Basketball Hall of Fame: Which recently retired NBA players have the best shot at enshrinement?

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The 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class was officially announced on Saturday, with a star-studded roster featuring Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, Seimone Augustus and Jerry West among the players set to be inducted this summer. This follows an all-time 2023 class featuring Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker as just a handful of the names enshrined.

If you’re looking for a similar crop in 2025 — at least in terms of former NBA players — you might be left a bit disappointed. There’s a chance that no recently retired NBA players will actually be inducted next year. But the weaker class could also mean that players who have already missed the cut, like Shawn Marion, Amar’e Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, will have a better shot at getting elected.

Things get a bet brighter after next year, with Carmelo Anthony and (maybe) Dwight Howard on the docket in the coming classes. Here’s a look at some of the recently retired NBA players who could ultimately find their way into the Hall of Fame.

Stone-cold locks

Carmelo Anthony (2026)

Assuming he doesn’t mount an unexpected comeback in the next couple of seasons, Anthony will certainly make the Hall of Fame when he’s eligible in 2026. The only major accolade that eluded him during his 19-year NBA career was a championship, but we’ve seen plenty of other prolific players gain enshrinement despite that hole in the resumé. A 10-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, Anthony made the league’s 75th Anniversary Team and currently sits 10th on the all-time scoring list.

As if his NBA accomplishments weren’t enough, Anthony also won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA and led Syracuse to an NCAA title in his only college season. Start crafting your speech, Carmelo.

Dwight Howard (????)

Howard no longer plays in the NBA, but his ongoing career overseas brings the year of his eligibility into question. The rule is four years after “full retirement,” but the Hall of Fame recently inducted Pau Gasol after deeming that his stint with FC Barcelona…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/basketball-hall-of-fame-which-recently-retired-nba-players-have-the-best-shot-at-enshrinement/

Author : Colin Ward-Henninger

Publish date : 2024-04-07 13:30:11

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