The latest Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class was announced earlier this month and included familiar names, like Reggie Miller, Don Nelson, Ralph Sampson and Jamaal Wilkes.
That catalog got me thinking about what active players would make the cut.
By count, six current NBA stars are surefire Hall of Famers (meaning, if their careers ended tomorrow, they”d get in).
— Ray Allen: He”s basically Miller with a championship ring. Allen is a 10-time All-Star, 24th in all-time scoring and first in 3-pointers.
— Kobe Bryant: The Los Angeles Lakers legend is the best player of his generation, with five NBA titles and one MVP. All-time, he”s fifth in scoring, 16th in steals, 36th in games played and 41st in assists.
— Tim Duncan: Without question, he”s the best big man of his generation. He has the honors (four rings, two MVPs and one Rookie of the Year) and the career stats (ninth in blocks, 18th in rebounds and 25th in scoring).
— Kevin Garnett: As distasteful as he acts on the court, Garnett is an all-time great. He has one MVP, one Defensive Player of the Year and one championship, and is 21st or better in career scoring, steals, rebounds, blocks and games.
— Jason Kidd: The title with Dallas last year was icing on the cake. He”ll finish his career second in assists and steals, simply an amazing point guard.
— Steve Nash: No ring doesn”t hurt his resume a bit. He is No. 6 in career assists and a two-time MVP (heck, every winner of an MVP eligible for enshrinement is in the Hall).
Another six guys are close (will likely be enshrined once they finish).
— Manu Ginobili: The Argentinean”s NBA totals aren”t best-ever, but his body of work is impressive – one Olympic gold medal, three NBA titles and a stellar Italian League career.
— Grant Hill: The Duke great was devastated by injuries as a pro but still managed Rookie of the Year, three Sportsmanship awards and seven All-Star selections. The two NCAA titles will probably push him into the Hall.
— LeBron James: The decision-maker likely has the credentials already, with two MVPs and top 50 in scoring at such a young age. An NBA crown would solidify his status
— Dirk Nowitzki: The greatest Dallas Mavericks player ever has one ring, one MVP and ranks 19th in all-time scoring. Guys have gotten in for much less.
— Paul Pierce: Suiting up in Celtic green gives him an edge over most guys. Then again, ranking 26th in scoring is probably enough (Mitch Richmond at No. 36 is the highest-ranked eligible player on the list not voted in).
— Ben Wallace: If basketball voters appreciated defense, he”d be a guarantee. He”s 13th in blocks, 30th in rebounds and the owner of four Defensive Player of the Year titles – but only four winners of that award, which started in 1982-83, are in the Hall now.
Six others players are off to a great start.
— Kevin Durant: The winner of two scoring crowns is sure to get at least one MVP, and tallying about 26 points per game, like his current career average, would help immensely.
— Dwight Howard: The drama-king of Orlando is already 40th in blocks and won Defensive Player of the Year thrice. His rebounding numbers do need to climb.
— Kevin Love: Of course it”s early, but if he keeps averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds, he”ll be there easily.
— Tony Parker: The 29-year-old is another international star with NBA numbers to boot (three rings, an NBA Finals MVP and four All-Star selections).
— Rajon Rondo: This young, ring-wearing triple-double machine is on a good track, but rumors indicate he could benefit long-term from an attitude adjustment.
— Dwyane Wade: The Miami Heat guard already has one ring, but probably needs at least one more (if not five, six or seven). A regular-season MVP to go with his NBA Finals MVP would work too.
Editor”s note: Let Jeremy know what you think of his list on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh or #JustSayinHOF
