Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Eddie Sutton Selected As 2016 Hall Of Fame Finalists

Later this summer, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will induct the 2016 class to its museum and celebrate some of the most influential and best figures the sport of basketball has ever seen. Pioneers of the game, college coaches who have developed dozens and hundreds of great players, and some of the greatest players the sport has ever seen will be enshrined. During the Friday before the All-Star Game in Toronto, the Hall of Fame announced its finalists for this year.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2016 finalists are Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Kevin Johnson, Tom Izzo, John McLendon, Eddie Sutton, Bo Ryan, Sheryl Swoopes, Robert Hughes, Muffet McGraw, Darrell Garretson, Lefty Driesell, Leita Andrews and the 1954-58 Wayland Baptist U. team.

This is potentially a star-studded class for the Hall of Fame with Shaq and Iverson headlining the list of finalists. O'Neal's inclusion into the Hall of Fame isn't a matter of if but a matter of when. He's one of the greatest big men to ever play the game. Right away from the start of his career, Shaq was a seemingly unstoppable force around the basket. He was so good that four years into his career, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in the 50 years of the NBA. That's pretty special.

Shaq was named to 14 All-NBA teams, including eight First Team selections, during his career. He won Rookie of the Year, four championships, three Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP, and ranks sixth in shots made, 14th in rebounds, eighth in blocked shots, and seventh in all-time scoring. Not to mention, his Hall of Fame speech will be DVR worthy.

For Iverson, he's one of the best scorers the game has ever seen and often regarded as pound-for-pound one of the best players ever. Despite his small frame, he was unstoppable with the basketball. His infamous crossover and his incredible heart on the court were what always resonated with fans. He made seven All-NBA teams, including three First Team selections. Iverson also won Rookie of the Year and a league MVP. He finished his career 12th in steals, 23rd in points, and has the seventh highest scoring average in league history.

Kevin Johnson is also a finalist for his 12-year career, mostly highlighted by his play for the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 17.9 points and 9.1 assists for his career. Curiously, Chris Webber did not make the list of finalists, despite arguably having a better career than Johnson did.

The 2016 class will be announced April 4 in Houston prior to the NCAA Men's Championship game.