINEES
| David Blatt (COA) |
Marcos Leite (PLA) |
| Jean-Jacques Conceicao (PLA) |
Ettore Messina (COA) |
| Mirza Delibasic (PLA) |
Juan Carlos Navarro (PLA) |
| Jorge Garbajosa (PLA) |
Andres Nocioni (PLA) |
| Marc Gasol (PLA)* |
Fabricio Oberto (PLA) |
| Andrew Gaze (PLA) |
Jose Ortiz (PLA) |
| Panaglotis Giannakis (PLA) |
Amaury Pasos (PLA) |
| Giuseppe Giergia (PLA) |
Modesto Palauskas (PLA) |
| J.R. Holden (PLA)* |
Togo Soares (PLA) |
| Dusan Ivkovic (PLA) |
Penny Taylor (PLA) |
| Andrei Kirilenko (PLA) |
Amaya Valdemore (PLA) |
| Vladimir Kondrashin (COA) |
Ranko Zeravica (COA) |
WOMEN'S VETERAN NOMINEES
| 1982 Cheyney State NCAA Final Four Team (TEA) |
Yolanda Laney (PLA) |
| Molly Bolin (PLA) |
Nashville Business College (TEA) |
| Alline Banks Sprouse (PLA) |
Lometa Odom (PLA) |
| Edmonton Commercial Grads (TEA) |
Hazel Walker (PLA) |
| Fort Shaw Indians School (TEA) |
Valerie Walker (PLA) |
| John Head (COA) |
|
VETERAN NOMINEES
| 1936 US Olympic Team (TEA) |
Francis Meehan (PLA) |
| 1972 Melchionni Team (TEA) |
Luci Zaslofskyll (COA) |
| Tom Blackburn (COA) |
Joe Mullaney (COA) |
| Charles Brown (PLA) |
Richard Mullins (PLA)* |
| Freddie Brown (PLA) |
Willie Naulls (PLA) |
| Malcolm Brown (PLA)* |
Ben Newman (CONT) |
| Boid Buie (PLA)* |
Don Otten (PLA) |
| Mack Calvin (PLA) |
Louis Pieri (CONT) |
| Jack Coleman (PLA) |
Kevin Porter (PLA) |
| Leroy Edwards (PLA) |
William J. Reinhart (CONT)* |
| Leo Ferris (CONT) |
Mel Riebe (PLA) |
| World B. Free (PLA)* |
Glenn Roberts (PLA) |
| Travis Grant (PLA) |
Lennie Rosenbluth (PLA) |
| Bobby "Showboat" Hall (CONT) |
Kenny Sailors (PLA) |
| Jack Hartman (COA) |
Bernard "Red" Sarachek (CONT)* |
| Cam Henderson (COA) |
Fred Schaus (CONT) |
| Robert Hopkins (PLA) |
Sam Schulman (CONT) |
| Charles Keinath (PLA) |
Paul Silas (PLA) |
| Greg Kelser (PLA) |
Ralph Simpson (PLA)* |
| 1966 Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, '68, '69 (TEA) |
Dick Van Arsdale (PLA) |
| Abe Lemons (COA) |
Tom Van Arsdale (PLA) |
| Henry Logan (PLA)* |
Cleo Vaughn (PLA) |
| Loyola of Chicago 1962-63 (TEA) |
Lambert Will (CONT) |
| Billy Markward (CONT) |
Gus Williams (PLA)* |
| Jack McKinney (CONT) |
John Williamson (PLA) |
| Bill Melchionni (PLA) |
Max Zaslofsky (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 475 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.
