The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was enshrined during a weekend of illustrious events on September 5 and 6. The class is notable for its star power, with many considering it one of the best collective groups ever headlined by scoring machine Carmelo Anthony, defensive stalwart Dwight Howard, and four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore.

One of the unique aspects of this class is that both Anthony and Howard were enshrined for their remarkable individual careers and as part of the "Redeem Team," which won a gold medal in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. Additionally, three former WNBA players —Moore, Sylvia Fowles, and Sue Bird —were inducted together for the first time in the history of the Hall.

During his speech, Anthony spoke about the obstacles he overcame as a young hooper to make it to the HOF.

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“Tonight, I don’t just step into the Hall of Fame,” said Anthony, flanked by Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade, his Hall of Fame presenters. “I carry with me the echoes of every voice that ever told me I couldn’t. I walk with the shadows of every alley, every cracked court, every empty plate. I stand for the dreamers, the doubted, the dismissed, for every soul trapped in a place where I broke free from.”

Howard, who was introduced by Dominique Wilkins, Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing, and Robert Parish, paid tribute to the Orlando Magic franchise for drafting him.

“To the DeVos family – Rich and Helen, I know you guys aren’t here in the flesh, but in spirit you’re with me every day,” Howard said. “Thank you for taking a chance on a scrawny 18-year-old kid from southwest Atlanta via Swainsboro, Georgia. (And) thank you to the rest of the DeVos family that (attended) for welcoming me … and for letting me play for this beautiful franchise.”

Moore shared how much of an honor it was to be introduced into the Hall by presenters Seimone Augustus, Geno Auriemma, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, and Lindsay Whalen.

"I'm very honored to be standing up here with these Hall of Fame presenters," Moore said. "You guys are my friends, my role models, my coaches, my teammates. You all inspired me. You challenged me. You make me better every day as a player, as a person.”

LeBron James was in attendance as a member of the “Redeem” who won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He shared how the late Kobe Bryant was the missing piece to bring the USA back to their rightful place atop international basketball.

"He was just the missing link that we needed in order to regain the dominance with Team USA," James explained. "He brought a sense of seriousness to the team. We knew once he joined that he's gonna be committed, that we couldn't be doing nothing half-assed."

Fowles, a two-time WNBA champion and two-time WNBA Finals MVP, expressed her gratitude for her induction into such an esteemed class of honorees.

“It’s an amazing [Hall of Fame] class. To know that we went years without sometimes one woman being inducted into the nation, but to have three in one class, I think, is pretty phenomenal. And it shows the movement that women’s sports is now going into,” Fowles said.

Bird spoke about the importance of community, how the people in her life were critical of her success on the court.

“At every step, it all came down to this; I couldn’t have found my place if I wasn’t lucky enough to find my people. Thanks for being the people who decided that in a when to game it was always the right time to make me feel like I belonged,” Bird said. “This Hall of Fame induction isn’t just about individual achievement. It’s about joining a community where I’ll always belong, a belonging that can never be taken away.”

Other notable award recipients honored during the  Hall of Fame weekend included Jeff Twiss, who was awarded the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award; Clark Kellogg, George Blaha, Michelle Smith, and Adrian Wojnarowski received the Curt Gowdy Media Awards, and Jalen Rose was awarded the second annual Ice Cube Impact Award.