There are always some standout performances in every NBA season. Certain players seem to transcend the game to carry their teams through the postseason and on to championship glory.

We have already seen some stunning individual contributions across the 2024/25 NBA campaign. Several stars remain in contention for the regular-season MVP award, but can their displays match the best individual NBA campaigns of all time?

The Class of 25

With around a third of the regular season, several names remain in the hat for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. At the top of the list, current NBA MVP odds show Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite to claim the accolade.

It’s already been an impressive campaign for the man from Oklahoma City Thunder. After 54 games this term, Gilgeous-Alexander had registered an average of 32 points per match, ranking highly for rebounds, assists, and steals.

Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, and Nikola Jokic are also in contention for the 2025 MVP award. Each has delivered some stunning performances, but they have some way of matching the greatest individual NBA seasons. 

Stephen Curry: Golden State Warriors: 2015/16

Stephen Curry regularly delivers stunning stats, but the 2015/16 campaign was remarkable, even by his high standards. As the Golden State Warriors surged to their second Conference title in as many years, their key point guard returned some scarcely believable numbers.

Curry averaged over 30 points per game, but his most incredible stat involved his three-pointers. He shattered his previous record of 286 by posting no fewer than 402 three-point scores. It’s a milestone that may never be beaten, and while GSW ultimately fell short of winning the championship, Stephen Curry was rightly named the NBA’s regular season MVP.

LeBron James: Cleveland Cavaliers: 2008/09

Like Stephen Curry, LeBron James’ stunning 2008/09 season was ultimately in vain. Despite being the dominant franchise in the regular campaign, his Cleveland Cavaliers team lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals.

More than anyone else, the Cavs won 66 matches in the regular season, and James was the driving force behind their success. He averaged over 28 points and seven assists per game and was firm in defense. LeBron ranked highly for steals but couldn’t get Cleveland over the line.

Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: 1985/86

We could have picked any of Larry Bird’s campaigns in the early 80s. The Boston Celtics forward won his third regular season MVP award in succession in 1986, in what was a stunning effort.

He averaged over 25 points, with 9.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. This was the year Bird established himself as an elite-level player and a future Hall of Famer. On this occasion, those efforts ended happily as Larry Bird won his third NBA Championship with the Celtics.

Michael Jordan: Chicago Bulls: 1987/88

Michael Jordan’s 1987/88 season was almost perfect. He finished the campaign as the NBA’s MVP and picked up the Defensive Player of the Year award. He claimed the MVP in the league’s All-Star game while finishing as the NBA’s scoring champion.

Jordan’s stats across the campaign were remarkable. He averaged exactly 35 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds. His 3.2 steals per game also meant that he was the NBA’s steals leader.

It would have been the perfect season had it not been for the intervention of the Detroit Pistons. The Bulls lost to Detroit in the playoffs, and Air Jordan would have to wait another three years for his first NBA Championship.

Shaquille O’Neal: Los Angeles Lakers: 1999/2000

By sealing the NBA Championship in 2000, Shaquille O’Neal can lay a genuine claim to having delivered the best individual season ever. Along with his championship ring, the Shaq Attack claimed the MVP award in the regular campaign, the finals series, and the All-Star game.

This was the perfect campaign, with an average of 29.7 points and an exceptional 13.6 rebounds. Fittingly, O’Neal scored no fewer than 41 points in the sixth and last game of the finals series to seal the championship for his Lakers side.

The 2024/25 NBA season has already seen some brilliant individual performances. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s averages are so remarkable that it would be a severe shock if he didn’t win the MVP award.

Others are making contributions elsewhere and are ready to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA championship. Those stars will all be interested in landing the MVP in the finals series, where they can decide the trophy's destination. It will be fascinating to see the campaign reach its conclusion, but can anyone match the greatest individual NBA displays?

Additional Sources

https://www.oddschecker.com/basketball/nba/regular-season-mvp/winner 

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023-24 revision of our top 50 Chicago Bulls.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Bulls did not have a good year, but its core three all elevated their rankings. 

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Scottie Pippen
3. Artis Gilmore
4. Chet Walker
5. Horace Grant

You can find the entire list here.

Zach LaVine advanced to #15 from #18.

Guard DeMar DeRozan concluded three seasons with the Bulls (now with Sacramento) and rocketed up to #18 from #31.

Nikola Vucevic advanced from #36 to #32

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.  Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such, it is important to us that the

Chicago Bulls have announced the creation of their Ring of Honor, which will initially house 13 members and one team.

They will be celebrating this over the weekend of January 11-12.

Named to the Chicago Bulls’ Ring of Honor will be:

Artis Gilmore, Center, 1977-82 & 1988.  Gilmore went to four All-Stars as a Bull, leading the NBA in Effective Field Goal Percentage twice.  He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.

Phil Jackson, Assistant Coach, 1988-89 & Head Coach 1990-98.  “The Zen Master” guided Chicago to all six of their titles, and had a record of 545 and 193 with the Bulls.

Michael Jordan, Guard, 1985-93 & 1995-98.  The greatest player of all time was a six-time Champion and entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.  He was a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA player, 10-time Scoring Champion and five-time MVP.  Jordan was also named to the 75^th Anniversary Team, and was a six-time Finals MVP.

Johnny “Red” Kerr, Head Coach 1967-68, Broadcaster 1975-08.  Kerr was the voice of the Bulls for decades and became synonymous with the team despite starring as a player for years with Syracuse/Philadelphia.

Dick Klein, General Manager, 1967-69.  Klein was also the team’s founder.

Jerry Krause, General Manager 1985-03.  Krause presided over all six of Chicago’s championships and was arguably its architect. 

Toni Kukoc, Forward, 1994-00.  Kukoc helped Chicago win three titles and won a Sixth Man of the Year Award.  He entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Bob Love, Forward, 1969-77.  Love went to three All-Star Games, and was twice a Second Team All-Star.

Scottie Pippen, Forward, 1988-98 & 2004.  Pippen was Robin to Jordan’s Batman in those six titles and was a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, and eight-time All-Defensive Selection.  Pippen became a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2010.

Dennis Rodman, Forward, 1996-98.  Rodman helped anchor Chicago to their second three-peat and was a three-time Rebounding Champion as a Bull.  He was chosen for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.

Jerry Sloan, Guard/Forward, 1967-76, Assistant Coach 1978, Head Coach 1980-82.  Sloan was a two-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Selection as a player and he entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 as a Coach.

Chet Walker, Forward, 1970-75.  Walker played the second half of his career with the Bulls where he had four of his seven All-Star.  He entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Tex Winter, Assistant Coach, 1986-99.  Winter was an Assistant Coach for all six of Chicago’s championships.

The 1996 Championship Team.  This squad went 72-10 and won the organization’s fourth title.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com are thrilled with the Chicago Bulls pursuit of honoring their past legends.

After more than a year-long process, we are thrilled to announce that your votes have been counted, and we are pleased to unveil who you have chosen as the inaugural United States Athletic Hall of Fame Class.

The nominees were determined by a committee of athletes and writers who came up with the best qualifying athletes (to qualify, the athlete must be at least 50, and be, of course American).  Representatives of 17 different sports were nominated, and put forth before the public to decide on and in a pure democratic vote, the top 25 Players, top six Coaches and top six Contributors have been elected.

Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Athletes) in order of their vote total.

1. Muhammad Ali (Boxing):  Known as “The Greatest” Ali won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship three times, Olympic Gold in 1960, and was named the Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated.

2. Michael Jordan (Basketball):  Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships, and was the Finals MVP in all of them.  A 14-time All-Star, Jordan won the NBA MVP five times, and led the U.S. Dream Team to Gold in 1992.

3. Hank Aaron (Baseball):  Aaron went to 25 All-Star Games, won a World Series, an MVP and is the all-time leader in RBIs, Total Bases and Extra Base Hits.

4. Jim Thorpe (Track & Field, Football & Baseball). Thorpe is also a member of the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

5. Jim Brown (Football):  An NFL Champion with the Cleveland Browns, Brown won eight Rushing Titles over nine years, was a Pro Bowl Selection every year, and was named to the NFL 50^th, 75^th and 100^th Anniversary Teams.  He was also named the greatest College Football Player in history.

6. Jesse Owens (Track & Field):  Owens won Gold four times at the 1936 Olympics, and set three world records and tied another in the span of under an hour at a Big 10 track meet while representing Ohio State.

7. Jackie Robinson (Baseball):  Robinson was the man who broke Baseball’s color barrier, and he was a six-time All-Star and a World Series Champion with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He also was an MVP, and his number 42 was retired by all of MLB.

8. Babe Ruth (Baseball):  Ruth was the first megastar in sports, forever altering the game with his power.  A seven-time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees, Ruth was a twelve-time Home Run king.

9. Larry Bird (Basketball):  Bird won three NBA Championships with Boston, where he was a 12-time All-Star and three-time MVP.  He was also on the Dream Team that won Gold in 1992.

10. Bill Russell (Basketball):  Russell guided the Boston Celtics to an astounding 11 Championships, was a five-time MVP and 12-time All-Star.  He also won two NCAA Titles with San Francisco, and led the U.S. to Gold at the 1956 Olympics.

11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Basketball):  Abdul-Jabbar was the all-time scoring leader up until last year, won six NBA Titles (five with Los Angeles and one with Milwaukee), and was a six-time league MVP.  He also won three NCAA Titles as UCLA.

12. Ted Williams (Baseball):  Williams was a 19-time All-Star, six-time Batting Champion and was twice an MVP.  He is a member of the MLB All-Time Team and holds the lifetime record in On Base Percentage. 

13. Joe Louis (Boxing):  Louis held the World Heavyweight Championship from 1937 to 1949, and is recognized as the first black national sports hero.

14. Magic Johnson (Basketball):  A five-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and NCAA Champion at Michigan State, Johnson won three MVPs and was a 12xTime All-Star.

15. Carl Lewis (Track & Field):  Lewis is the most successful track star in American history, having won nine Gold Medals over four Olympic Games. 

16. Wilt Chamberlain (Basketball):  Chamberlain won four MVPs, two NBA Titles and was a 13-time All-Star.  The seven-time scoring champion set an unbreakable record with a 100-Point Game in 1962.

17. Willie Mays (Baseball):. Mats was a 24-time All-Star, World Series winner with the Giants, and a two-time MVP>. He is also a 12-time Gold Glove winner

18. Martina Navratilova (Tennis):  Born in Czechoslovakia, Navratilova defected to the United States and won 167 Singles Tournaments, 177 Doubles Tournaments, 18 Singles Grand Slams, 31 Doubles Grand Slams and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slams.

19. Joe DiMaggio (Baseball):  An All-Star in all of his 13 Seasons in the Majors, the career New York Yankee won nine World Series Rings, three MVPs and hold the record for hitting safely in 56 consecutive games.

20. Lou Gehrig (Baseball):  Gehrig is a member of the MLB All-Time Team, won six World Series Championships with the New York Yankees, and was the first Iron Man of Baseball.

21. Roberto Clemente (Baseball):  Clemente took the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series Titles, was an MVP and won four Batting Titles.  He died on route to Nicaragua in a plane crash while delivering humanitarian aid to earthquake victims.

22. Jack Nicklaus (Golf)):  Nicklaus won 117 Tournaments and a record 18 Majors

23. Arnold Palmer (Golf):  Palmer was the first transcendent star of the sport, and he captures seven Majors and 95 overall tournament wins.

24. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (Track & Field & Golf):  Didrikson-Zaharias won Gold in the 1932 Olympics in the 80 m Hurdles and Javelin.  She would later win 10 Majors on the LPGA.

25. Joe Montana (Football):  Montana Quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls, winning three Super Bowl MVPs and two MVPs.  He is also a member of the NFL 75^th and 100^th Anniversary Teams.

Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Coaches) in order of their vote total.

1. Vince Lombardi (Football):  Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers to five NFL Championships and wins in the first two Super Bowls.  It is fitting that the man who is considered the greatest coach of all time has the Super Bowl trophy named after him.

2. Red Auerbach (Basketball):  Auerbach coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships, and another seven as an Executive.  He had a coaching winning percentage of .662.

3. George Halas (Football): “Papa Bear”, who was a very good player in his day, was the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears for decades and helmed them to eight NFL Championships.

4. John Wooden (Basketball):  Wooden is the most successful coach in College Basketball history, winning ten NCAA Championships at UCLA and 15 PAC-12 Championships.

5 (TIE). Bill Belichick (Football):  Still active, Belichick took the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl wins, and is a two-time All-Decade Team Coach.

5 (TIE), Herb Brooks (Hockey):  Brooks coached the United States National Hockey Team to the biggest upset in Olympic history when they defeated the Soviet Union to advance to the 1980 Gold Medal Game, which they won.

Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Coaches) in order of their vote total.

1. James Naismith (Basketball):  The inventor of Basketball, Naismith took it from the peach basket to the modern day.

2. Al Davis (Football):  Davis was the owner of the Oakland Raiders, who helped change the culture of football.  His teams won three Super Bowls, and he was twice the NFL Executive of the Year.

3, Lamar Hunt (Football):  Hunt was the co-founder of the AFL, and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, that won Super Bowl IV under his tenure.

4. Branch Rickey (Baseball):  Rickey was the man who signed Jackie Robinson to integrate baseball, and was the General Manager of four World Series Teams. 

5 (TIE) Pete Rozelle (Football):  Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from 1960 to 1989, and under him the league exploded in popularity, developed the Super Bowl, and saw unprecedented expansion.

5 (TIE) David Stern (Basketball):  Stern was the NBA’s commissioner from 1984 to 2014, and is credited for the world-wide growth in popularity and the shifting focus on making stars of the individual players.

In order to keep transparency, here is the order the order nominees and where they finished in the vote:

Athletes:

26. Mike Tyson (Boxing)

27. Jack Johnson (Boxing)

28. Walter Payton (Football)

29. Eric Heiden (Speed Skating)

30. Bonnie Blair (Speed Skating)

31. Florence Griffith-Joyner (Track & Field)

32. Julius Erving (Basketball)

33. Josh Gibson (Baseball)

34. Joe Greene (Football)

35. Lawrence Taylor (Football)

36. Jerry Rice (Football)

37. Ty Cobb (Baseball)

38. Mickey Mantle (Baseball)

39. Althea Gibson (Tennis)

40. Cy Young (Baseball)

41. Michael Johnson (Track & Field)

42. Rocky Marciano (Boxing)

43. Bob Gibson (Baseball)

44. Wilma Rudolph (Track & field)

45. John McEnroe (Tennis)

46. Jack Dempsey (Boxing)

47. Dick Butkus (Football)

48. Chris Evert (Tennis)

49. Mark Spitz (Swimming)

50. Sandy Koufax (Baseball)

51. Pete Rose (Baseball)

52. Jimmy Connors (Tennis)

53. Sugar Ray Leonard (Boxing)

54. Satchel Paige (Baseball)

55. Michelle Akers (Soccer)

56. Arthur Ashe (Tennis)

57. Jerry West (Basketball)

58. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Basketball)

59. Billie Jean King (Tennis)

60. Bob Beamon (Track & Field)

61. Edwin Moses (Track & Field)

62. Barry Bonds (Baseball)

63. Sugar Ray Leonard (Boxing)

64. Emmitt Smith (Football)

65. Reggie White (Football)

66. Bo Jackson (Football & Baseball)

67. Nolan Ryan (Baseball)

68. Henry Armstrong (Boxing)

69. Stan Musial (Baseball)

70. Gail Devers (Track & Field)

71. Rafer Johnson (Track & Field)

72. Honus Wagner (Baseball)

73. Johnny Unitas (Football)

74. Sammy Baugh (Football)

75. Red Grange (Football)

76. Barry Sanders (Football)

77. Richard Petty (Auto Racing)

78. Cynthia Cooper (Basketball)

79. Oscar Robertson (Basketball)

80. Evelyn Ashford (Track & Field)

81. Dale Earnhardt (Auto Racing)

82. Al Oerter (Track & Field)

83. Mario Andretti (Auto Racing)

84. Dan Marino (Football)

85. Deion Sanders (Football & Baseball)

86. Otto Graham (Football)

87. Chris Chelios (Hockey)

88. Rogers Hornsby (Baseball)

89. Don Hutson (Football)

90. Peggy Fleming (Figure Skating)

91. Greg Louganis (Diving)

92. Brett Hull (Hockey)

93. Sam Snead (Golf)

94. Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner (Track & Field)

95. Rickey Henderson (Baseball)

96. Ben Hogan (Golf)

97. Dorothy Hamill (Figure Skating)

98. Walter Johnson (Baseball)

99. Chuck Lidell (Mixed Martial Arts)

100. Bob Mathias (Track & Field)

101. Mike Modano (Hockey)

102. A.J. Foyt (Auto Racing)

103. Dick Button (Figure Skating)

104. Ray Ewry (Track & Field)

105. Dan Gable (Wrestling)

106. Scott Hamilton (Figure Skating)

107. Randy Couture (Mixed Martial Arts)

108. Eddie Arcaro (Horse Racing)

109. George Blanda (Football)

110. Bobby Jones (Golf)

111. Mary Lou Retton (Gymnastics)

112. Greg LeMond (Cycling)

113. Earl Anthony (Bowling)

114. Joan Benoit (Track & Field)

115. Tracy Caulkins (Swimming)

116. Matt Biondi (Swimming)

117. Dara Torres (Swimming)

118. Dennis Connor (Sailing)

119. Nancy Lopez (Golf)

120. Mark Allen (Triathlon)

121. Phil Mahre (Skiing)

122. Kathy Whitworth (Golf)

123. Dave Scott (Triathlon)

124. Debbie Meyer (Swimming)

125. Bill Shoemaker (Horse Racing)

126. Mickey Wright (Golf)

127. Don Budge (Tennis)

128. Bill Tilden (Tennis)

129. Tracie Ruiz (Synchronized Swimming)

130. Willie Mosconi (Billiards)

Coaches:

7. Paul “Bear” Bryant (Football)

8. Phil Jackson (Basketball)

9. Curly Lambeau (Football)

10. Paul Brown (Football)

11. Knute Rockne (Football)

12. Pat Summitt (Basketball)

13. John Heisman (Football)

14. Connie Mack (Baseball)

15. Nick Saban (Football)

16. Amos Alonzo Stagg (Football)

17. Mike Krzyzewski (Basketball)

18. Don Shula (Football)

19. Leo Durocher (Baseball)

20. Casey Stengel (Baseball)

21. Pop Warne (Football)

22. Chuck Noll (Football)

23. Bobby Cox (Baseball)

24. Eddie Robinson (Football)

25. Lou Holtz (Football)

26. Gregg Popovich (Basketball)

27. John Chaney (Basketball)

28. Chuck Daly (Basketball)

29. Tom Flores (Basketball)

30. Joe Gibbs (Football)

31. Bobby Knight (Basketball)

32. John McGraw (Baseball)

33. Lenny Wilkens (Basketball)

34. Sparky Anderson (Baseball)

35. Tom Landry (Football)

36. Dean Smith (Basketball)

37. Geno Auriemma (Basketball)

38. Tony Dungy (Football)

39. Tommy Lasorda (Baseball)

40. Joe Paterno (Football)

41. Phog Allen (Basketball)

42. Pat Riley (Basketball)

43. Joe Torre (Baseball)

44. Walter Camp (Football)

45. Joe McCarthy (Baseball)

46. Adolph Rupp (Basketball)

47. Bo Schembechler (Football)

48. Bill Walsh (Football)

49. Barry Switzer (Football)

50. John Thompson (Basketball)

51. Jim Boeheim (Basketball)

52. Bobby Bowden (Football)

53. Jim Calhoun (Basketball)

54. Bill Cowher (Football)

55. Lefty Driesel (Basketball)

56. Weeb Ewbank (Football)

57. Bud Grant (Football)

58. Tom Heinsohn (Basketball)

59. Henry Iba (Basketball)

60. Jimmy Johnson (Football)

61. Marv Levy (Football)

62. John Maddem (Football)

63. Jack Ramsay (Basketball)

64. Candy Jim Taylor (Baseball)

65. Woody Hayes (Football)

66. Tom Osborne (Football)

67. Larry Brown (Basketball)

68. Mack Brown (Football)

69. Lou Duva (Boxing)

70. Bill Fitch (Basketball)

71. Ara Parseghian (Football)

72. Rick Pitino (Basketball)

73. Steve Spurrier (Football)

74. Eddie Sutton (Football)

75. Rudy Tomjanovich (Basketball)

76. Cus D’Amato (Boxing)

77. Hayden Fry (Football)

78. Whitey Herzog (Baseball)

79. George Karl (Basketball)

80. Lute Olson (Basketball)

81. Bill Self (Basketball)

82. Jerry Tarkanian (Basketball)

83. Dick Williams (Baseball)

84. Roy Williams (Basketball)

85. George Allen (Football)

86. Walter Alston (Baseball)

87. Sid Gllman (Football)

88. Ned Hanlon (Baseball)

89. Bob Huggins (Basketball)

90. Tony LaRussa (Baseball)

91. Urban Meyer (Football)

92. Don Nelson (Basketball)

93. Bill Snyder (Football)

94. Emmanuel Steward (Boxing)

95. Hank Stram (Football)

96. Ed Temple (Track & Field)

97. John Tortorella (Hockey)

98. Jim Tressel (Football)

99. Bob Johnson (Hockey)

100. Al Lopez (Baseball)

101. Pete Newell (Basketball)

102. C. Vivian Stringer (Basketball)

103. Earl Weaver (Baseball)

104. Fielding Yost (Football)

105. Red Holzman (Basketball)

106. Howard Jones (Football)

107. John Kundla (Basketball)

108. Frank Leahy (Football)

109. John McKay (Football)

110. Bo Ryan (Football)

111. Bill Sharman (Basketball)

112. Jerry Sloan (Basketball)

113. Jim Valvano (Basketball)

114. Frank Beamer (Football)

115. Bernie Bierman (Football)

116. Jody Conradt (Basketball)

117. Carlo Fassi (Figure Skating)

118. Eddie Futch (Boxer)

119. Bucky Harris (Baseball)

120. Miller Huggins (Baseball)

121. Bill McKenchie (Baseball)

122. Ron O’Brien (Diving)

123. Wilbert Robinson (Baseball)

124. Darrel Royal (Football)

125. Frank Selee (Baseball)

126. Billy Southworth (Baseball)

127. Tara VanDerveer (Basketball)

128. Abie Grossfeld (Gymnastics)

129. Freddie Roach (Boxing)

130. Bud Wilkinson (Football)

Contributors:

7. Dr. James Andrews (Sports Medicine)

8. Robert Kraft (Football Owner)

9. Roone Arledge (Television Executive)

10. Paul Tagliabue (Football Commissioner)

11. Dick Ebersol (Television Executive)

12. Marvin Miller (Baseball Union Leader)

13. Wellington Mara (Football Owner)

14. Art Rooney (Football Owner)

15. Ralph Hay (Football Owner and League Co-Founder)

16. Walter O’Malley (Baseball Owner & Executive)

17. Bert Bell (Football Commissioner)

18. Ed Sabol (Football Media)

19. George Steinbrenner (Baseball Owner)

20. Jack Kent Cooke (Football & Hockey Owner)

21. Mark Cuban (Basketball Owner)

22. Bill France Sr. (NASCAR CEO)

23. Bill James (Baseball Sabremetrician)

24. Ted Turner (Television Executive & Baseball Owner)

25. Frank Zamboni (Hockey Equipment Owner)

26. Bobby Beathard (Football Executive)

27. Pat Bowlen (Football Owner)

28. Jerry Buss (Basketball Executive)

29. Bud Greenspan (Sports Documentarian)

30. Jerry Jones (Football Owner)

31. Peter Ueberroth (Olympic Organizer & Baseball Executive)

32. Walter A. Brown (Basketball & Hockey Owner)

33. James E. Sullivan (Amateur Sports Official)

34. Don King (Boxing Promoter)

35. Dana White (UFC Executive)

36. Billy Beane (Baseball Executive)

37. Joe Carr (NFL Commissioner)

38. Dan Rooney (NFL Owner & Executive

39. Paul Allen (Football, Basketball & Soccer Owner)

40. Ned Irish (Basketball Owner)

41. James E. Norris (Hockey Owner)

42. Tim Nugent (Wheelchair Basketball Pioneer)

43. Bill Veeck (Baseball Owner & Executive)

44. Ron Wolf (Football Executive)

45. Bud Adams (Football Owner & Executive)

46. Pat Gillick (Baseball Executive)

47. Bucko Kilroy (Football Executive & Scout)

48. Tim Mara (Football Owner)

49. Art McNally (Football Official)

50. Bill Polian (Football Executive)

51. Ralph Wilson (Football Owner)

52. Bob Arum (Boxing Promoter)

53. Jerry Colangelo (Basketball Executive)

54. Rube Foster (Negro League Executive)

55. Effa Manley (Negro League Executive)

56. Steve Sabol (Football Filmmaker)

57. Seymour Siwoff (Statistician)

58. Al Spalding (Baseball Equipment Developer)

59. George Young (Football Executive)

60. Gil Brandt (Football Scout)

61. Avery Brundage (Olympic Executive)

62. Wayne Embry (Basketball Executive)

63. Jim Finks (Football Executive)

64. Jerry Krause (Basketball Executive)

65. Lou Lamoriello (Hockey Executive)

66. Bill Nunn (Football Scout)

67. Tex Schramm (Football Owner)

68. Arthur Wirtz (Hockey Owner)

69. Charles Bidwell (Football Owner)

70. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. (Football Owner)

71. Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta (UFC Owners)

72. Ford Frick (MLB Commissioner)

73. Ban Johnson (Baseball Executive)

74. J. Walter Kennedy (NBA Commissioner)

75. Mitch Kupchak (Basketball Executive)

76. Larry MacPhail (Baseball Executive)

77. Jerry Reinsdorf (Basketball Executive)

78. Max Winter (Football Owner)

79. Mike Ilitch (Hockey Owner)

80, Craig Patrick (Hockey Executive)

81. Amy Trask (Football Executive)

82. Leroy T. Walker (Olympic Executive)

83. Clark Griffith (Baseball Owner)

84. Peter Holt (Basketball Owner)

85. Larry O’Brien (NBA Commissioner)

86. Dan Reeves (Football Owner & Executive)

87. George Weiss (Baseball Executive)

88. Weston Adams (Hockey Executive)

89. Ed Barrow (Baseball Executive)

90. Will Harridge (Baseball Executive)

91. Frederic McLaughlin (Hockey Owner)

92. Clint Murchison (Football Owner)

93. Maurice Podoloff (Basketball Executive & Commissioner)

94. Warren Giles (Baseball Executive)

95. Jeremy Jacobs (Hockey Executive)

96. Jack McClosky Basketball Executive)

97. Lee MacPhail (Baseball Executive)

98. Tim Finchen (Golf Executive)

99. Tex Rickard (Hockey Owner & Boxing Promoter)

100. Joe Dey Golf Executive)

We are endeavoring to put forth the 2024 Ballot by December 15.

Thank you to all who have voted and thank you in advance to those who plan to vote next year!

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Chicago Bulls.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Chicago disappointed despite having a solid core comprising DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Zach LeVine, all of whom are factored in the alteration of this list.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Scottie Pippen

3. Artis Gilmore

4. Chet Walker

5. Horace Grant

You can find the entire list here.

Two-time All-Star, Zach LaVine, advanced to #18 from #21.

DeMar DeRozan, who has been an All-Star in both of his Chicago years, climbed from #39 to #31.

The lone debut is Nikola Vucevic, who enters the list at #36.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Every once in a while, in any sport played in the USA, there is a player who walks off the field in their final game and, metaphorically, straight into the Hall of Fame. Such players are not like Zach Thomas, who played with distinction for years in the NFL but was unfortunate to miss out repeatedly until he was inducted this year. A “first ballot” Hall of Famer, someone who after the mandatory five years of retirement is elected in his first year of eligibility, is rare - but we can be fairly sure that in 2028, Tom Brady will be one.

What is it that makes a player such an inevitable inductee into their sport’s Valhalla in this way? It differs between sports, from a statistical point of view. If people are heading to sinlicencia.org to find a betting site just so they can bet on one team, there is a fair chance it has a first ballot Hall of Famer on it. But there are certain characteristics about a player whose place in the pantheon of greats is guaranteed, and we’ll run through them here.

They can carry a team on their back

 

Not that they’ll usually need to, because the presence of such a player attracts other high-achievers and improves the players around them. But a player like Brady or Michael Jordan could go into a seeming fugue state where the sport happened through them, making clutch play after clutch play and delivering a team to the optimal success whenever they needed to. In 2017, Brady took the Patriots from 28-3 down at the half to win in overtime against the Falcons, securing yet another Super Bowl ring. And the scary thing about it was just how routine he made it look.

They are admired even by those who can’t like them

 

You could say that Brady and Jordan lacked a certain natural charisma that made people warm to them as people. This is often a trait in perfectionists and winners; they don’t always understand or value the idea of being liked. When it comes down to it, doing what they do to the highest possible degree is what matters to them. When they’re doing their thing, rival fans may be praying for them to come up short. But the main reason people are happy to see those rare failures is because they know that if a player like this gets in a groove, there’s nothing the opponent can do to stop them. We may not always love these players, but we can’t help but admire them.

They are talked about as future Hall of Famers before they’ve even retired

 

Zach Thomas is the perfect example of someone who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but had to wait years before he was finally inducted. There was uncertainty as to whether it would happen, because he was good, but there was a dispute over whether he was great. There is no disputing the greatness of a Brady, a Jordan, or a Wayne Gretzky. The closest thing we have to a future first ballot inductee in any sport right now is probably LeBron James - and to reach that level, look at the career he’s had to have.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021-22 revision of our top 50 Chicago Bulls.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NBA. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note, that this is our first revision in one year, and there are no new entries, though two players saw their rank go up.

As always, we present our top five immediately, though nothing has changed in this upper-tier.

1. Michael Jordan

2. Scottie Pippen

3. Artis Gilmore

4. Chet Walker

5. Horace Grant

You can find the entire list here.

Zach LaVine, who was an All-Star last year, went up from #35 to #32.

Lauri Markkanen, climbs from #50 to #45.  

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Chicago Bulls. 

The Chicago Bulls were founded in 1966, bringing Basketball to the Windy City far later than it should have.

For most fans, the Bulls history really did not begin until they drafted Michael Jordan.  The drafting of M.J. changed everything, and he would take them to a pair of "three-peats," which will be forever celebrated, as it should be.

Chicago has not made the Finals since Jordan’s departure.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NBA.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2019-20 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Scottie Pippen

3. Artis Gilmore

4. Chet Walker

5. Horace Grant

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for our more material coming soon!

As always we thank you for your support.

It doesn't often happen where we feel we have nothing to say, since what can we tell you that you don't already know? 

If you ask any basketball fan who their favourite player is then chances are that 9 out of 10 times the name you'd hear is Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the world of basketball. He was responsible for the sudden growth in popularity of the NBA back in the 1980s. His incredibly flamboyant style of playing and his high jumps found him titles like Air Jordan and His Airness, names that have stuck to this day. Between him and Scottie Pippen, they turned around the fortunes of the Chicago Bulls making the team one of the greatest of that era.

The Chicago Bulls won six championship titles with Michael Jordan which pretty much made him one of the most bettable sportsmen of the time. Sports betting back in those days was very different from what it is now. These days, one can go online and even bet on virtual sports like this article describes.  If Michael Jordan were playing today, he would most definitely be one of the most bankable players. His sheer talent and skill is also the reason why he was so popular. In fact here are a few reasons for his popularity and his dependability.

He can act

Sure, Michael Jordan can play basketball but can he act? Yes, he can! Michael Jordan made his debut in Hollywood in a most bizarre movie called Space Jam where he acted opposite not human beings but cartoon characters. His co-stars were the iconic Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny from Looney Tunes. The story is about a bunch of aliens coming down to earth to enslave these characters as well as steal some basketball talent from the guys at NBA. Michael Jordan manages to come to the rescue as he always does. 

He can play even with the flu

Most people would be in bed, sipping hot soup and resting when they get the flu but not Michael Jordan. He gets up and plays basketball. The match between Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz featuring a flu-ridden Michael Jordan is one for the history books because he leads the team to a crazy 90-88 win before finally collapsing in a heap. 

The Last Shot

Michael Jordan's last match was in 1998 before retirement. The Chicago Bulls were playing against Utah Jazz. Michael Jordan dribbled his way through Bryon Russell and then gently pushed him and stole an opportunity to win a point. This won him his final title and the match has gone down in history as one of the greatest ever. No wonder then that the shoes he wore during that match fetched thousands of dollars at a recent auction. 

These are just some of the high points of MJ's career that made him one of the most dependable sportsmen ever. It was so difficult to keep him out of the game that he even returned to the court at the age of 40 and managed to score 43 points against New Jersey Nets. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the Art Ross Trophy.  This time we went back to basketball, and the NBA Finals MVP.

The award was first given out in 1969, and basketball is the most star driven team sport of the big four, so we should expect that it will have a higher yield than the others.

So how many NBA Finals MVPs have made the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the NBA Finals MVP who are eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers, 37.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7.4 APG (1969)    

The first NBA Finals MVP was a Laker, which is not a shock, but with Jerry West, it was also from a losing team, as L.A. lost to the Boston in seven games.  West did everything he could, and considering he pulled his hamstring in Game 5, and was still performing at an elite level in Games 6 and 7, it was hard to award to anyone else.  In the regular season, West was a Second Team All-NBA Selection, and he was a First Team Selection in his first six seasons.  West played 14 years in the NBA, all with Los Angeles, and he was an All-Star in every single one of those years.  He would finally win his title as a player in 1972.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Willis Reed, New York Knicks, 23.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.8 APG (1970)    

Willis Reed had a phenomenal 1969-70 year.  Reed became the first player to win the NBA MVP, the All-Star Game MVP and the Finals MVP in the same year.  Reed was injured in the Finals with a torn thigh muscle, and was forced to miss Game 6, but he willed his way to play in Game 7, where he only scored four Points, but considering he should not have been on the court at all, it was miraculous.  That display of courage helped will the Knicks over the Lakers to win the Championship.    Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks, 27.0 PPG, 18.5 RPG, 2.8 APG (1971)      

Known at the time as Lew Alcindor, Abdul-Jabbar was only in his second season in the NBA, and he followed up being the Rookie of the Year with his first MVP and Scoring Title.  Abdul-Jabbar was the undisputed best player in the game at the time, and he led Milwaukee to a four-game sweep over the Philadelphia 76ers to win his first title, and the first for Milwaukee.    Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Wilt Chamberlain, Los Angeles Lakers, 19.4 PPG, 23.2 RPG, 2.6 APG (1972)

Wilt Chamberlain was the most prolific scorers in the history of basketball, and some will say that he was the best.  “The Stilt” was near the end of his career, and at 35, and now a Laker, Chamberlain showed a more nuanced game to help Los Angeles beat the Knicks.  Over his career, Chamberlain won four MVPs, seven Scoring Titles, and two NBA Titles. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Willis Reed, New York Knicks, 16.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.6 APG (2) (1973)

Willis Reed would win his second NBA Championship this year, but his All-Star years were behind him.  While he was good in the Finals, there were other teammates (Bill Bradley, Walt Frazier and Dave DeBusschere) that could have won this. Reed’s injuries compounded, and he retried a year after.  Over his career, Reed was a five-time All-Star, a Rookie of the Year, and an MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

John Havlicek, Boston Celtics, 26.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.0 BPG (1974)   

The Boston Celtics were loaded with superstars and they won a plethora of championships in the 1960s.  Boston was still a very good team in the 1970s, and John Havlicek was part of a lot of their success, and this year was his seventh of eight NBA Titles.  The Celtic was a 13-time NBA All-Star, a four-time First Team All-NBA player and this year he helped will the Celtics over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks.  He played his entire career with the Celtics and retired in 1978.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

Rick Barry, Golden State Warriors, 29.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, 3.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG (1975)      

The Hall of Fame career of Rick Barry was a complicated one, as he could be as moody as he was talented.  Barry began his career with the Warriors, and after a run in the ABA, he was back and he led Golden State to the title in their sweep over the Washington Bullets.  Barry would be a 12-time All-Star and he was also a six-time All-NBA and four-time All-ABA Selection.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Jo Jo White, Boston Celtics, 21.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG (1976)       

A member of the Celtics’ 1974 Championship, Jo Jo White was an All-Star annually from 1971 to 1977.  In 1976, The Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games, with White notably scoring 33 Points in the Game 5 triple-overtime win.  White, who was also a Second Team All-NBA player twice, played until 1981, though he did not finish his career with Boston. White also played with Golden State and the Kansas City Kings.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers, 18.5 PPG, 19.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.7 BPG (1977)    

Bill Walton had a pro career that was constantly plagued with foot problems, so much so that the famed Grateful Dead fan missed three full years during his prime.  In 1976-77, Walton was mostly healthy, and he led Portland to an upset over the favored 76ers.  Walton, who was a two-time All-Star, won a second title with the Boston Celtics in 1985-86, when he won the Sixth Man of the Year Award.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Wes Unseld, Washington Bullets, 9.0 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG (1978)

Elvin Hayes was by far the better statistical performer in the Bullets’ 1978 championship, but the popular Wes Unseld won this honor on the strength of his defense.  Unseld was a five-time All-Star, and he played his entire career with the Baltimore/Washington franchise.  Unseld’s 9.0 PPG is the lowest of any NBA Finals MVP.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Dennis Johnson, Seattle SuperSonics, 22.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, 2.2 BPG (1979)

In the only NBA Championship of the existence of the Seattle SuperSonics, Dennis Johnson was an All-Star for the first of five times over his career.  This was a star-making performance for Johnson, who would later win two more NBA Titles as a member of the Boston Celtics.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG (1980)  

For the first and to date only time in the history of the NBA Finals MVP, a rookie and/or Rookie of the Year won the award. Johnson came in to Los Angeles at the start of the season as the new star of the team and the number one pick also went from NCAA Champion to NBA Champion.  The Lakers won over the Sixers in six games and Magic was now considered one of the best clutch players in the NBA.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 16.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG (2) (1982)      

Johnson and the Lakers again faced Philadelphia, and while Johnson’s star was rising, he had a tumultuous 12 months prior with injuries and clashes with management.  Winning cures everything, and Johnson was again money in their six-game series win.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers, 25.8 PPG, 18.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG (1983)     

This was the first season of Moses Malone in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform after being a two-time MVP with the Houston Rockets. Malone was an NBA All-Star for the sixth of twelve straight years, and he also won his fourth of six Rebounding Titles.  Malone won his third MVP (and last MVP), and the Sixers finally won the title and Malone was incredible in their sweep over the Lakers.  He played until 1995, with stops in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Philadelphia (again) and San Antonio.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Larry Bird, Boston Celtics, 27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG (1984)        

Larry Bird was already a superstar player and an NBA Champion.  This was his fifth season in basketball, and he was an All-Star each year, but this year he was the elite player, on a championship team on a legendary franchise. Bird helped topple Magic Johnson and the favored Lakers, and he became a legend in the process.  Notably, Bird also won the MVP for the first time.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers, 25.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG (2) (1985)       

It was 14 years since Abdul-Jabbar won his first Finals MVP, and a lot happened since that first win.  The big man won five more MVPs, bringing his total to six, and he took the Lakers to titles in 1980 and 1982.  Abdul-Jabbar was no longer the best player, that was Magic Johnson, but he was still a great player, and was great in their six-game win over the Celtics.  Abdul-Jabbar played until 1989, and he was named an All-Star in all but one of his seasons.  He was also a ten-time First Team All-NBA Selection, and a First Team, All-Defensive Player five times.  At the time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader in Games Played, Points, Field Goals and Minutes Played.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Larry Bird, Boston Celtics, 24.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 9.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG (2) (1986)     

Bird won the MVP and Finals MVP in 1984, and in the year after, he was “just” the MVP.  Bird did reach the Finals, but they lost to the Lakers. Boston made it to the Finals again in 1986, with Bird winning his third straight MVP, however this time they were opposed by the Houston Rockets.  Bird and the Celtics won in six games, with Bird leading Boston to a lopsided Game Six win.  This year would be the last MVP and Title for Bird, who began to suffer back issues, but played until 1992.  Bird was an All-Star every year of his career but one, and he went on to be the only man in NBA history to win the Rookie of the Year, MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Finals MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.  This will likely never happen again.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 26.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 13.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG (3) (1987)      

Magic Johnson became the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP three times, and his 13.0 APG is the most ever by a Finals MVP. Johnson’s Laker beat the Celtics in six, and this season, he was also named the league MVP.  Johnson won the MVP again in 1988 and 1990, and this year was his fourth NBA Title of five as a player.  Johnson would test positive for HIV in 1991, retiring abruptly, but he came back for the 1992 All-Star Game and briefly in 1996.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers, 22.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG (1988)     

James Worthy was the first overall pick of the 1982 Draft, and he would play his entire career with the Lakers.  The Small Forward went to his first of seven All-Star Games in 1986.  The 1988 championship was Worthy’s third (and last), but his “Big Game James” was at full-force in this seven-game series win over the Detroit Pistons.  Worthy played until 1994, and would also be a two-time Third Team All-NBA Selection.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons, 27.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG (1989)      

Joe Dumars may have been part of the “Bad Bo Pistons” but he was not exactly a player who fit that mold.  No matter.  Dumars arrived this season and was the highest scorer with his 27.3 PPG in Detroit’s sweep of the Lakers.  Dumars would later go to six All-Star Games, and he would play his entire career with the Pistons.  He retired in 1999, and would win another championship as a Pistons Executive in 2004. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons, 27.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG (1990)    

Isiah Thomas was the face of the Pistons for years, and it is fitting that he was one of the players who won the Finals MVP. Thomas the top scorer in the five-game series win over Portland, and this year he was an All-Star for the ninth time of what was 12 straight.  Thomas was a three-time First Team All-NBA choice, and he played his entire career with the Pistons, retiring in 1994.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 31.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 11.4 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG (1991)

The Chicago Bulls had arrived, and Michael Jordan was their king.  We could go one step further.  Michael Jordan was the king of the entire sport.  No, one more step.  He was the king of all sports!  This was the first title for Jordan and the Bulls and Jordan won his second MVP. Jordan was Chicago’s leading scorer in the first four games, of what was a five-game series win over the Lakers.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 35.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG (2) (1992)       

Jordan was an MVP for the third time, and while he was not the first man to become the NBA Finals MVP for a second time, he was the first to win it in back-to-back years.  Jordan and the Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, and he was Chicago’s leading scorer in every game.  Jordan was also the leading scorer regardless of the team in five of those games.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 41.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG (3) (1993)       

Jordan lost out on the MVP to Charles Barkley, but Jordan was not going to lose out to Barkley in the NBA Finals.  Chicago defeated Phoenix in six games and the Bulls would “Three-peat”, a term they coined.  Jordan’s 41.0 PPG is the highest ever in NBA Finals history, and conceivable it could stay like that for decades.  Jordan became the second player after Magic Johnson to win the Finals MVP three times, but Jordan was the first to do it three consecutive years.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 26.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 3.9 BPG (1994)   

Hakeem Olajuwon made history this year as the first non-American born player to win the Finals MVP.  The Nigerian born Olajuwon was the key to defeating the New York Knicks in the seven-game series, as he outplayed New York’s star, Patrick Ewing. Olajuwon was also named the league MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 32.8 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG (2) (1995)     

Olajuwon and the Rockets successfully defended their NBA Championship, and Olajuwon was statistically better in his second win than the was in the first.  The Rockets swept the Orlando Magic, who made their Finals debut.  Olajuwon played with the Rockets until 2001, and he was a 12-time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a six-time First Team All-NBA Selection.  Olajuwon retired in 2002 after one final year with the Toronto Raptors.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG (4) (1996)       

Michael Jordan was back after an attempt to make Major League Baseball, and the Bulls were ready to dominate again.  Chicago defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in six, and Jordan won the MVP for the fourth time.  Jordan was again Chicago’s leading scorer in all of the games, and he was the first player to be named the Finals MVP on a fourth occasion.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 32.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG (5) (1997)       

Jordan made history again with his fifth NBA Championship Ring and fifth Finals MVP.  Jordan, who was not the league MVP this year, led his Bulls to a six-game win over the Utah Jazz.  Jordan was his team’s top scorer in five games, and in assists in all of them.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 33.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG (6) (1998)       

For the second time, the Chicago Bulls “three-peated” and Jordan did the same with his record sixth NBA Finals MVP.  Jordan had the what looked to be the final shot of his career in Game Six, as he sank the series winner over the Jazz.  Jordan was also named the league MVP for the fifth time.  Jordan retired, but came back with the Washington Wizards in 2001 for two years. Michael Jordan is the best player of all-time, and that should be an undisputed fact.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.2 BPG (1999)       

This was the second season of Tim Duncan’s career, and “The Big Fundamental” took over as the big star of the Spurs for David Robinson.  Duncan was the top scorer and rebounder in three of the games, which was a five-game series win over the New York Knicks.  Duncan did not go to the All-Star Game this year, but he was named a First Team All-Defensive and First Team All-NBA player.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers, 38.0 PPG, 16.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.7 BPG (2000)

This championship was the beginning of the new Lakers dynasty, starring a dominant Shaquille O’Neal and a rising Kobe Bryant. O’Neal and the Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers in six, and in every single game, was his team’s leading scorer and rebounder.  In fact, there was only one game where a Pacer had more boards (game six) than O’Neal. O’Neal was a First Team All-NBA selection, and he was named the league MVP.   Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers, 33.0 PPG, 15.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 3.4 BPG (2) (2001)    

Shaq and the Lakers dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers in five games, and O’Neal was his usual dominant self, although Kobe Bryant was approaching being his equal.  O’Neal was again a First Team All-NBA Selection.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers, 36.3 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG (3) (2002)    

O’Neal became the second player to win the NBA Finals MVP in three straight years, and he again was a First Team All-NBA Selection, an honor, he would secure in the next four seasons.  O’Neal also was the NBA leader in PER for the fifth straight year. In this year’s Finals, Los Angeles swept the Nets, but this was the shocking end of the Kobe/Shaq dominance. They made it to the Finals again in 2004, but lost to the Pistons, and the two could no longer work together. O’Neal won a fourth title with the Miami Heat, and he would later play for Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston, retiring in 2011.   Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 24.2 PPG, 17.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 5.3 BPG (2) (2003)  

Duncan was the MVP in 2001-02, and he was named the MVP again this year, and he was in his fifth consecutive season as a First Team All-NBA selection.  In this NBA Finals, the Spurs beat the New Jersey Nets in six games, and Duncan’s 5.3 Blocks per Game are by far a Finals record.  In Game Six, Duncan was two Blocks away from a quadruple-double and replays show that he likely should have had two more Blocks.  Nevertheless, Duncan was incredible in this series.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 20.6 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.1 BPG (3) (2005)  

Duncan joined the rare three-time NBA Finals club in 2005, and Duncan led the Spurs in a seven-game series win over the Detroit Pistons.  2005 also saw Duncan named to his seventh straight First Team All-NBA.  This year ended a streak, but he earned that honor two more times.  Duncan won two more NBA Titles, was a 15-time All-Star and he played his entire career with the Spurs, retiring in 2016.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, 32.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG (2009)        

Bryant was dominant in his first NBA Championship win as the top banana.  The Lakers took out Orlando in five games, and this was a year after he won his lone MVP award.  This season also saw Bryant earn his seventh First Team All-NBA Selection.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, 28.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG (2) (2010)   

Bryant 5, O’Neal 4.  That was on the mind of many as Bryant eclipsed his former teammate in rings, and Bryant climbed another rung on the basketball pyramid. Bryant played until 2016, all of which were with the Lakers.  He would go to 18 All-Star Games, 11 First Team All-NBAs and would have a legacy where his name is spoken amongst the best basketball player ever.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

 

The following are the players who have won the NBA Finals MVP who are eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Cedric Maxwell, Boston Celtics, 17.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG (1981)  

Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell was Boston’s leading scorer in three of Boston’s games, and he stepped up when his teammate, Larry Bird was focused on by Houston’s defense.  Maxwell would help the Celtics win the 1984 NBA Championship, and he played until 1988.  Maxwell is the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP who never was an All-Star.  Eligible Since 1994.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons, 21.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG (2004)       

The Detroit Pistons five-game series win over Shaq, Kobe and the Lakers will likely be the biggest upset ever in the NBA Finals, and it will always be looked more as the Lakers losing than the Pistons winning. Regardless, Billups was the Point Guard of a very balanced team, and for years, there were GM trying to mimic the Pistons title.  Billups would later be named to five All-Star Games, and he went on to play with Denver, New York, and the Los Angeles Clippers before returning to Detroit and retiring in 2004.  Billups is the most likely player on the ’04 Championship team to enter the Hall.  As of this writing, there are none.  Eligible Since 2018.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Let’s update our tally, shall we?

Award in Question	Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF	Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.
NBA MVP	100%	100%
NHL Art Ross	100%	100%
NBA Finals MVP	91.3%	94.9%
NHL Norris	90.5%	96.4%
NBA All-Star Game MVP	89.5%	91.7%
NHL Conn Smythe	74.2%	85.4%
NFL Bert Bell Award	73.7%	71.4%
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year	73.1%	79.4%
NFL AP MVP	68.3%	74.0%
NHL Lady Byng	63.8%	76.0%
NFL Defensive Player of the Year	60.8%	71.1%
NFL Super Bowl MVP	60.6%	64.9%
NBA Defensive Player of the Year	58.3%	56.5%
NHL Vezina	57.1%	66.3%
NBA Rookie of the Year	56.5%	56.5%
MLB MVP	55.0%	60.2%
NFL Pro Bowl MVP	52.3%	54.8%
MLB Lou Gehrig Award	51.9%	51.9%
MLB Roberto Clemente Award	47.4%	47.4%
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award	44.4%	55.4%
MLB Babe Ruth Award	37.0%	39.3%
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy	33.3%	36.7%
MLB World Series MVP	33.3%	36.8%
MLB Hutch Award	33.1%	33.1%
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year	28.6%	28.6%
NHL Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy	27.9%	27.9%
MLB Edgar Martinez Award	26.7%	17.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)	25.0%	30.8%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)	23.5%	52.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove	21.7%	36.8%
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year	20.6%	20.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)	20.0%	22.5%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base)	18.8%	39.8%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop)	18.2%	35.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)	18.2%	20.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)	16.7%	32.7%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield)	16.7%	30.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)	15.7%	25.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base)	14.3%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)	13.6%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)	13.6%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year	13.3%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher)	10.3%	15.2%
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year	5.3%	3.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base)	3.8%	3.2%
NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year	0.0%	0.0%

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the NBA Finals MVP in the NBA who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat, 34.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG (2006)

Shaquille O’Neal won his fourth NBA Title, but it was Dwyane Wade who was the star of the show by far in Miami six-game series win over Dallas.  This was Wade’s first title, and it was also the first championship for Miami.  Years later, Wade was joined by LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and the trio would win two NBA Championships.  Wade left Miami for brief runs in Chicago and Cleveland, but he returned appropriately to the Heat to finish his career, retiring in 2019. Over his career, Wade was an All-Star 13 times, and was an All-NBA Selection eight times, with two of them being First Team.  Eligible in 2023.

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs, 24.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.0 BPG (2007)

Tony Parker was not only the first Frenchmen to win the Finals MVP, but also the first European to win it.  This season, the Spurs swept LeBron James and he Cleveland Cavaliers and Parker was the leading scorer of the series.  Parker was a six-time All-Star, a four-time NBA Champion and he played until 2019, all with the Spurs with the exception of his final year, which was in Charlotte.  Eligible in 2023.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics, 21.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG (2008)

Paul Pierce was the star of the Celtics for years but there was only so much he could do.  Boston’s fortune changed this year when they added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and they won the NBA Championship by beating Los Angeles in six games.  Pierce was a ten-time All-Star, all of which occurring as a Boston Celtic.  He was with Boston until 2013, and he finished his career in 2017 after playing for Brooklyn, Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers.  Eligible in 2021.

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, 26.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG (2011)

The Dallas Mavericks were not supposed to beat James, Wade and Bosh, but they did, and were led by Dirk Nowitzki, their German star who played his entire career in Dallas.  Nowitzki was four years removed from his MVP, and while he was older, he was wiser, and the Mavericks won their first NBA Title.  Nowitzki was a 14-time All-Star and a four-time First Team All-NBA player.  Eligible in 2023.

 

The following are the players who have won the NBA Finals MVP who are still active.

LeBron James, Miami Heat, 28.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG (2012)

LeBron James finally won the big one, and he did it by taking over as the primary weapon for the Heat, eliminating any doubt between him and his friend, Dwyane Wade.  James was Miami’s leading scorer and rebounder and Miami soundly beat Oklahoma City in five.  James was also named the MVP for the third time in his career.  35 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James, Miami Heat, 25.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 7.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG (2) (2013)

LeBron and the Heat successfully defended their title in a grueling seven-game win over San Antonio.  James did it all as he was Miami’s leader in Points, Rebounds, Assists and Steals, and he was also the league MVP.  The mileage that James logged this year was staggering but he got the job done.  35 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs, 17.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG (2014)

A new star emerged with San Antonio, as Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili were getting older but with Kawhi Leonard and a team-first ethic, the Spurs beat the Heat in five.  Leonard went on to win two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and was a First Team All-NBA Selection twice for the Spurs before he became disenchanted with the team.  He would be traded to the Toronto Raptors before the 2018-19 season.  28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors, 16.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG (2015)

This was the first time that an NBA Finals MVP did not start every game, as Andre Iguodala was incredible in his role, though arguably Steph Curry, who outscored Iggy by almost 10 Points per Game could have won it without a backlash.  The Warriors won by beating LeBron and the Cavaliers in six.  28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, 29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 8.9 APG, 2.6 SPG, 2.3 BPG (3) (2016)

As impressive as LeBron was in the 2013 Finals, what James did in 2016 had to feel infinitely more fulfilling.  James finally brought the title to Cleveland, and to do so they had to defeat a powerful Golden State Warriors team.  In the seven-game series, James led all players in all five major offensive categories.  Seriously, how impressive was that?  35 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors, 35.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.6 BPG (2017)

Kevin Durant won the MVP in 2014 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he was a perennial All-Star, but he grew frustrated. When he was a free agent in 2016, he jumped to the Golden State Warriors, joining a super team.  The Warriors were spectacular, and Durant led his new team to a title, despite many people cheering against KD.  31 Years Old, Playing for the Brooklyn Nets.

Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors, 28.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 7.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.3 BPG (2) (2018)

Durant repeated as NBA Champion and Finals MVP, and the Warriors would obliterate the Cavaliers in a four-game sweep.  Durant would be a First Team All-NBA Selection for the sixth time in his career.  31 Years Old, Playing for the Brooklyn Nets.

Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors, 28.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.2 BPG (2) (2019)

The Toronto Raptors rolled the dice, trading their best player, DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard.  It was a huge gamble, as Leonard had only one year left on his contract, and was unlikely to stay in Canada.  Leonard only played the one year, but he led the Raptors to their first ever NBA Championship, and he became the first player ever to win the Finals MVP in both conferences.  28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

It should come as no surprise that the Finals MVP yield so many Hall of Famers.  Basketball is more star driven sport than the other team sports, and it is where the best have the most opportunity due to minutes logged and the nature of the game.

So, what is up next?

We return to baseball, but it will be a quick one, as we look at the Comeback Player of the Year.  That award has only come into existence in 2005, so it won’t be a long read!

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

We initially were not going to comment on this but based on the buzz it is generating, and the fact that we are Notinhalloffame.com, we have decided to give our pair of pennies.

In an interview with Today on NBC’s Today on why Steph Curry would not be on his dream five-man pick-up team. His answer was:

“He’s still a great player…Not a Hall of Famer yet, though.  He’s not.”

Keep in mind this was said in a playful tone, so we have no idea whether this was done with a wink, and whether he actually meant it.  We have to believe that he didn’t and was just playing, or perhaps if he did, it is not by his “hall of fame standard”.

If he does mean it, he is in the minority, as he is a two-time MVP and three-time NBA Champion with six All-Stars and a scoring title.  

As for our opinion, in our new section that ranks active basketball players based on their existing Hall of Fame resume, we have Curry ranked #5, and feel that he is already a Hall of Fame lock.

Either way, it generated a few comments in the 24-hour news cycle of sports and will be forgotten tomorrow.  

Until Curry brings it up in his Hall of Fame speech.

 

In four years Kobe Bryant will be eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and there is little doubt as to whether he is going in on the first ballot. He is. There is also no question that despite what should be a loaded class with Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett also likely going in, that he will be the headliner.

The only question really is who will induct him, so it was not a surprise when he was asked by Complex as to who he would have as the inductor:

"In terms of who might present, for me it’s two people: Michael Jordan or Phil Jackson. They’ve been the greatest mentors, not only in my career as an athlete, but also as a person. And what I might say is just a lot of thank yous. ‘Cause I’ve had a lotta help along the way. A lotta lotta help."

Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest player of all-time and while Kobe has entered that discussion for some, the two only have greatness in common as they never played with each other nor has Bryant played for Jordan. Phil Jackson however is another story.

Jackson coached Bryant in Los Angeles where the duo would win five NBA Titles. The coach/player was not always a pleasant one as Jackson ripped Bryant in his book, which was released during his hiatus calling him “uncoachable”. Still, when thinking of who would be the best person to induct Kobe it is hard to think of a better choice.

The countdown is on!

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

This isn’t meant to be scientific.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

The Basketball Hall of Fame has always been a focus of ours but we have never really aid a lot of attention to the FIBA Hall of Fame.  It is next to impossible not to notice it this year, as the largest name in the sport’s history will be joining their Hall of Fame.

Michael Jordan, who led the 1992 United States Dream Team in Barcelona to Gold at the Olympics will be the undeniable headliner for this year’s class.  Jordan also was a member of the 1984 team that won Gold in Los Angeles.  MJ was also a member of the United States team that won Gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and the FIBA Americas Championship in 1992.

Jordan is joined by another American, current Connecticut Sun Head Coach, Anne Donovan.  Donovan is a two time Gold Medalist (1984 & 1988) and won two more Gold Medals as an Assistant Coach (2004) and Head Coach (2008).

The rest of the class consists of:

Roberto Herrera Tabio, a Cuban Forward whose highlight was leading his team to a Bronze Medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

Sarunas Marciulionis, a Lithuanian Guard, who was a Gold Medalist for the Soviet Union in 1988 and was named as one of FIBA’s 50th Greatest Players in 1991.  The former Golden State Warrior won two Olympic Bronze Medals for Lithuania.

From France, Antoine Rigaudeau will also be enshrined.  The French Center took France to a Silver Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

From Ukraine, via the Soviet Union, Vladimir Tkachenko will enter the Hall.  He is a two time Gold Medalist (1976 & 1980) with the Soviets and is a former Mr. Europa. 

They are joined by Australian Coach, Jan Stirling, French Technical Official, Robert Blanchard and Isreali Contributor, Noah Klieger. 

The enshrinement ceremony will take place on September 19, followed by an official presentation during half time at the Eurobasket Championship Game the following day.