Hall of Fame: Class 2006

[westkoast]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., April 3 -- Former NBA stars Charles Barkley, Joe Dumars and Dominique Wilkins, University of Connecticut Women’s Coach Geno Auriemma, former Big East Commissioner David Gavitt and Italian National Team Coach Sandro Gamba were introduced today as members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2006. The announcement was made in Indianapolis, Indiana, site of the 2006 NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Auriemma, Barkley and Gavitt were elected to the Hall of Fame in their first year of consideration. Wilkins, Dumars and Gamba have been named Finalists previously.

The Class of 2006 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass., September 8-9, 2006. Tickets to the 2006 Enshrinement Gala and Induction Celebration are available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 781-6500.

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Pretty much no brainers putting these 3 into the Hall of Fame.  Any defining moments of their careers that anyone thinks shows why they are being put into the hall of fame?

Dumars could make it one heck of a year for himself if his squad wins the championship on top of this big honor.

[jn]

Sandro Gamba should be insulted to be associated with these nobodies.

I know that the fascination with dunking and style over substance is bad for b-ball but nevertheless seeing the clips of 'Nique ASSAULTING the rim from the clouds is still a thrill.  
 

[Guest_Randy]

Okay, I can see how Barkley gets in -- he helped redefine the PF position (esp. for a guy that was only 6'6") but Dumars and Wilkins?  Dumars was a ROLE player!!!  A GOOD role player but STILL a role player!  And Wilkins?  The guy shot 46% -- one might think that wasn't so bad until you realize that MOST of his points came at the rim.  He was a poor outside shooter and a defensive liability.  

If the HOF is going to vote in guys like this, being in the HOF isn't going to mean much!   :crazy:  

[ziggy]

Okay, I can see how Barkley gets in -- he helped redefine the PF position (esp. for a guy that was only 6'6") but Dumars and Wilkins?  Dumars was a ROLE player!!!  A GOOD role player but STILL a role player!  And Wilkins?  The guy shot 46% -- one might think that wasn't so bad until you realize that MOST of his points came at the rim.  He was a poor outside shooter and a defensive liability. 

If the HOF is going to vote in guys like this, being in the HOF isn't going to mean much!   :crazy:

Just for a point of reference

Barkley has the 6th highest Hall of Fame Monitor score for players eligible or not that are not in the hall.  Those higher are
MJ
Malone
Duncan
Shaq
Hakeem

Wilkins has the second highest total (142) of all players eligible but not yet in the hall.  Of those not yet eligible with higher scores
1. Michael Jordan 731
2. Karl Malone 501
3. Tim Duncan 402
4. Shaquille O'neal 341
5. Hakeem Olajuwon 338
6. Charles Barkley 315
7. David Robinson 289
8. Kevin Garnett 254
9. Allen Iverson 229
10. Jason Kidd 196
11. John Stockton 194
12. Scottie Pippen 189
13. Steve Nash 174
14. Gary Payton 169
15. Kobe Bryant 164
16. Patrick Ewing 156

Dumars is 32nd of all eligible players not yet in the hall.  Those with higher scores than Dumars are;
1. Paul Westphal 143
2. Dominique Wilkins 142
3. Artis Gilmore 140
4. Spencer Haywood 138
5. Bernard King 135
6. Dennis Johnson 134
7. Adrian Dantley 126
8. Jack Sikma 125
9. Larry Nance 122
10. Buck Williams 121
11. Gus Williams 120
12. Maurice Cheeks 118
13. Marques Johnson 118
14. Reggie Theus 117
15. Sidney Moncrief 116
16. Bill Laimbeer 116
17. George Mcginnis 114
18. Paul Silas 114
19. Chet Walker 113
20. Mark Price 113
21. Bob Dandridge 112
22. Walter Davis 112
23. Randy Smith 110
24. Jojo White 110
25. Lafayette Lever 110
26. Norm Nixon 109
27. Bill Bridges 109
28. Jamaal Wilkes 109
29. Derek Harper 108
30. Richie Guerin 107

In my mind there are really only 2 players on that list that deserve to be in the hall, Wilkins and Dennis Johnson.  I say Johnson because his stats were somewhat compromised because of the talent around him, and even given that he still scored a 134.

Of those not yet eligible with higher scores there are an additional 42 players with a higher score than Dumars.

1. Michael Jordan 731
2. Karl Malone 501
3. Tim Duncan 402
4. Shaquille O'neal 341
5. Hakeem Olajuwon 338
6. Charles Barkley 315
7. David Robinson 289
8. Kevin Garnett 254
9. Allen Iverson 229
10. Jason Kidd 196
11. John Stockton 194
12. Scottie Pippen 189
13. Steve Nash 174
14. Gary Payton 169
15. Kobe Bryant 164
16. Patrick Ewing 156
17. Chris Webber 134
18. Tim Hardaway 130
19. Reggie Miller 130
20. Anfernee Hardaway 125
21. Tracy Mcgrady 123
22. Kevin Johnson 121
23. Horace Grant 121
24. Chris Mullin 120
25. Mitch Richmond 118
26. Dennis Rodman 118
27. Mark Jackson 117
28. Otis Thorpe 117
29. Ron Harper 117
30. Latrell Sprewell 116
31. Jeff Hornacek 115
32. Alonzo Mourning 114
33. Grant Hill 114
34. Rod Strickland 113
35. Terry Porter 113
36. Dirk Nowitzki 113
37. Dikembe Mutombo 110
38. Sam Cassell 109
39. Kevin Willis 108
40. Terry Cummings 107
41. Charles Oakley 107
42. Stephon Marbury 106

Now it is fair to say that Dumars stats were somewhat compromised because of the talent level on his Pistons teams, which spread the stats around, but even given that there is really on one player under 156 that deserves to be in, and that would be Reggie Miller at 130.

So I would agree with Randy about Dumars, but disagree with him on Wilkins, but I think it is safe to say that Wilkins is right on the line of being in or out.

[guest-koast]

Do you think his front office success is helping his cause?  He helped bring a winning tradition to the Pistons as a player and is doing the same thing as a general manager.  Dumars was a role player, a pretty good one.  His fellow players even said that they thought he could have been more but he knew he had a certain role on that team he had to fill and did it well.  You cannot fault him for his role.

Wilkens I dunno, there are alot of other players that deserve to go that played better statistically than he did.  I grew up watching him dunk and make the sport highlight reels so I guess I am bias in a sense.  Certainly the HOF has overlooked better players than Wilkens in the past.

[Joe Vancil]

Come on, Ziggy - HOW IS ARTIS GILMORE NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME?

Of all the old guys, Gilmore is more deserving than pretty much any of them.

Oh - by the way, thanks again for the Jazz tickets.  An awesome game.

[westkoast]

Reggie Theus and Derek Harper?!  Would anyone say that those guys deserve to be in the HOF moreso than Joe Dumars?!?!?!