http://www.nba.com/fantasy/features/ltf_080305.html Houston Rockets Tracy McGrady: T-Mac is 28 years young with 16,255 points and a career scoring average of 22.4. He's well on his way. Dikembe Mutombo: Deke was the NBA's first four-time Defensive Player of the Year and he's been to eight All-Star games. He's second all-time with 3,245 blocks and 18th all-time with 12,184 rebounds. And dig this logic. Dominique Wilkins, Alex English, and George Gervin made it to the Hall of Fame on the offensive end, topping 20,000 points while playing occasional defense. So why can't defensive specialists who gave you occasional offense, like Deke, make it to the Hall from the defensive end? Every coach in the history of orange has preached defense and everyone knows defense wins championships. So why do scorers get all the love? (Yao Ming is six for six in terms of All-Star appearances, but he has played only two-thirds of the regular season games over the past three years. If you double his points and rebounds from his first six seasons, Yao would have 15,364 points and 7,412 rebounds at age 33. He's out.) Well caption this, Kamla has MONTA ELLIS, PAU GASOL, AL JEFFERSON, GREG ODEN (who hasn't played any games yet), JOE JOHNSON etc to be in the Hall of Fame. I'm not angry but dammit if you put those players you have to put there one of the best centers in the world, Yao Ming. This is a ugly.
He's also a big Yao fan. He's the guy responsible for the "Stop bashing Yao Ming" rant on nbatv a few years ago. He probably excluded him because his cumulative totals might be low if he continues to get injured.
I don't see how T-mac is "well on his way." Neither Yao nor T-mac will have a chance at HoF if they can't get at least 1 Ring or maybe a few MVP or lots of playoff success with good stats.
Yao hasn't been in the NBA long enough to be considered HOF. Once he gets into his 10th+ year, he'll be on the list.
no he aint. yao hasn't done anything to this point. 22-24ppg and 10-11rpg is NOT a lock. it's a very good allstar career but at this point if yao gets into HOF it's going to be based on larger impact on the game in terms of spreading the game to china than for basketball walton led his team to a chip and was finals MVP. he lead the NBA in boards and blocks. he won a 6th man award. walton was a top 50th anniversary player and well deserved the award. he's one of the top centers ever
Yao's gonna be in the HOF. For those who say he needs to prove himself, I totally agree. But let's just say Yao probably gets as far as the WCF in his career, never wins a ring and averages about 70 games a season for another 7 seasons. He'd STILL be inducted. Why? Yeah he's put up some badass stats but lets face it. The dude brought the NBA to china. Not Wang Zhizhi, not Yi Jian Lian, but Yao. Dude was also the first international player to be taken 1st overall. Yao's shattered alot of boundaries when it comes to basketball. I really want him to win mvp's, rings, etc etc but fact is, its his globalization of the game that will get him inducted.
Kamla's been in Yao's corner in the past. It might have just been an oversight. Or maybe he's worried that the rest of Yao's career will by injury-ridden (he is not a HOF-caliber player based on current career accomplishmens).
Wow, I agree with durvasa. If Yao's career ended tomorrow, I can't say for certain he'd be a HOF. He's been injured ALOT, but had good numbers. However it takes a sustained career to make the HOF. Does Steve Francis make the HOF right now? I don't think so.
he will make the HOF just for being the greatest player to ever play in china...remember the HOF is the basketball HOF not the NBA HOF...and they take international stars and legends into consideration...
he'll be a HOF for his influence on chinese bball and bridging the cultural divide even if he doesn't play one more game of bball in the NBA.
Bleh, it's all about the recongnition. The Naismith isin't even about the stats man; there are several non-NBA players out there that get in based on being the best "player in Serbia" and the most popular "woman player in Latvia" etc. etc. So Yao is a lock to get in regardless of stats. But stats-wise, it's not as grim as it seems. Assuming Yao gets at least 1200 pts/600 rebounds (20/10 over 60 games, very conservative estimate) for the next say...seven seasons (until he's 35), then we're looking at a 16000/8000 career. And that's assuming Yao gets DNPs for 20 games each season and assuming he doesn't well...enter his prime (Which could easily see some 25/12 seasons)
