Who's Next for the Hall Of Fame?
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By: Eric Pincus Last Updated: 8/18/10 8:05 PM ET | 2790 times read
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The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recently inducted Karl
Malone, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Johnson, Gus Johnson, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
and Ubiratan Maciel Pareira. Also included was Dr. Jerry Buss, owner of
the Los Angeles Lakers.
The induction criteria is somewhat vague - how the Hall of Fame and its
committees decide on which player and when is undisclosed.
With that in mind, which recently retired or currently active NBA players
should be next for the Hall?
Note that the Naismith welcomes various contributors from the
international and college ranks, etc. The focus here is solely on NBA
performance (albeit with an emphasis on foreign-born players).
Some players are an easy lock with multiple championships, at least one
league MVP and more than one NBA Finals MVP's.
That short list includes Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan.
Given that a player needs to be retired for five years before eligibility
- the order might be O'Neal, Duncan and then Bryant.
Dwyane Wade is still establishing his legacy but may have the credentials
given his 2006 NBA Finals MVP and ring. He also has six NBA All-Star
games, two All-NBA First Teams and the 2008/9 scoring title on his list
of credits.
The NBA Finals MVP is a significant benchmark. With Dennis Johnson
finally honored, the last MVP not to make the Hall would be 1981's Cedric
Maxwell (Boston Celtics). Since the award has been given out, the only
other player omitted would be JoJo White in 1976 (also Celtics).
With those criteria in mind, Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker, Paul Pierce
and Wade will receive serious consideration.
As a benchmark, two all-time greats have yet to make the hall.
Bernard King (best known for his time with the New York Knicks) was a
four-time All-Star and one-time scoring champ. He scored 19,655 points
over his 14 seasons with two All-NBA First Team selections.
Mitch Richmond was a six-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and a 20,497
point scorer (career). He also won a ring with the Los Angeles Lakers,
albeit at the end of his career in a very minor role. Mitch averaged
21.0 points a game including his best year in 1996/7 when he scored 25.9.
What may be holding back both King and Richmond most is their number of
games played in the postseason - just 28 and 23, respectively.
To put that in perspective, Kobe Bryant put in 23 games this past run to
earn his fifth NBA Title.
Billups doesn't necessarily have the regular season statistics but beyond
his 15.4 points career average, Billups has 139 playoff games under his
belt, five All-Star appearances and the often elusive ring.
Foreign players may not be held to such a high standard by NBA
performance alone but by their contribution internationally.
Someone like Arvydas Sabonis may one day get in by virtue of his career
overseas and while he had a sizable impact on the Portland Trail Blazers
- those numbers alone wouldn't necessarily warrant consideration.
Sabonis has yet to be tabbed but recent inductee Maciel earned a spot as
arguably the best Brazilian center of all time.
Tony Parker has the three rings, the NBA Finals MVP, three All-Star
appearances. Representing France (and Belgium by birth), Tony may
eventually get the honor.
So too might his teammate Manu Ginobili, arguably the most influential
basketball player from Argentina. Manu doesn't have the Finals MVP but
he too has three rings and a long list of international accomplishments.
Other foreign-born players who will get serious consideration include Pau
Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki and Yao Ming.
Gasol has two rings, three All-Star appearances, the 2002 Rookie of the
year and a lengthy international resume.
Given that championships are not the defining criteria (Patrick Ewing,
Karl Malone, John Stockton and Dominique Wilkins are all in the Hall),
Nowitzki's run in the NBA as the league's best German-born player (with
nine All-Stars, league MVP, a Finals appearance) would seem to be a lock.
While Yao to date hasn't necessarily had the NBA career like Nowitzki,
he's an international pioneer as well as the biggest (literally) player
from China (and generally from Asia) in league history.
League MVP's are also an important benchmark. Dating back to its origin
in in 1956, every single winner has been enshrined through 1999. Eight
active players have won since and are all likely to get the nod (O'Neal,
Allen Iverson, Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash, Nowitzki, Bryant and
LeBron James).
Given Pierce's NBA Finals MVP and Garnett's league MVP - and the Boston
Celtics' 2007/8 title - does Ray Allen deserve consideration?
By virtue of his career in Milwaukee and Seattle, Allen would probably
have gone down the path of King and Richmond. Allen is one of the best
three-point shooters in league history. He's also a nine-time All-Star.
Now that he's carrying a ring, Ray could end up the third of Boston's
current big three in the Hall (four now with Shaq in tow).
Another great shooter who might make cut when eligible is Reggie Miller.
His 25,279 points, 2,560 threes and 19-year career with the Indiana
Pacers makes him an all-time great - but is that enough for an automatic
bid to the Hall-of-Fame?
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Although he never won a title, he challenged the Lakers in 2000 and
earned five All-Star bids. Reggie has a long line of playoff
accomplishments, notably against the New York Knicks (39 points including
25 in the fourth quarter in 1994 - eight points in 8.9 seconds in 1995).
Miller should be someone worthy of serious consideration - along the
lines of Ewing, Stockton, Barkley, etc.
Another retired player worth of consideration should be Dennis Rodman who
won five titles (two with the Detroit Pistons and three with the Chicago
Bulls). While he didn't have a Hall-Of-Fame offensive game, he averaged
13.1 boards over his career including his best in 1992 at 18.7.
Miami HEAT star Alonzo Mourning was a seven-time All-Star who finally got
a ring late in his career (2006). He earned one All-NBA First Team award
and two Defensive Player of the Years.
His numbers and overall career may put him slightly below the margin -
although he may earn some consideration for his battle back after a
kidney transplant.
Chris Webber was the 1994 Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star but
never got past the conference finals. He too may fall short.
Gary Payton seems likely to get the nod with a 2006 championship, a
Defensive Player of the Year award (1996), three total NBA Finals
appearances and nine All-Stars.
So too will Jason Kidd with his 10 All-Star appearances, two trip to NBA
Finals (no rings) and 10,923 assists to date.
Kidd's 1995 co-Rookie of the Year Grant Hill may not be as fortunate with
an injury-plagued career - although he's had a number of strong seasons
recently with the Phoenix Suns.
Scorers like cousins Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter are more likely to go
the way of King and Richmond.
It's too early to know on players like Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony,
Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh and Chris Paul.
The list of prospects for the Hall would be long - certainly someone has
been overlooked.
One name stands out based on his postseason performance - Robert Horry.
While he never made an All-Star team through 16 seasons, he never missed
the playoffs.
Counter the individual production of King and Richmond with Horry's 244
playoff games. That's 216 more than King which amounts to over 2 1/2
full seasons.
Rob was a 7.0 point a game scorer on his career, averaging double figures
just three times. He shot just 42.5% from the field and 34.1% from the
arc.
Yet Horry was instrumental in seven titles over those 16 years. Only
Boston greats of the 50's and 60's can claim more rings (Bill Russell
with 11, Sam Jones 10 and John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones and
Satch Sanders with eight each).
Each Celtic listed above is in the Hall save for Sanders who was more of
a role player like Horry. Satch was given the 2007 John W. Bunn Lifetime
Achievement Award but has yet to be officially named to the ranks.
What should push Horry over the top is his history of clutch shooting in
the biggest moments.
Would the Lakers have gotten past the Sacramento Kings in 2002 without
Horry's Game 4 buzzer-beater?
It took 18 fourth-quarter points from Rob with the San Antonio Spurs in
2005, including a three-pointer with 5.8 seconds left, to beat the
Detroit Pistons 96-95.
Horry can boast either playoff game-winners or sealing late shots over
the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, San
Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
"Big Shot Rob" won't be eligible for a few years but he should be
considered as one of the most instrumental and successful role players in
NBA history
Terraholm
> Who's Next for the Hall Of Fame?
>
> By: Eric Pincus Last Updated: 8/18/10 8:05 PM ET | 2790 times read
> http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=17113
> http://twitter.com/ericpincus
> Foreign players may not be held to such a high standard by NBA
> performance alone but by their contribution internationally.
>
> Someone like Arvydas Sabonis may one day get in by virtue of his career
> overseas and while he had a sizable impact on the Portland Trail Blazers
> - those numbers alone wouldn't necessarily warrant consideration.
>
> Sabonis has yet to be tabbed
I would be surprised if he does not make it into the HOF for the
International play. And I do not think there is a 'may one day get in'
about it. This year is just his 5th since retiring so next year would be
his first eligible.
Besides what he did before the NBA including a gold and two bronze
Olympic medals and euroleague play... even after the NBA he fared
well...in 2003-04 at age 39 he was regular season MVP, which in
Euroleague is from stat crunching like PER, not a vote.
He averaged 17.7 pts, 10.7 rbs, 3 ast, 2 blks and a steal in 28 mpg.
He was also the 'top 16' MVP that year for the playoffs.