Jason Kidd, Steve Nash among Hall of Fame candidates for 2018

Two of the premier passers in NBA history headline the list of eligible candidates for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.
Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, who rank second and third in career assists, respectively, are among six former NBA players who are first-time candidates.
Kidd, who ranks third in NBA history with 107 triple-doubles, was a 10-time All-Star and won a championship with the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks while Nash was one of 12 players to win two MVP awards and was an eight-time All-Star.
The complete list of 179 eligible candidates was announced Thursday. The other NBA players eligible for the first time are: Ray Allen, Chauncey Phillips and Richard “Rip” Hamilton.
Notable repeat nominations among NBA players include Chris Webber, Ben Wallace, Muggsy Bogues, Maurice Cheeks, Tim Hardaway and Sidney Moncrief.
San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, who starred for the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars and New York Liberty, is among the top women’s candidates along with fellow WNBA legends Katie Smith, Tina Thompson and Teresa Weatherspoon.
Baylor women’s coach Kim Mulkey, a former Louisiana Tech star, is on the ballot as both a coach and player.
Rollie Massimino, who coached Villanova to the 1985 NCAA title and won more than 800 games in his career, is among the top coaching nominees, along with Lefty Driesell and Bob Huggins.
Massimino died in August at age 82.
Finalists will be announced in mid-February, during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
 The Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 will be unveiled six weeks later, at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.  (www.espn.com)