Yao Ming Hall Of Fame nomination...?

[4THQTR]

Just saw this...

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/08/08/yao-hall-of-fame/index.html

[syfy9]

Yao's going to get into the hall of fame before Shaq!

[2short]

I don't see it, at least not first ballot.

[ACF]

If you think about the fact that Yao brought more fans to the NBA than MJ, Magic and Bird combined, it's really a no-brainer. Also, if injuries hadn't cut him short, he would probably have had a brilliant NBA career. The answer is yes.

[Finkelskyhook]

Easy...Yes

[bdm860]

Don’t consider his NBA career, just consider what he did for the global game, bringing basketball mainstream in a country of over a billion people.  I see no problem with letting him in as a global contributor to the game.

[Chris]

Sounds right.  He did a ton for the advancement of the game.  I am glad they are doing this, rather than trying to jam him in there as a player (I think there would have been a huge push for it by the league).

[soap07]

Forgetting the advancement of the game stuff, which is monumental and will almost surely get him in....


Would he be able to get in on his playing ability alone? An interesting discussion for sure.

[greenpride32]

Would he be able to get in on his playing ability alone? An interesting discussion for sure.

No chance; he may have been the best center in the league for 2 or 3 years but a typical hall of fame career in any sport is a long career of excellence.  Off the top of my head I can't think of any great basketball players who had their careers cut short or severely hampered by injury, but in baseball you have a guy like Don Mattingly; clearly the best player at one time and never the same after injury.  And in football Sterling Sharpe.  Don't know if you can call him a clear #1, but definitely a top 3 receiver who was on his way to a HOF career.  Both of those guys are not in the HOF.  I guess the issue is flash in the pans come along every once in awhile; but the HOF is for the true cream of the crop.

But I'm glad Yao will have a chance to get in the HOF for all his contributions to the game.

[soap07]

Would he be able to get in on his playing ability alone? An interesting discussion for sure.

No chance; he may have been the best center in the league for 2 or 3 years but a typical hall of fame career in any sport is a long career of excellence.  Off the top of my head I can't think of any great basketball players who had their careers cut short or severely hampered by injury, but in baseball you have a guy like Don Mattingly; clearly the best player at one time and never the same after injury.  And in football Sterling Sharpe.  Don't know if you can call him a clear #1, but definitely a top 3 receiver who was on his way to a HOF career.  Both of those guys are not in the HOF.  I guess the issue is flash in the pans come along every once in awhile; but the HOF is for the true cream of the crop.

But I'm glad Yao will have a chance to get in the HOF for all his contributions to the game.

Two examples off the top of my head: Jim Rice and Bill Walton

[greenpride32]

Two examples off the top of my head: Jim Rice and Bill Walton

Jim Rice's career stats match up with HOF'ers.  I would stay he's on the lower end of the stick, but they're right up there.

As a pro, Walton won an MVP, finished 2nd another year, won 2 championships with one being the clear leader and Finals MVP.
In college he won 2 titles, and was player of the year 3 times.  Remember the basketball HOF is not tied to the NBA; it's basketball in general.  I would have to say Walton's on court accomplishments far outweight Yao's. 

[Donoghus]

Would he be able to get in on his playing ability alone? An interesting discussion for sure.

No chance; he may have been the best center in the league for 2 or 3 years but a typical hall of fame career in any sport is a long career of excellence.  Off the top of my head I can't think of any great basketball players who had their careers cut short or severely hampered by injury, but in baseball you have a guy like Don Mattingly; clearly the best player at one time and never the same after injury.  And in football Sterling Sharpe.  Don't know if you can call him a clear #1, but definitely a top 3 receiver who was on his way to a HOF career.  Both of those guys are not in the HOF.  I guess the issue is flash in the pans come along every once in awhile; but the HOF is for the true cream of the crop.

But I'm glad Yao will have a chance to get in the HOF for all his contributions to the game.

Two examples off the top of my head: Jim Rice and Bill Walton

Jim Rice has a pretty solid stretch from '75-86.  Once he went down hill, he went fast.

Still, 11 years is a pretty solid stretch so I can't really lump him in the short category.

[Roy H.]

I think Yao might make it strictly as a player.  He was All-NBA five times.  Has anybody with that many All-NBA appearances failed to make the Hall?  (I left out his eight all-star games, since those are so obviously inflated by fan voting.)  If Drazen Petrovic can make it in as a player, so can Yao.

However, when you factor in his contributions to the game, this becomes a no-brainer.  I do think, however, that enshrining him as a player is more meaningful than as a "contributor".  The HOF is the HOF, I guess, but if I were Yao, I'd want to be remembered for my game, rather than for being a really popular Asian player.

[Fafnir]

I think Yao might make it strictly as a player.  He was All-NBA five times.  Has anybody with that many All-NBA appearances failed to make the Hall?  (I left out his eight all-star games, since those are so obviously inflated by fan voting.)  If Drazen Petrovic can make it in as a player, so can Yao.

However, when you factor in his contributions to the game, this becomes a no-brainer.  I do think, however, that enshrining him as a player is more meaningful than as a "contributor".  The HOF is the HOF, I guess, but if I were Yao, I'd want to be remembered for my game, rather than for being a really popular Asian player.

So you're saying T-Mac and Vince are locks, yuck....

Edit: I'm actually somewhat surprised Vince didn't make more all-nba teams now that I looked it up. Only the two, T-Mac had 7 however.

[KCattheStripe]

I think Yao might make it strictly as a player.  He was All-NBA five times.  Has anybody with that many All-NBA appearances failed to make the Hall?  (I left out his eight all-star games, since those are so obviously inflated by fan voting.)  If Drazen Petrovic can make it in as a player, so can Yao.

However, when you factor in his contributions to the game, this becomes a no-brainer.  I do think, however, that enshrining him as a player is more meaningful than as a "contributor".  The HOF is the HOF, I guess, but if I were Yao, I'd want to be remembered for my game, rather than for being a really popular Asian player.

20 years from now, Yao might have had as enormous an impact as a contributor as Jordan did as a player.