Hall Of Fame "Locks" right now in the NBA.

[mrcheeks]

I am thinking about which players playing in the NBA right now would have guaranteed spots in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
My "locks" would be Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. Here are some of the accomplishments for each of these players:

Tim Duncan
- Back-to-back NBA MVP awards.
- 3-time NBA Finals MVP winner.
- Was responsible for one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA franchise history for a team's win-loss record in his rookie year.

Shaquille O'Neal
- 1999-2000 NBA MVP winner. (This is a shame - he should have won at least one more NBA MVP award IMHO).
- 3-time NBA Finals MVP winner.
- Was named one of the 50 greatest players in the NBA IIRC.

An interesting fact that supports the validity of these 2 players being HOF candidates is this: Between 1999 to 2007 either Duncan or O'Neal were playing in the NBA finals for those respective years.

Any thoughts from other members as to other NBA players currently playing that should be considered HOF locks?

 

[to-guy69]

Kobe Bryant

3-Time NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002)
NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)
2-time NBA Scoring Champion (2006, 2007)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007)
NBA Slam Dunk Champion (1997)
Numerous All NBA 1st team and Defensive 1st team honors

..even if the league ceased today (at age 30 for him), he would still be a lock to get in.

 

[Hurricane Hank]

Steve Nash.

 

[ckupets04]

Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce

Brian Scalabraine and Eduardo Najera are borderline HOF candidates, LOL just kidding.

 

[new2game]

If we are talking the "just kidding " category

Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce

Brian Scalabraine and Eduardo Najera are borderline HOF candidates, LOL just
kidding.

...then I nominate Brian Cardinal and Darko Milicic


...too bad Shaq is overstaying his welcome....he's on the down hill slide... it would be a great idea for him to retire after this year if he wants to remain in the HOF talk...


N2G

 

[thewalker]

...then I nominate Brian Cardinal and Darko Milicic


...too bad Shaq is overstaying his welcome....he's on the down hill slide... it would be a great idea for him to retire after this year if he wants to remain in the HOF talk...


N2G

No way, Shaq is on fire this year! 29 and 13 the other night. It's the Phoenix air, worked for Nash, working for Shaq.

Also active HOFers:

Allen Iverson: Despite the bad attitude in the early part of his career and selfishness, he's put up way too many points consistently for too many years not to be in.

LeBron James: Maybe not right now, but you know he'll be a lock when all is said and done.

Dwight Howard: David Robinson Part II.

 

[ckupets04]

No way, Shaq is on fire this year! 29 and 13 the other night. It's the Phoenix air, worked for Nash, working for Shaq.

Also active HOFers:

Allen Iverson: Despite the bad attitude in the early part of his career and selfishness, he's put up way too many points consistently for too many years not to be in.

LeBron James: Maybe not right now, but you know he'll be a lock when all is said and done.

Dwight Howard: David Robinson Part II.

yes how could I forget AI. Certainly HOF material.

 

[ckupets04]

...then I nominate Brian Cardinal and Darko Milicic


...too bad Shaq is overstaying his welcome....he's on the down hill slide... it would be a great idea for him to retire after this year if he wants to remain in the HOF talk...


N2G

Darko....... LOL. Well he does have a championship ring from 04 LOL. I wonder if he wears that ring.

 

[maurice93]

Manu Ginobili
- Several International Accomplishments
- 4 Time NBA Champion, where he was second or third cog

 

[lawyerman]

In the end, Dwyane Wade should be there.

 

[ckupets04]

Agreed. But I really like that its a hard Hall to get into. Id rather have a Hall that has high standards as opposed to a league that lets just about anyone with marginally great stats into the hall.

 

[Toke]

I don;t think Ray Allen or Pierce get in. Maybe Pierce but not Allen. What has Allen really done? His credentials would put a guy like Vince Carter one ring away. Even with the ring, if I had to choose between the two, I MAY vote for Vince. The NBA HOF is probably the second hardest to get into (MLB HOF is the most difficult), so to propose that a guy like Allen who has never been 'the man' on a winning team be enshrined after playing third fiddle on a championship makes no sense. That said, I believe the only 'locks' currently playing in the NBA are:

Shaquille O'Neal - The most dominate player in NBA history

Tim Duncan - Championships, MVPs, All-Star, and does it with little fanfare

Kevin Garnett - MVP, Championship, and believe it or not, made the T-Wolves much better than they should have been (as bad as they were)

Allen Iverson - I don't like him but his points scored can't be ignored. Plus he won an MVP (I don't know how, but he did)

Kobe Bryant - To me he is just a better version of Iverson. I don't think he'll lead the Lakers to any championships, but he was there when SHAQ won three for the Lakers. I'm biased against Kobe, but I do realize that he is one of the best players in the league right now (King James is better).

Longshot
Steve Nash - Two MVPs in a row (should've had three), and a point guard that has made his teams better. In the last three years he was in Dallas, the Mavs were the highest scoring team in the league; he leaves for Phoenix and the Suns become the highest scoring team in the league. Coincidence? Nope. Just Nash doing what he does best; run offence!!

 

[mrcheeks]

...too bad Shaq is overstaying his welcome....he's on the down hill slide... it would be a great idea for him to retire after this year if he wants to remain in the HOF talk...

One could have also said the same thing about Jordan and his sub-par stints with the Washington Wizards. It would have been PERFECT if he just stayed retired after hitting the game-winning shot in his sixth championship with the Bulls (where Byron Russell got pushed. ). And it would be crazy not to put him in the HOF considering his long list of accolades.

 

[lawyerman]

Very good post Bob Loblaw.

 

[lawyerman]

LBJ turns on the jets on this block.

This was number 5 on the top 10 last night. Go figure.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/t...20081118_top10.nba/index.html?player=whatsnew

 

[lawyerman]

Thank you.

You're quite welcome. ckupets04 raised an excellent point. The Hall of Fame should not be watered down.

Major League Baseball players have a very difficult to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame and I believe that all sports should make it an honour to be in.

 

[Toke]

My thoughts exactly. Ray Allen has been a nice player over his career but he's no H.O.F.'er.

Prior to last season, Pierce was in no way a candidate, but he really elevated his game and as such, moved himself into consideration. I'd still say no if I had a vote.

Here's who I say gets in even if their careers ended today:


Jason Kidd

I forgot about Kidd. He's in for sure.

 

[DayDreamer1]

LBJ turns on the jets on this block.

This was number 5 on the top 10 last night. Go figure.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/t...20081118_top10.nba/index.html?player=whatsnew

#3 aint so bad either...

 

[Toke]

Any Votes for

Vince Carter

Not a vote for HOF, but I am a fan of his game... seriously.

 

[Plan B]

Boy does Steve Nash seem to be underrated in this thread. The guy won back to back league MVPs, as it stands that is one more than Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett. Heck, even Charles Barkley holds just one MVP. John Stockton in going to the Hall of Fame for sure, and how many championship rings does he have...none...how many MVPs.....none.
I can't think about another more underrated player, but oh yeah, a punk like Iverson who has spent time in prison might go to the HOF is a joke.