The Most Eligible of the non-Hall of Famers
June 7, 2006
by Tim Adams
Ok, here's the premise. Imagine, if you will, that one
night a janitor at the Naismith Basketball Hall of
Fame is going about his usual routine when he happens
upon a mysterious room that's been empty and unused
for years. He promptly cleans the room and notifies
the higher-ups at the Hall of his discovery. After
learning of this room and the available space, the
Hall of Fame committee decide that it would be prudent
to use the space by inducting twenty new members into
the Hall.
So the question arises; who's the most worthy amongst
the eligible former players out there? Here's the
answer.
Note: to be eligible a player must be retired
for at least five years.
TOP TEN
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Artis Gilmore
|
7'2" Center
|
|
College career
|
Jacksonville, 2 seasons, 24.3 ppg 22.7 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
5 ABA and 12 NBA seasons
9,362 ABA and 15,579 NBA points (24,941 total)
7,169 ABA and 9,161 NBA rebounds
3,179 total blocks
22.3 ppg (ABA) 17.1 ppg (NBA)
17.1 rpg (ABA) 10.1 rpg (NBA)
3.4 bpg (ABA) 1.9 bpg (NBA)
3,050 total assists
|
|
Honors
|
5 time ABA and 6 time NBA All-Star, 5 time All
ABA first team, 1 time ABA and 1 time NBA
All-Defensive team
|
|
Extras
|
Holds the NBA career record with a field goal
percentage of .599. Only player besides Wilt
Chamberlain to shoot 65% for a season (twice). Shot 67%
from the field in 1980-81 season. |
|
Adrian Dantley
|
6'5" Guard-Forward
|
|
College career
|
Notre Dame, 3 seasons, 25.1 ppg
|
|
Pro career
|
15 seasons
23,177 points, 5,455 rebounds
24.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3 apg
|
|
Honors
|
6 time All-Star ('80-'82, '84-'86), 2 time All
NBA team ('81, '84), Rookie of the Year ('77)
|
|
Extras
|
Ranks 18th on career points list. Ranks 15th
on career points per game list. Ranks 16th on career
field goal % list (.540).
|
|
Bernard King
|
6'7" Forward
|
|
College career
|
Tennessee, 3 seasons, 25.8 ppg 13.2 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
14 seasons
19,655 points, 5,060
rebounds
22.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.3 apg
|
|
Honors
|
4 time All Star (1982, 1984, 1985, 1991), 3
time All NBA team (1982, 1984, 1985)
|
|
Extras
|
Led NBA in scoring in 1985 (32.9ppg). See Tom
Chambers' Extras
|
|
|
|
Tom Chambers
|
6'9" Forward
|
|
College career
|
Utah, 4 seasons, 14.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
13 seasons
20,049 points, 6,703
rebounds
18.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
4 time NBA All-Star (1987, 1989-1991),
All-Star Game MVP (1987), 2 time All-NBA team (1989,
1990)
|
|
Extras
|
Chambers and Bernard King are the only
(eligible) non Hall of Famers to have scored 60 points
in a game.
|
|
Spencer Haywood
|
6'8" Forward-Center
|
|
College career
|
Detroit Mercy, 1 season 32.1 ppg 22.1 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
1 ABA season, 12 NBA seasons
2,519 ABA points and 14,592 NBA points
1,637 ABA rebounds and 7,038 NBA rebounds
20.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
1 time ABA MVP, playoffs MVP, All-Star Game
MVP, and Rookie of the Year (1970)
4 time NBA All-Star (1972-1975)
2 time All-NBA team (1972-1975)
|
|
Extras
|
Led the '68 Olympic team in scoring. Won NBA
championship with the Lakers in 1980
|
|
Mark Aguirre
|
6'6" Guard-Forward
|
|
College career
|
DePaul, 3 seasons, 24.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg
|
|
Pro career
|
13 seasons
18,458 points, 4,538 rebounds, 2,870 assists
20 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.1 apg
|
|
Honors
|
3 time All-Star (1984, 1987 and 1988)
|
|
Extras
|
Won the Naismith Award in 1980
|
|
Chris Mullin
|
6'6" Guard-Forward
|
|
College career
|
St. John's, 4 seasons, 19.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
16 seasons
17,911 points, 4,034 rebounds, 3,450 assists
18.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.5 apg
|
|
Honors
|
5 time All-Star (1989-1993)
3 time All NBA team (1989, 1991, 1992)
Member of '84 and '92 (Dream Team 1) Olympic teams
|
|
Extras
|
Averaged 25+ points per game 5 straight
seasons ('89-'93)
|
|
Mark Jackson
|
6'1" Point Guard
|
|
College career
|
St. John's, 4 seasons, 10.1 ppg, 5.6 apg
|
|
Pro career
|
17 seasons
12,489 points, 10,334 assists, 4,963 rebounds
9.6 ppg, 8.0 apg, 3.8 rpg
('89)
|
|
Honors
|
1 time All-Star ('89)
Rookie of the Year
|
|
Extras
|
Ranks second in career assists.
Top ten each season in assists per game for 12 seasons.
Top ten in assists to turnover ratio 14 seasons.
Ranks fourth in career assists to turnover ratio.
|
|
Maurice Cheeks
|
6'1" Point Guard
|
|
College career
|
West Texas A&M, 4 seasons, 11.6 ppg, 6.4 apg
|
|
Pro career
|
15 seasons
12,195 points, 7,392 assists, 2,310 steals
11.1 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.1 spg
|
|
Honors
|
4 time All-Star ('83, '86-'88)
5 time All-Defensive team ('83-'87)
|
|
Extras
|
Ranks 4th with 2,310 career steals
|
|
Dennis Johnson
|
6'4" Guard
|
|
College career
|
Pepperdine, 1 season, 15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.3
apg
|
|
Pro career
|
14 seasons
15,535 points, 5,499 assists, 4,249 rebounds, 1,477 steals
14.1 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.9 rpg, 1.3 spg
|
|
Honors
|
5 time All-Star, Finals MVP ('79), 2 time All-NBA ('80, '81),
9 time All-Defensive team ('79-'87)
|
|
Extras
|
Won one NBA title with Sonics ('79) and two
with Celtics ('84, '86)
|
NEXT TEN
|
Jo Jo White
|
6'3" Guard
|
|
College career
|
Kansas, 4 seasons, 15.3 ppg, 4.9 apg
|
|
Pro career
|
12 seasons, 14,399 points, 3,345 rebounds, 4,095 assists
|
|
Honors
|
6 time All Star ('71-'77), NBA Finals MVP
('76), All-Rookie ('70), 2 time All-NBA team ('75,
'77)
|
|
Extras
|
Won two titles with the Celtics ('74, '76)
|
|
Chet Walker
|
6'6" Guard-Forward
|
|
College career
|
Bradley
|
|
Pro career
|
13 seasons
18,831 points, 7,314 rebounds. 18.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
6 time All-Star ('64, '66, '67, '71, '73 and '74)
|
|
Extras
|
Teamed with Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham
and Hal Greer on '67 NBA champion 76ers.
|
|
Larry Foust
|
6'9" Forward-Center
|
|
College career
|
La Salle, 4 seasons, 14.2 ppg
|
|
Pro career
|
12 seasons, 11,198 points, 8,041
rebounds. 13.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
8 time All-Star ('51-'56, '58, '59), 2 time All-NBA team ('52, '55)
|
|
Extras
|
Led the league in total rebounds (880) in 1952
and led the league in field goal % in 1955 (.487)
|
|
Walter Davis
|
6'6" Guard-Forward
|
|
College career
|
North Carolina, 4 seasons, 15.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg,
3.4 apg
|
|
Pro career
|
15 seasons
19,521 points, 3,878 assists, 3,053 rebounds
18.9 ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.0 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
6 time All-Star ('78-'81, '84, '87), Rookie of
the Year ('78), 2 time All-NBA team ('78, '79)
|
|
Extras
|
Averaged over 20 ppg/season six times
|
|
George McGinnis
|
6'8" Forward
|
|
College career
|
Indiana, 1 season, 30 ppg, 14.7 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
4 ABA and 7 NBA seasons
17,009 (NBA and ABA) points, 9,233 rebounds, 1,442 steals
20.2 ppg (NBA and ABA), 11 rpg, 3.7 apg
|
|
Honors
|
3 time ABA ('73-'75) and 3 time NBA ('77, '79)
All-Star, ABA MVP ('75), 4 time All-ABA team
('73-'75), 2 time All-NBA team ('76, '77)
|
|
Extras
|
Won two ABA titles with the Pacers ('72, '73)
|
|
Gus Johnson
|
6'6" Forward
|
|
College career
|
Idaho, 1 season, 19 ppg, 20.3 rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
10 seasons
10,243 points, 7,624 rebounds
16.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg
|
|
Honors
|
5 time All-Star ('65, '68-'71), 4 time All-NBA
team ('65, '66, '70, '71), All-Defensive team ('70,
'71)
|
|
Extras
|
Joined Indiana Pacers halfway through '72
season and helped team win the ABA title
|
|
Jack Sikma
|
6'11" Forward-Center
|
|
College career
|
Illinois Wesleyan, 4 seasons, 21.2 ppg, 13.1
rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
14 seasons
17,287 points, 10,816 rebounds, 3,488 assists, 1,048 blocks
15.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.2 apg
|
|
Honors
|
7 time All-Star ('79- '85), 1 time
All-Defensive team ('82)
|
|
Extras
|
Helped lead the Sonics to the 1979 NBA Title.
Only missed 23 games in his entire career.
|
|
Kevin Johnson
|
6'1" Point Guard
|
|
College career
|
California
|
|
Pro career
|
12 seasons, 13,127 points, 6,711
assists, 1,082 steals
17.9 ppg, 9.1 apg, 1.5 spg
|
|
Honors
|
3 time All-Star ('90, '91, '94), Most Improved
Player ('91), 5 time All-NBA ('89-'92, '94)
|
|
Extras
|
Ranks sixth with a career assist per game
average of 9.1
|
|
Larry Costello
|
6'1" Point Guard
|
|
College career
|
Niagara, 3 seasons 15 ppg
|
|
Pro career
|
12 seasons
8,622 points, 3,215 assists. 12.2 ppg, 4.6 apg.
|
|
Honors
|
6 time All-Star ('58- '62, '64), All-NBA
('61)
|
|
Extras
|
Costello played 8 seasons with Nats/76ers and
helped the 76ers win the NBA Title in his final season
(1967).
|
|
World B Free
|
6'2" Guard
|
|
College career
|
Guilford College, 3 seasons, 23.6 ppg, 6.5
rpg
|
|
Pro career
|
13 seasons
17,955 points, 3,319 assists. 20.3 ppg, 3.7 apg
|
|
Honors
|
1 time All-Star ('80), 1 time All-NBA ('79)
|
|
Extras
|
9 seasons with at least 20 ppg. Averaged 30.2
ppg with Clippers in 1980.
|
FIVE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
Zelmo Beaty 6'9" Center
College: Prairie View A&M
Pro Career Numbers: 4 seasons ABA and 8 seasons NBA,
15,207 total points, 9,665 total rebounds. 17.1 ppg,
10.9 rpg.
Honors: 2 time NBA All-Star ('66, '68), 3 time ABA
All-Star ('71- '73), 2 time All-ABA team ('71, '72).
Richie Guerin 6'4" Guard
College: Iona, 3 seasons, 19.9 ppg
Pro Career Numbers: 13 seasons, 14.676 points, 4,278
rebounds, 4,211 assists.
17.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5 apg.
Honors: 6 time All-Star ('58- '63), 3 time All-NBA
('59, '60, '62).
Extras: Averaged 29.5 ppg in 1962, becoming only the
fifth player to average as much. Won NBA Coach of the
Year Award in 1968.
Rolando Blackman 6'6" Guard
College: Kansas State, 4 seasons, 15.2 ppg, 5 rpg
Pro Career Numbers: 13 seasons, 17,623 points, 3,278
rebounds. 18 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3 apg.
Honors: 4 time All-Star ('85- '87, '90).
Bob Dandridge 6'6" Forward
College: Norfolk State
Pro Career Numbers: 13 seasons, 15,530 points, 5,715
rebounds, 2,846 assists. 18.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.4 apg,
1.3 spg.
Honors: 4 time All-Star ('73, '75, '76, '79), All-NBA
('79), All-Defensive team ('79).
Extras: Won two NBA titles, one with '71 Bucks and
again with '78 Bullets. Played along side HoFers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Elvin Hayes and
Wes Unseld.
Mel Daniels 6'9" Center
College: New Mexico, 3 seasons, 20 ppg, 11.1 rpg
Pro Career Numbers: 8 ABA and 1 NBA seasons, 11,739
total points, 9,528 total rebounds. 18.4 ppg, 14.9
rpg, 1.5 bpg
Honors: 7 time ABA All-Star, 2 time ABA MVP ('69,
'71), ABA Rookie of the Year ('68), ABA All-Star Game
MVP ('71), ABA Playoffs MVP ('69, '71)
Extras: Has the most rebounds in ABA history (9.494).
Others: Terry Cummings, Willie Naulls, Mel Hutchins,
Reggie Theus, Jamaal Wilkes, Sidney Moncrief, Lou
Hudson, Otis Thorpe, Norm Nixon, Marques Johnson, Brad Daugherty
Tim Adams
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