On Friday evening, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed 11 new members, including NBA stars Spencer Haywood, Jo Jo White and Dikembe Mutombo. Kentucky coach John Calipari was one of four coaches to be inducted. Tom Heinsohn was inducted as a coach as well as George Raveling and Australia’s Lindsay Gaze. ABA star Louis Dampier, early African-American player John Isaacs, women’s basketball great Lisa Leslie and referee Dick Bavetta were all enshrined as well.
The Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, includes greats from many walks of basketball life. The NBA is represented in the Hall, as is the WNBA, the international ranks and collegiate ranks. The Hall even has a section for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Members are enshrined for their entire body of work. If an NBA player played in the Olympics or had a stellar college career, those experiences are considered in the selection process. It’s a nice way to appreciate what a player has done in basketball across all venues in his career, but in some cases it doesn’t exactly display who the best NBA players are. It doesn’t have a single set of standards that applies to all potential inductees the way Hall of Fames for other sports do.
So the topic tonight is a simple one: Should the NBA have its own Hall of Fame? Or should the current Hall of Fame remain and be celebrated for its uniqueness?
Take to the comments to share your thoughts and opinions on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.