Report: Gonzaga coach Mark Few voted to Naismith Hall of Fame
Mar. 31—Mark Few wasn't short on endorsements by the time Gonzaga's 27th-year coach met the eligibility requirements necessary for Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction. "He's a hall of fame (coach).
First ballot. Right now," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told The Spokesman-Review during Team USA Olympic training camp in 2024. "He's one of the best coaches our game has ever seen," Houston's Kelvin Sampson said in 2025 prior to an NCAA Tournament game between the Cougars and Zags.
"Mark is a Hall of Famer. " ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas was an early advocate in 2017, claiming Few was "on his way to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame" after Gonzaga's first national championship appearance. Few already had the endorsements.
Now the longtime Gonzaga coach has the votes. The 63-year-old coach who's had the biggest role in transforming Gonzaga from a tiny mid-major into a dominant college hoops power has been inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. Few was nominated for the Hall of Fame in 2024 — the first year he became eligible — and was selected as a finalist each of the last two years before being inducted as part of the 2026 class.
Active coaches must have completed 25 years of full-time service to be inducted and be at least 60 years of age. The Hall of Fame won't formally announce its newest class until Saturday, when the group is introduced on an ESPN2 broadcast at 9 a. m.