The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce that two of our honorees have been named finalists for the 2026 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame!
Our Class of 1996 inductee, Tal Brody, has been selected as a Contributors Committee Finalist. Brody, also a recipient of our 2025 President’s Global Leadership Award, is widely regarded as Israel’s first modern-day sports hero. Before making Aliyah, he was an All-American at the University of Illinois in 1965 before leading the United States to a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games. He later became the face of Israeli basketball, and in 1979, he was awarded the Israel Prize, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
We also congratulate our 2025 inductee, Amar’e Stoudemire, who has been named a North American Committee Finalist. The 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year with the Phoenix Suns, Stoudemire was a six-time NBA All-Star. He averaged more than 20 points per game in his illustrious NBA career. Stoudemire later deepened his connection to the Jewish people and to Israel, becoming actively involved in Jewish life and learning. He also had an impressive career in Israeli basketball, winning championships with Hapoel Jerusalem in 2017 and Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2020.
Being named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an incredible milestone, and we are honored to see Tal Brody and Amar’e Stoudemire recognized at the highest level of the sport!
