The Hall of Fame is for ppl with accomplishments. At the very least, you need a ring, an MVP, top 10 all time in some statistic, a ****load of awards (other than all-stars) have incredible career statistics, or a player from the pre-70s eras.
this hold NO weight when they also induct referees, broadcasters, team owners to the HOF. Yao's impact on basketball globally is unmatched to anyone not named Michael Jeffrey Jordan I would suspect. Yao gets in, not sure if he will be a first ballot, but he will be in the HOF no doubt
Based on on-court accomplishments alone, I'd say no, but he's done so much more for the NBA than play basketball. So yes. He should and will.
This is your own definition of a HOFer. Don't try to mislead the other people that this is the official definition.
It's called the Hall of FAME - Yao is famous the world over, not only for his basketball prowess, but what he meant to people who otherwise would not have cared one iota about the NBA. He has enriched the lives of so many, it won't even do him justice to induct him into the HOF - he should have a statue out front of the Toyota Center. The man is is an idol and an icon - a cult of personality. HOF Yao is HOF!
I didn't know Drazen was in. If that's the case then The HOF is a joke popularity contest. If that's the case let Yao in for sure.
[rQUOTEr]The next referendum on Yao will come in five years, when the Basketball Hall of Fame will likely put his name on a ballot. On paper, Yao's numbers (19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds per game in eight seasons) don't measure up. Spencer Haywood, Bernard King and Mel Daniels have credentials as good or better than Yao's and they are still on the outside looking in. But what Yao has done for the game cannot be quantified, cannot be judged on a piece of paper. Yao wasn't the first Chinese citizen to play in the NBA, but he was unquestionably it's most important. There should be a place in the Hall to recognize that. [/rQUOTEr]
It's not about popularity. It's about influence on the game. Is it too difficult for you to understand?
Influence on the game? Yao didn't change the game of basketball he did however help a business (the NBA) grow its product from national to International. He changed the marketing game but his basketball career was Good, not Great.
Millions of new NBA fans. Popularity of the NBA game in Asia. First legit Asian NBA player. Role model of numerous NBA fans (especially in China). What do you prefer to call it if it is not influence?
1.3 billion more eyes watching basketball because of Yao. Explain to me how this isn't influencing the game? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_Naismith_Memorial_Basketball_Hall_of_Fame take a look at the 'Contributors.' Yao without a doubt, deserves to be inducted.
I say Yao get's in due to contributions to the game. And Guy V belongs but they're being stupid about it.
So because one deserving candidate didn't get in for whatever ridiculous reason, everyone else with comparable qualification shouldn't be in either? It's time to rethink your logic. It's kinda stupid.
Honestly, he deserves to be in strictly for his non-court ambassador role for China in US basketball... a lot of global popularity of the sport is due to him.
