The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame revealed the 2015 finalists for induction on Saturday.
CBS Sports reports that Tim Hardaway, Dikembe Mutombo and current Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari are among 12 finalists up for potential enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.
“To me, it’s like a dream come true," said Mutombo. "Being from Africa, who would have ever thought that my name would have been called to the Basketball Hall of Fame? I never dreamed of playing basketball to reach this level."
Mutombo played in the NBA for 18 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and the Houston Rockets. He was named an All-Star eight times and averaged 2.8 blocks a game during his career.
Calipari, who is currently seeking an undefeated season with Kentucky, tweeted about the honor of being named a finalist. Calipari is a two-time Naismith College Coach of the Year winner and coached Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA championship.
Finalists will need 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for induction. The official Class of 2015 will be announced on April 6.