Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are set to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice this year, along with LeBron James and Chris Paul, who are also part of the Class of 2025 before concluding their playing careers. The announcement was made on Saturday, revealing that Anthony and Howard will join the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, known as the "Redeem Team," which secured gold at the Beijing Games, propelling USA Basketball to an impressive streak of five consecutive Olympic titles.

Alongside Anthony and Howard, the Class of 2025 includes WNBA icons Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles, as well as Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, Miami Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, and veteran NBA referee Danny Crawford. The enshrinement weekend is scheduled for September 5-6 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In response to his selection, Howard expressed his excitement, stating, "I made it to the real basketball heaven. It’s crazy." Meanwhile, Anthony reflected on the moment he received the call about his induction, saying, "You know what time it is Springfield is on the phone... I think for me, it was a burden off of my shoulders." Donovan, who achieved back-to-back NCAA titles with Florida, and Arison, who played a pivotal role in the Miami Heat’s success during their championship runs in 2006, 2012, and 2013, also joined the list of inductees.

Collectively, the five individual players selected—Bird, Moore, Fowles, Howard, and Anthony—contributed to 11 WNBA or NBA championships, earned 15 Olympic gold medals, received 37 All-NBA or All-WNBA selections, and were named All-Stars a total of 45 times in their careers. Bird described her selection as “surreal,” while Fowles commented, “I don’t think any one of us go into this thinking that we’re going to be Hall of Famers. You just do your job.”

The induction of the Redeem Team signifies that Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Jason Kidd, and Kobe Bryant—already inducted into the Hall of Fame—will be honored again. James and Paul, who are also expected to be Hall of Famers upon their retirement, were part of this celebrated Olympic squad, which also included players like Michael Redd, Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, and Tayshaun Prince.

The "Redeem Team" earned its nickname because it was tasked with restoring USA Basketball's reputation following the disappointing bronze medal performance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. They excelled in Beijing, finishing with an undefeated 8-0 record and winning games by an average of 27.9 points. USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “USA Basketball is thrilled to see the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic Team elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame... The Redeem Team’s celebrated run in Beijing marks a pivotal moment in U.S. men’s Olympic basketball history.”

Additionally, UConn’s women’s basketball program is well represented, with past enshrinees including coach Geno Auriemma, Swin Cash, and Rebecca Lobo. The induction of Bird and Moore together will undoubtedly make the enshrinement weekend even more significant in New England's basketball history. Auriemma humorously remarked, “They’re hall of famers for me, they’re hall of famers for their family, they’re hall of famers for everybody—they’re even hall of famers for UConn haters.”