SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts, January 21, 2010 (AFP) - The Basketball Hall of Fame will shift its 2010 induction ceremony to August 13 in part because of the 1992 US Olympic gold medal Dream Team's likely induction, officials said Thursday.

The ceremony has typically been staged in mid-September, but would conflict with the World Championships in Turkey this year and US NBA players from that squad would likely be among those on hand to honor the landmark 1992 lineup.

"After weighing many options, we believe the second weekend of August is a better fit for everyone involved in the enshrinement ceremonies," said Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the board of the Hall of Fame.

This year's finalists for the Hall of Fame will be announced on February 12, two days before this year's NBA All-Star Game at Dallas.

The 1992 US Olympic team was the first group of active NBA stars to participate in an Olympics and their overwhelming run to gold at Barcelona helped expand the sport worldwide.

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, and John Stockton were among the NBA stars on the "Dream Team".

Among those eligible for consideration this year in addition to the original "Dream Team" are two of its players, Pippen and Malone, and the late Jim Valvano, a successful US college coach.

Last year's inductees included NBA legends Jordan, Stockton, and David Robinson.