Diana Taurasi Leads 2027 Women’s Hall of Fame Class

Diana Taurasi headlines 2027 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Two elite scorers, a pair of championship-winning WNBA coaches, a longtime referee and a trailblazing administrator will make up the next class inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame — based in Knoxville, Tennessee — announced the 2027 class on Thursday, Nov. 5.

It includes WNBA all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi, legendary Iowa sharpshooter “Machine Gun” Molly Bolin Kazmer, WNBA coaches Sandy Brondello and Mike Thibault, veteran referee Dee Kantner and Dr. Judith Holland, the former director of women’s athletics at UCLA.

The induction ceremony for the six new members will be held Saturday, June 26, 2027, in Knoxville.

“For nearly thirty years, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame has honored the greatest of the game, and we are thrilled to welcome these six inductees into the distinguished seats of the Hall of Fame,” Michelle Marciniak, CEO of the WBHOF said in a statement.

“Selection for this esteemed recognition celebrates the hard work, success, and record-breaking journeys for those to join this global class.”

“We cannot wait to welcome the Class of 2027.”

DIANA TAURASI

Diana Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer.

She spent her entire professional career with the Phoenix Mercury.

She won three WNBA championships with the Mercury.

Taurasi was an All-WNBA selection 14 times.

She led the league in scoring five times.

She is also the WNBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made.

She is the WNBA’s all-time leader in free throws made.

She is probably the league’s greatest trash talker.

Before her professional career, Taurasi played at the University of Connecticut.

She became one of the best players to come through Geno Auriemma’s storied program.

Taurasi led UConn to three national championships.

She was twice the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four.

She was the consensus National Player of the Year in 2003.

Taurasi owns more Olympic gold medals than any other basketball player in the history of the event with six.

She also has three FIBA World Cup gold medals.

While playing overseas in Russia and Turkey she won six EuroLeague championships.

Taurasi retired on Feb. 25, 2025, as the only WNBA player with more than 10,000 points.

MOLLY BOLIN KAZMER

Nicknamed “Machine Gun Molly,” Bolin Kazmer was arguably the greatest to play the 6-on-6 version of girls and women’s basketball.

That style of play was popular for decades in states like Texas, Oklahoma and Iowa.

As a senior at Moravia High School in Iowa, Bolin averaged 54.8 points per game.

SANDY BRONDELLO

Sandy Brondello is the head coach of the Toronto Tempo.

The Tempo are an expansion franchise that joined the WNBA in 2025.

Brondello was officially named the first head coach of the Tempo on Nov. 4, 2025, after her contract was not renewed by the New York Liberty.

The Tempo finished their inaugural season 11-33, ending with eight straight losses.

Before joining the Tempo, Brondello was a two-time WNBA champion coach.

She won a title alongside Taurasi with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014.

She led the New York Liberty to their first title back in 2024.

She also won a Commissioner’s Cup crown in 2023 with the Liberty.

Brondello has represented her home country of Australia as both a player and coach.

She led the Australian Opals to Olympic bronze in 2024.

She led Australia to a pair of FIBA World Cup silver medals in 2018 and 2022.

It was also announced on Oct. 20 that Brondello had been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Brondello has coached in the WNBA since 2005.

She has spent 14 of those seasons as a head coach.

She took over the Mercury in 2014 — winning Coach of the Year en route to a title.

She then helmed the Liberty from 2022-25.

Brondello became the first head coach in Tempo history in 2025, parting ways with New York after the 2024 season.

She missed the WNBA playoffs for the first time as a head coach with the Tempo, snapping a streak of 12 consecutive seasons.

She has made four WNBA Finals appearances through her decorated career.