Reggie Miller, Don Nelson, Maurice Cheeks, and Rick Pitino headline the 12 Hall of Fame finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Joining them are first-time finalists Bill Fitch and Katrina McClain. Fitch was a head coach in the NBA for 28 straight seasons (1970-1998) and won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 1981. McClain won two Olympic gold medals, and is considered one of the greatest female college basketball players of all-time.

Also returning to the ballot are Bernard King, Dick Motta, Hank Nichols, Ralph Sampson, Jamaal Wilkes and the All-American Red Heads. The Red Heads were the female version of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Cheeks (pictured left), who ranks fifth all-time in steals and tenth all-time in assists, was happy about being a finalist once again.

"I also played against these guys and it's the highest honor; and to be selected would be an honor," explained Cheeks. "To get to the NBA was special for me. To have an opportunity to be elected to Hall of Fame would just be an honor."

The 2012 class will be announced in New Orleans on April 2 at NCAA Final Four. A finalist must have at least 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Hall.

 

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