Well I'm one of Yao's biggest fans and I disagree with you disagreeing with me disagreeing with thacabbage.
Since you are giving a HOF ticket to a guy for being a pioneer, why don't we put John Amaechi for being a pioneer also. Or Wang ZiZi or whatever for being the first Chinese Player in the Nba. Don't get me wrong. I'm a Yao fan, but I'm also being real. Yao's career numbers are ok, but they don't blow you away. And also the injuries don't help either. Wallace on the other hand has won the defensive player award 4 times and help his team to a title. Besides a couple of player of the week and month award, Yao hasn't done jack.
NBA Champion: 2004 * 4-time NBA All-Star: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 * 4-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 * 6-time All-NBA Defensive Team: * First Team: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 * Second Team: 2007 * 5-time All-NBA: * Second Team: 2003, 2004, 2006 * Third Team: 2002, 2005 * 2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounds per game: 2002 (13.0), 2003 (15.4) * NBA regular-season leader, blocks per game: 2002 (3.5) * 2-time NBA regular-season leader, total rebounds: 2001 (1052), 2003 (1026) * NBA regular-season leader, total defensive rebounds: 2001 (749) * 2-time NBA regular-season leader, total offensive rebounds: 2003 (293), 2006 (301) * NBA regular-season leader, total blocks: 2002 (278) Enough said
Regardless of how many MVP's are in, I don't think it should guarantee anything. It's a one season award, and largely dependent on a player's team situation. A player could also win it early in his career, get hurt, and be left out of the HOF, deservedly so. Bill Walton fits the profile, except he made it in, despite a small body of work. He was great when healthy, but almost never healthy. I'm a Nash fan, but even I question his credentials aside from the 2 MVP's. No Finals appearances, no titles, solid but not spectacular before he landed in the perfect situation in Phoenix. Another high caliber season or two might push him over the top in my mind, but I'm sure he's a lock in the league's eyes. You could look at a guy like Wes Unseld, MVP as a rookie, as a questionable HOFer(great rebounder, below average offensively). He, Walton, and Nash stand out for me as maybe just below the cut for the HOF.
I would say Yao defintiely does make the HOF at this point. His play probably doesn't warrant it, but like others have said. He is the first major star from Asia and that is huge. He has had a giant influence on the game, arguably more than anyone else during his playing time. That alone will get him in imo.
I think getting MVP does get you to the hall of fame -only B/C there are so many great players out there right now. There is merit in winning the MVP award it is the top honor besides Championships. Championships is a team award. HOF award is for INDIVIDUAL accomplishments. MVP would greatly increase (if not guarantee) your chances.
Probably in the NBA, the MVP means HOF. In baseball though, you have Dale Murphy who has won 2 MVPs, and not in the HOF. There is a reason why the Basketball HOF isn't regarded in the same way.
Those of you arguing that Walton shouldn't be in have to remember this is the BASKETBALL hall of fame, not PRO basketball hall of fame. Walton is the most memorable player from the greatest dynasty in all of basketball. That alone is almost worth him making it in. The fact that he put an NBA MVP on top of his college career is icing on the cake. Those of you that say Ben Wallace is making the HOF are ignorant. Ben Wallace isn't even a borderline HOF player. If you think a guy that has averaged 6.2 PPG, 10.3 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 1.3 spg, while shooting 41.8% from the FT line and 47.2% from the field is getting into the HOF, you're a moron. Ben Wallace has never made all NBA 1st team and 2nd team only 3 times and he's a HOF player? Please name another player with similar stats to Ben Wallace that has made the HOF to support your claim that he will make the HOF. Dennis Rodman has two DPOY awards, 5 NBA championships, and averaged 7.3 ppg, 13.1 rpg, .6 bpg, .7 spg, while shooting 58.4% from the line and 52.1% from the field. Wallace's stats don't even come close to stacking up to Mutombo, who MIGHT make the HOF due to his personality and humanitarianism. Wallace's numbers are comparable to Marcus Camby. Do you think Camby is a HOF player? Ben Wallace's best career statistical categories are rebounds, blocks, and steals. Wallace checks in at 73rd all time on steals, 17th all time blocks, and 41st in rebounds.
Also, to the guy that says Ben Wallace in, Nash out, what the hell are you smoking? Please, point to one rational argument as to why you'd vote Ben Wallace into the HOF before Steve Nash. Please don't say NBA titles unless you're willing to apply the same logic to Dikembe Mutombo.
Good points, all. Throw in Walton's UCLA days, he's a lock. But I still believe his NBA career alone isn't worthy. There should be a distinction between college and pro for the HOF. They're not at all the same. Christian Laettner can attest to that.
Once he's done, he'll probaby be a shoe in on career numbers alone. That MVP will be icing. I think because of the way MVP voting usually goes, as a coronation of sorts for players rather than a completely objective look at their impact over a single season, most MVPs already have have career paths or stats to get them in the HoF by the time they win (with the exception of Nash, of course).
