OT Who is the most overrated NBA hall-of-famer?

[PtldPlatypus]

Just curious as to who people might suggest for this dubious honor.

For my money, I think I'd go with James Worthy. Played most of his career with Magic, and had a precipitous dropoff at age 31 without Magic. Averaged 17, 5, and 3 over his career, with a career best season of 21/6. Had a PER over 20 exactly once, with a career PER of 17.7. Finished 12th in the MVP voting once, and that's the only time he got any votes. 98th in NBA history in points scored. A good career, no doubt--but not hall-of-fame caliber if he played for any other franchise (IMO). Maybe someone else can educate me, but even looking at his highlight videos (which HCP has demonstrated can make a Joel Przybilla look like Shaq), I don't see anything especially impressive.

But anyway, this thread doesn't need to be all about average-game-James; who else would you say is the most overrated NBA hall of famer?

 

[Orion Bailey]

Some would say Dennis Rodman.

 

[Natebishop3]

Some would say Dennis Rodman.

And they would be wrong.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Some would say Dennis Rodman.

And I would contest that claim vehemently. Rodman made 8 consecutive all defense teams, and led the league in rebounding (per game) 7 straight years, including the 4 highest RPG seasons in the three-point era--at 6'7". Rodman, in my mind, is criminally underrated by most.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Bill Walton.


<lights fuse, runs away, giggling maniacally>

 

[Sedatedfork]

Maybe Willis Reed. He's basically in the HOF for one moment, albeit a great moment, in my opinion. James Worthy is another good mention.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Just curious as to who people might suggest for this dubious honor.

For my money, I think I'd go with James Worthy. Played most of his career with Magic, and had a precipitous dropoff at age 31 without Magic. Averaged 17, 5, and 3 over his career, with a career best season of 21/6. Had a PER over 20 exactly once, with a career PER of 17.7. Finished 12th in the MVP voting once, and that's the only time he got any votes. 98th in NBA history in points scored. A good career, no doubt--but not hall-of-fame caliber if he played for any other franchise (IMO). Maybe someone else can educate me, but even looking at his highlight videos (which HCP has demonstrated can make a Joel Przybilla look like Shaq), I don't see anything especially impressive.

But anyway, this thread doesn't need to be all about average-game-James; who else would you say is the most overrated NBA hall of famer?

Worthy's prime wasn't as long as many Hall of Famers, but he was known as Big Game James for a reason (he was also known as Two Dames James for a reason, but that another story for another day). His career playoff scoring average is 21.1 ppg in 143 career playoff games. That's a LOT of scoring in the post season, and I'm sure it had an impact on the voters. He won 3 rings, led all players in playoff scoring in 1986-87 and won the finals MVP in 1987-88.

I really think it was his performance in the playoffs that solidified his HoF status.

I'll have to look at who else is in the Hall that may be less "Worthy" (other than old timers, that many here won't be old enough to remember).

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

Yao Ming.

A career 19 and 9 player who only had three seasons where he was in 80+ games. Constantly injured. He really only had one HOF worthy season, and two All-Star caliber seasons. The guy was extremely overrated. I remember watching him in the Olympics once, and he was a ghost. The guy was 7'6 and he was practically invisible without the NBA system protecting him.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Yao Ming.

A career 19 and 9 player who only had three seasons where he was in 80+ games. Constantly injured. He really only had one HOF worthy season, and two All-Star caliber seasons. The guy was extremely overrated. I remember watching him in the Olympics once, and he was a ghost. The guy was 7'6 and he was practically invisible without the NBA system protecting him.

Didn't realize he was recently nominated. That's a bit of head scratcher...

 

[Natebishop3]

Didn't realize he was recently nominated. That's a bit of head scratcher...

He's extremely overrated.

In his best season where he averaged 25 and 9, he only played in 48 games.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

He's extremely overrated.

In his best season where he averaged 25 and 9, he only played in 48 games.

Thing is, Yao is in as much for his NBA career as for his international impact. If an American-born player had had an identical career to Yao, he probably wouldn't be in.

However, I've heard many that played against him say that Yao was the most difficult player to defend in the league, including Shaq. Yeah he had health issues, but he was most certainly impactful when he was on the floor.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Yao Ming.

A career 19 and 9 player who only had three seasons where he was in 80+ games. Constantly injured. He really only had one HOF worthy season, and two All-Star caliber seasons. The guy was extremely overrated. I remember watching him in the Olympics once, and he was a ghost. The guy was 7'6 and he was practically invisible without the NBA system protecting him.

But, remember, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is NOT the NBA Hall of Fame, it's for all of basketball. So, it includes players (coaches, refs, etc.) based on their collegiate and international contributions, as well was what they did, or didn't do, in the NBA. It also includes members of the Harlem Globetrotters and female athletes and coaches.

So, I agree Yao doesn't deserve entrance based on his NBA career, but if he makes it, I suspect it will be for his international contributions that helped popularize the game in China.

BNM

 

[Sedatedfork]

But, remember, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is NOT the NBA Hall of Fame, it's for all of basketball. So, it includes players (coaches, refs, etc.) based on their collegiate and international contributions, as well was what they did, or didn't do, in the NBA. It also includes members of the Harlem Globetrotters and female athletes and coaches.

So, I agree Yao doesn't deserve entrance based on his NBA career, but if he makes it, I suspect it will be for his international contributions that helped popularize the game in China.

BNM

Ahh, that makes sense.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Ahh, that makes sense.

Same reason Drazen Petrovic is in the Hall. It's not just about his very short (sadly too short) NBA career, it's about his overall contribution to the international game.

BNM

 

[Orion Bailey]

And they would be wrong.

Bleacher report disagrees with you guys...


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/815135-dennis-rodman-and-10-undeserving-nba-hall-of-famers

 

[Orion Bailey]

And our own Drazen tops the list!

 

[Natebishop3]

Bleacher report disagrees with you guys...


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/815135-dennis-rodman-and-10-undeserving-nba-hall-of-famers

Sorry, I stopped reading after "Bleacher Report."

 

[WarriorFan]

And our own Drazen tops the list!

That's BS, Drazen was sick!

There is a Croation extravaganza in Sacramento every year and when his family shows up people act like they are royalty, it's really kind of funny.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Bill Walton.


<lights fuse, runs away, giggling maniacally>

Again, it's the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, so Walton's college career also comes into consideration. Walton was a 3-time college player of the year (back in the day when freshmen weren't allowed to play varsity ball), 2-time final 4 most outstanding player and still holds the final 4 scoring record of 44 points in a game on 21-22 FG. His team won 88 straight games while he played at UCLA and he is also a 2-time NBA champion and was Finals MVP in 1977. So, yeah he's solidly in the Hall.

Same for Ralph Sampson. 3x Naismith award winner, 2x Wooden award winner, 3x AP player of the Year in college. So, in spite of his NBA career being shortened by injuries, like Walton, Sampson is solidly in the Hall based on his college performance.

His college performance is also something else in Worthy's favor when considering his HoF status. He was also Final 4 Most Outstanding Player in 1981-82 when UNC won the title.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Sorry, I stopped reading after "Bleacher Report."

Good for you. The author is a fucking idiot. He doesn't even seem to realize that, even though he calls it by the correct name, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is NOT the NBA Hall of Fame - there is no such thing. The funny thing is, for many of the players on his list, he mentions how fucking amazing they were in college, without realizing that has a huge impact on why they are in the Hall of Fame in the first place.

So here's a sidebar. How many here have actually visited the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA? I have and enjoyed in immensely. I found it very informative and would recommend it to any and all my fellow basketball junkies.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

Good for you. The author is a fucking idiot. He doesn't even seem to realize that, even though he calls it by the correct name, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is NOT the NBA Hall of Fame - there is no such thing. The funny thing is, for many of the players on his list, he mentions how fucking amazing they were in college, without realizing that has a huge impact on why they are in the Hall of Fame in the first place.

So here's a sidebar. How many here have actually visited the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA? I have and enjoyed in immensely. I found it very informative and would recommend it to any and all my fellow basketball junkies.

BNM

A lot of people seem to look mostly at scoring averages. Rodman was so unique. I don't know if we'll ever see another player like him. The strategy that he put into rebounding the ball was unparalleled. He made it a science. And his defense was just as much mental as it was physical.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Good for you. The author is a fucking idiot. He doesn't even seem to realize that, even though he calls it by the correct name, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is NOT the NBA Hall of Fame - there is no such thing. The funny thing is, for many of the players on his list, he mentions how fucking amazing they were in college, without realizing that has a huge impact on why they are in the Hall of Fame in the first place.

So here's a sidebar. How many here have actually visited the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA? I have and enjoyed in immensely. I found it very informative and would recommend it to any and all my fellow basketball junkies.

BNM

I managed to finish reading the article, and the further I went the more obvious the author is completely clueless about the entire concept of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He really does think it's just the NBA Hall of Fame and fails to consider players' college, international, Olympic and ABA contributions. That's pretty obvious when Sabonis was 2nd on his list of least deserving Hall of Famers. It's articles like this, back when anyone could write an article for them, that give The Bleacher Report such a bad reputation. This article was from 2011, Now that they have paid contributors, they should go back and purge their archives of crap like this.

BNM

 

[Orion Bailey]

Is bleacher report really that bad? Again ,I just googled and they came up first.

I actually loved Rodmans game, but was on the side of, not a HOF because he never had a complete game of sorts. But if this auther did mix the two up ( I didnt even know of the second) then yes. Piss poor research.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Just my opinion, but I think it's pretty lame to consider a player's college accomplishments for hall of fame worthiness, unless that player's college career was significant to basketball as a whole. Coaches are a different story, because they can spend entire careers in college, but just because a player was great in college doesn't mean he (or she) should merit hall consideration unless that excellence translates to the next level. I mean, is Dajuan Wagner a hall of famer because he scored 100 points in a high school game? I certainly hope not...

Just my two cents.

 

[Chris Craig]

Charles Barkley

 

[jlprk]

You beat me while I read the whole thread. My fingers were itching to type, Barkley.

 

[jlprk]

Worthy is a worthy choice. I was sick of his publicity by his second year. A good place to start is Lakers and Celtics, since they have dominated the media since the NBA started. The media liked Barkley because he talked a lot, slowly while they took notes of every word (not on purpose, he's just stupid). They loved him when he declared his ambition to become Republican governor of Alabama. The Top 50 of All Time had Celtics like Bill Sharman on the list. I don't know which of them are in the Hall of Fame.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

Sorry Portland fans but Clyde Drexler, hands down. All World talent, 10 cent brain, heart and work effort MIA......

 

[jlprk]

Yao and Walton had their careers ruined by injuries and were pity votes for the Hall of Fame, but I like them being in there. Ralph Sampson..is he in the HOF? I don't pay attention to awards. I go by my own memories.

 

[riverman]

I'm going to go with a guy I think was overrated...Reggie Miller