Around this time last year, I started a thread about potential Basketball HOFers. Guys like Zo, Kidd, Tim Hardaway, Mullin, etc. Guys who had take their teams deep in the playoffs and had been to multiple all-star games. Thinking about it again, another name popped into my head. How about Shawn Kemp? Hear me out on this one. Kemp has scored over 15,000 career points, and has over 8,000 rebounds. He made the All-NBA Second Team three times, and was a 6-time All-Star. He was the star of one of the best teams of the 1990s (Payton wasn't the man in Seattle until Kemp was traded), and has been to the Finals. Now I don't like Kemp. Not at all. I think of him as KMart with a jumpshot. But he was the cog of a team that routinely won 50-60 games, and was one of the best players at his position in his prime. Would you vote Kemp into the HOF, when you consider the type of player he was before gaining 400 pounds in one offseason? I'm not sure if I would, but I'd definately have to give it some thought.
Not at all. The only way a guy who had such a dramatic dropoff in his career should be allowed in the Hall-of-Fame is if he was Ken Griffey Jr.-like in his glory. Kemp, while great, was not hands down the best player in the game or at his position at any point in his career.
But couldn't you say the exact same thing for, say, Alonzo Mourning? Now personally, I really don't think Zo's a hall of famer, largely because he never made it to the Finals. He also was never the best at his position, though he was close a few years. But I think you could argue that Kemp has more accomplishments than Zo (or Tim Hardaway, or Mitch Richmond, or Chris Mullin... Sorry, just wanted to get in a Run-TMC plug. Loved those guys).
I agree. Mourning is not HoF worthy either. If you were never the best at your position for even one year in your career, how can you be in the Hall of Fame? Over the years, the Hall of Fame has become watered down. Just because you're good, or great, doesn't mean you deserve enshrinement. Only the best of the best deserve to be HoF'ers. The standards are dropping way too low. Maybe we should have a Hall of Great for guys like Kemp, Mourning, Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin. None of these guys are HoF'ers (though some might argue the case for Mullin)
hall of fame is for the best of the best.... kemp is not that all nba SECOND TEAM 3 times is a joke for a hall of famer. he could have been great but he had too many issues.
Alex English is in the HOF and only made All-NBA Second team. Three times, for that matter. Ditto Dave Cowens. Adrian Dantley SHOULD be in the HOF, and he only made All-NBA Second team twice. I don't think that should be a major deciding factor.
I've never really looked at the stats for the HOF, but he was pretty good for a long time, so he does deserve some mention. I look at the Hall of Fame as exactly that, a hall of fame, and Kemp was not that famous. Now if you said Otis Thorpe....
Kemp???? He's only averaged 19 or more ppg 2 times in his career. His career averages are 15 and 8. No way. I put Zo in before Kemp. Career averages of 20/10/ 3 blks. His career was cut short by illness/injury, while Shawn Kemp chose to ruin his career by not keeping himself in shape.
Not necessarily IMO. Calving had a stellar college career, while Kemp didn't. I think thats a huge factor in the difference.
He also holds the NBA Record for highest FT% in a single season... Kemp holds the NBA Record for most seasons(5) leading the NBA in disqualifications
Nope, just a Basketball HOF, which covers intl. ball too. I'm sure Sabonis will get in, even though he had a very average NBA career.
