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From the time the NBA commissioner announces their name in the draft, every player dreams of being enshrined in the NBA Hall of Fame. The NBA Hall of Fame, or the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, as it is officially known, has a reputation for being notoriously easy to get into, especially compared to that of the NFL and MLB. As any knowledgable NBA fan will tell you, it isn't strictly limited to the NBA but encompasses all basketball played across the world. In fact, there are many players in the Hall of Fame who have never played in the NBA.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are NBA players who have done everything right in their careers and have yet to receive the call to be enshrined among the pantheon of the game's greats.
Here's a look at 3 players who should be in the NBA Hall of Fame but have not yet been inducted.
#1. Chauncey Billups
In the history of the NBA, 148 players have been selected for five or more All-Star teams. Out of all eligible players from those 148, all but 12 have been inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.
33 players have been awarded the Finals MVP trophy. Out of all eligible players from those 33, all but two have been inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.
The only person who is part of both of these unfortunate lists is Detroit Pistons legend Chauncey Billups. Among players who have played in the modern era of the league, there is no greater NBA Hall of Fame snub than Billups. Billups played 17 seasons in the NBA, averaging 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. His career averages might not seem stellar, but it should be kept in mind that he played most of his career in a low scoring era.
For example, in the 2003-04 season, in which he led the Detroit Pistons to the NBA title over the Lakers juggernaut comprising of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, teams were only averaging 93.4 points per game. In contrast, this season for example, teams are averaging 114.7 points.
Billups' omission is particularly puzzling considering that his teammate on the championship winning team, Ben Wallace, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wallace, a four time Defensive Player of the Year, was undoubtedly the anchor on the defensive end but was equally pedestrian on the offensive end. Billups, on the other hand, had a reputation for elevating his game during the playoffs, as evidenced by his nickname 'Mr. Big Shot'.
With one title and another finals appearance, one Finals MVP, 5x All-Star appearances, 3x All-NBA nods and 2x All-Defense selections, Billups definitely deserves to be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.
#2. Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Stoudemire spent the bulk of his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks. He was a six-time All-Star and earned five All-NBA honors, including a first-team selection in 2007. This is particularly notable since he played in a stacked era for power forwards. During his prime years, he was able to go toe-to-toe with the best power forwards in the game, such as Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki ,and Kevin Garnett.
Stoudemire averaged over 25 points per game in three regular seasons during his career. His best post-season run was in 2004-05 with the Phoenix Suns, when he and his Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash formed a deadly duo, leading the Suns to the Western Conference Finals. Stoudemire averaged 29.9 points and 10.7 rebounds during this run. In the Western Conference Finals, despite Stoudemire averaging 37 points, the Suns were defeated in five games by the San Antonio Spurs.
An argument that is often brought up regarding Stoudemire's Hall of Fame case is that he was a "system player", who flourished simply from playing alongside a legendary point guard such as Nash. While it is true that Stoudemire benefited from playing alongside Nash on the Suns, it should also be noted that Stoudemire produced similar numbers in his first season after being traded to the Knicks.
Stoudemire certainly has the accolades needed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and one can hope that he will soon make it.
#3. Jermaine O'Neal
Much like Billups and Stoudemire, Jermaine O’Neal’s career average of 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds didn’t do justice to how dominant he was during his prime. O'Neal was the starting power forward for the Indiana Pacers teams who were perennial contenders during the mid-2000s.
From 2002 to 2006, he averaged around 21 points per game and 10 rebounds. In the 2003-04 season, he led the Indiana Pacers to the #1 seed in the East and received MVP consideration, ultimately finishing 3rd behind Duncan and Garnett. The Pacers lost in the post-season that year to the Detroit Pistons, who went on to win the championship.
O'Neal's NBA Hall of Fame case is undoubtedly marred by his involvement in "The Malice at the Palace", one of the most infamous brawls in league history. The incident, which happened during the 2004-05 season, led to suspensions for many of the Pacers' players, including O'Neal. O'Neal and his teammate Ron Artest were putting up their career-best numbers that season. If not for the suspension, the Pacers had a chance to win it all that year. This is especially tragic for O'Neal because a championship would have left no doubt that he was worthy of being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.
Despite not winning the title, with 6x All-Star selections and 3x All-NBA nods, Jermaine O'Neal definitely deserves consideration for being enshrined in the NBA Hall of Fame.
