Muggsy Bogues, Tracy McGrady among first-time Hall of Fame candidates

— -- The "smallest guy on the floor" could be joining some giants.

Muggsy Bogues -- the 5-foot-3 dynamo who was, and is, the shortest player to ever play in the NBA -- is among the first-time candidates for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, along with Rockets legend Tracy McGrady, and gritty Pistons star Ben Wallace.

The full list of candidates eligible was unveiled Wednesday.

Bogues, drafted by the then-Washington Bullets after a Wake Forest college career, had 39 blocks in his career -- even one of a 7-footer Patrick Ewing shot. He may have even registered a dunk, though it happened pregame and was never kept as a career stat.

McGrady, whose career was plagued by injuries, is nonetheless considered a top 100 all-time player. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant says McGrady is the toughest player he's ever faced.

Wallace won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times and won a championship with the Pistons in 2004.

Coaches eligible to be inducted for the first time include Kansas' Bill Self; Harry Statham, who coached for 50 seasons at McKendree University of Lebanon, Ill.; and Jim Phelan, who coached for 49 seasons at Mount Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Notable players eligible again this year on the include Kevin Johnson, Maurice Cheeks, Tim Hardaway, Mark Price, Chris Webber and Paul Westphal. Coaches again up for induction include Wisconsin's Bo Ryan, Charles "Lefty" Driesell and Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton.

Women's player Rebecca Lobo and women's coaches Muffet McGraw and Kim Mulkey are also among the eligible inductees.

A press conference announcing the finalists from the North American and women's committee for the Class of 2017 will be held at NBA All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for Feb. 18 in New Orleans. The entire Class of 2017, including those selected by the direct elect committees, will be unveiled on April 3 at the Men's NCAA Final Four in Phoenix.

The class of 2017 will be be inducted Sept. 7-9.