Yao Ming Hall Of Fame nomination...?

[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.

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

I'd probably find some reason to keep them out if I were the one doing the voting, but realistically I don't think there's anyway they miss.  TMac was All-NBA seven times and is a two-time scoring leader who has career averages of 20/6/5.  His 38 career playoff games might delay him, but I think voters will eventually put him in.  

Vince Carter is tougher.  He was only All-NBA two times, and was only in the top-10 in MVP voting once (when he finished 10th).  However, I think his stats (22/5/4) are going to pull hard on some voters.

[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.

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

Oh, he deserves induction for his contributions alone, sure.  However, I think being recognized as a player is more meaningful.  Yao wasn't just a great contributor, he was a great player.

[Fafnir]

Yeah T-Mac had much the same career arc as Yao. Absolutely elite player until injuries derailed their career. T-Mac just stuck around while Yao had to retire, and his injuries had two phases. (first back issues robbed him from elite MVP caliber to just all-star and then he blew out his knees totally)

[Eja117]

I totally disagree.  How can you make great and important contributions to the game from a wheel chair?  If we're going to go down the coulda woulda path maybe we should get Oden in there and Len Bias.

And if we're going to do the contributor thing than I guess Nene, Barbosa, and Varejao should go in together.

[Fafnir]

I totally disagree.  How can you make great and important contributions to the game from a wheel chair?  If we're going to go down the coulda woulda path maybe we should get Oden in there and Len Bias.

And if we're going to do the contributor thing than I guess Nene, Barbosa, and Varejao should go in together.

Hyperbole is the single greatest thing in the universe.

Expanding the NBA and basketball's popularity into China is a big deal. Especially when coupled with having 7 high quality years as an all-star level player.

[Donoghus]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

[Fafnir]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Walton is a bad example in a way because his college career alone would have warranted inclusion.

[Eja117]

I totally disagree.  How can you make great and important contributions to the game from a wheel chair?  If we're going to go down the coulda woulda path maybe we should get Oden in there and Len Bias.

And if we're going to do the contributor thing than I guess Nene, Barbosa, and Varejao should go in together.

Hyperbole is the single greatest thing in the universe.

Expanding the NBA and basketball's popularity into China is a big deal. Especially when coupled with having 7 high quality years as an all-star level player.

Common sense is  a good thing too.

Wow. seven whole high quality years? Wow. Expanded the game into China?  And that affects me how?

Let me ask you something Fafnir.    During the entire part of Yao's career when you'd turn on the tv and they'd say "Yao will miss the whole season because he just broke a small bone in his foot" did you ever immediately think to yourself "Oh, but he is so Hall of Fame.  He shouldn't have to do the 5 year wait time. He's expanding into China!"  

Expanding into China is not a big deal.  He wasn't the highest jersey seller there.  The NFL hasn't expanded anywhere and it's still the greatest game on Earth after college football which hasn't expanded anywhere either.

Dunkin Donuts is expanding in China. Cell phones are expanding in China. Everything is expanding in China. Things are expanding in lots of places. It's not a big deal.

Yao was still not a HOFer.  He's more like a Hall of pretty darn gooder who go hurt.

[Eja117]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Two wrongs don't make a right.  Fafnir may have a point about the college career

[Donoghus]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Walton is a bad example in a way because his college career alone would have warranted inclusion.

I'm not quite sure of all the standards in regards to player induction, but what college players have made the HOF based almost exclusively on college careers? 

Ralph Sampson is a 3 time college player of the year and he's not in the HOF. 

Laettner's only in as a Dream Teamer. 

So, professional experience has to be a big contributor to induction as a player, no?

[Donoghus]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Two wrongs don't make a right.  Fafnir may have a point about the college career

There are plenty of people out there who would argue that Walton isn't a wrong and the same for Yao when you consider contemporaries in the HOF.

[Eja117]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Two wrongs don't make a right.  Fafnir may have a point about the college career

There are plenty of people out there who would argue that Walton isn't a wrong and the same for Yao when you consider contemporaries in the HOF.

I'm not saying Walton is wrong per se, but that Walton being in isn't a reason to let Yao in, and it's definitely not a reason for waiving the 5 year period.

Do we really want other basketball associations and Chinese media nominating people?  What happens a few years down the road when some other country does the same thing for someone else? 

They gotta stop letting in anyone who made a Nike commercial and some money for someone. It's the HOF, not the Oscars.

It should be a lot closer to canonization than to the Nickelodeon people's choice awards.

[wdleehi]

I totally disagree.  How can you make great and important contributions to the game from a wheel chair?  If we're going to go down the coulda woulda path maybe we should get Oden in there and Len Bias.

And if we're going to do the contributor thing than I guess Nene, Barbosa, and Varejao should go in together.

Hyperbole is the single greatest thing in the universe.

Expanding the NBA and basketball's popularity into China is a big deal. Especially when coupled with having 7 high quality years as an all-star level player.

Common sense is  a good thing too.

Wow. seven whole high quality years? Wow. Expanded the game into China?  And that affects me how?

Let me ask you something Fafnir.    During the entire part of Yao's career when you'd turn on the tv and they'd say "Yao will miss the whole season because he just broke a small bone in his foot" did you ever immediately think to yourself "Oh, but he is so Hall of Fame.  He shouldn't have to do the 5 year wait time. He's expanding into China!"  

Expanding into China is not a big deal.  He wasn't the highest jersey seller there.  The NFL hasn't expanded anywhere and it's still the greatest game on Earth after college football which hasn't expanded anywhere either.

Dunkin Donuts is expanding in China. Cell phones are expanding in China. Everything is expanding in China. Things are expanding in lots of places. It's not a big deal.

Yao was still not a HOFer.  He's more like a Hall of pretty darn gooder who go hurt.

Yao is a Hall of Famer.  


He had Hall of Famer talent.

He had Hall of Fame level years.



He expanded the game.  He brought people to the game.





And remember, this is not a NBA Hall of Fame.  You can find so many Basketball hall of famers that did so little.  Win one College title, get in as a coach.  The different lady players.  The international players.  

[Chris]

If Walton's in, doesn't Yao pretty much have to be in too?

Walton is a bad example in a way because his college career alone would have warranted inclusion.

Yup.  Plus, when he was healthy in the league he was more dominant than Yao ever was.

Walton was just a transcendent player whose career was struck down early by injuries.  Yao on the other hand was an All-star player, but IMO was never a top 5 player in the league.  

[Eja117]

I totally disagree.  How can you make great and important contributions to the game from a wheel chair?  If we're going to go down the coulda woulda path maybe we should get Oden in there and Len Bias.

And if we're going to do the contributor thing than I guess Nene, Barbosa, and Varejao should go in together.

Hyperbole is the single greatest thing in the universe.

Expanding the NBA and basketball's popularity into China is a big deal. Especially when coupled with having 7 high quality years as an all-star level player.

Common sense is  a good thing too.

Wow. seven whole high quality years? Wow. Expanded the game into China?  And that affects me how?

Let me ask you something Fafnir.    During the entire part of Yao's career when you'd turn on the tv and they'd say "Yao will miss the whole season because he just broke a small bone in his foot" did you ever immediately think to yourself "Oh, but he is so Hall of Fame.  He shouldn't have to do the 5 year wait time. He's expanding into China!"  

Expanding into China is not a big deal.  He wasn't the highest jersey seller there.  The NFL hasn't expanded anywhere and it's still the greatest game on Earth after college football which hasn't expanded anywhere either.

Dunkin Donuts is expanding in China. Cell phones are expanding in China. Everything is expanding in China. Things are expanding in lots of places. It's not a big deal.

Yao was still not a HOFer.  He's more like a Hall of pretty darn gooder who go hurt.

Yao is a Hall of Famer.  


He had Hall of Famer talent.

He had Hall of Fame level years.



He expanded the game.  He brought people to the game.





And remember, this is not a NBA Hall of Fame.  You can find so many Basketball hall of famers that did so little.  Win one College title, get in as a coach.  The different lady players.  The international players.  

I see your point. Perhaps it's a little more museumish.  But they gotta at least not waive the 5 year thing. That's just dumb.  Also his statue should have him wearing a suit and tie, because that's how I remember him