MIAMI (United States) - The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has two new members: Amar’e Stoudemire and Candace Parker. Both headline the Class of 2026 and will be enshrined in August. Each enjoyed tremendous success in the NBA and WNBA, respectively, while also leaving their mark across the Americas with the USA National Team. In 2007, Stoudemire and Parker both competed in FIBA AmeriCup tournaments to secure their country’s place at the Beijing Olympic Games the following year. One traveled to Las Vegas (United States) and the other to Valdivia (Chile), from one end of the continent to the other. Their circumstances were just as different: the center had already established an NBA presence, while the power forward was still making her way through college basketball. Stoudemire arrived at his first AmeriCup at 24 years old. At that point, he had already completed five NBA seasons with the Phoenix Suns and collected a Rookie of the Year award, two All-Star selections (he would finish with six), and one All-NBA First Team nod. He was one of the most dominant centers of the era and was called up again to the national team by coach Mike Krzyzewski, having previously been part of the squad that failed to win gold at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
As a result, the USA had to secure their ticket to Beijing 2008 at the AmeriCup in Las Vegas and assembled one of the strongest rosters ever seen in the tournament. They featured Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd, among others. Stoudemire was part of the front-court rotation alongside Dwight Howard, who led the group. In 10 games, he averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. His best performance came against Uruguay in the second round with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. “We didn’t come here to lose,” the Florida native told FIBA during the tournament. And they certainly delivered: the delegation stormed through the event with a perfect 10-0 record to qualify for the Olympic Games in China. At the Olympic Games, the Americans reclaimed the gold medal. However, Stoudemire was not part of that triumph, as he chose to rest for the NBA season.
Parker and her run in Valdivia
The power forward showcased her talent in Chile 2007 at just 21 years old, shortly after completing her second NCAA season with Tennessee. With the Volunteers, she won the national championship in March, and in September, she was selected by coach Anne Donovan for the Women’s AmeriCup. On that team, she shared the court with legends Tina Thompson, Diana Taurasi, and Sue Bird. In five games, she averaged 13.8 points and 4.0 rebounds. In the opening game against Cuba, she stood out with 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The USA dominated the tournament on Chilean soil and secured passage to Beijing 2008. There, Parker reached the top of the podium and captured the first of her two Olympic gold medals.
That same year she was selected first overall in the WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. From that moment on, she began a legendary career that included three WNBA titles with three different teams and seven All-Star appearances. She also ranks among the top 10 scorers in league history with 6,574 points. The St. Louis native also played in the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup 2004 in Puerto Rico, a tournament won by the USA. She finished the event averaging 16.6 points and 4.8 assists, the highest mark of the competition.
FIBA