The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced 14 finalists for the Class of 2021 election, according to a press release. These nine players and five coaches are the candidates to be named Hall-of-Famers when this year’s class is announced on May 16.
This year’s finalists are as follows:
Players:
- Chris Bosh
- Michael Cooper
- Yolanda Griffith
- Tim Hardaway Sr.
- Lauren Jackson
- Marques Johnson
- Paul Pierce
- Ben Wallace
- Chris Webber
Coaches:
- Rick Adelman
- Leta Andrews
- Bill Russell
- Marianne Stanley
- Jay Wright
Hardaway, Johnson, Wallace, Webber, and Andrews have been finalists in the past and are receiving consideration again this year. The other nine are first-time finalists, though Russell has – of course – already been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player.
Among this year’s first-time finalists, Bosh, Pierce, and Adelman are a few of the most interesting names. Bosh earned 11 All-Star nods and won a pair of NBA championships before a blood-clotting issue cut his career short. Pierce made 10 All-Star teams and won a title (and a Finals MVP award) over the course of his 19 NBA seasons. Adelman, meanwhile, is the ninth-winningest coach in NBA history, with an all-time regular season record of 1,042-749 (.582).
Due to the coronavirus, 2020’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony couldn’t be held as planned last year and has been rescheduled for May 14-16. The Class of 2020 includes Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and the late Kobe Bryant.
The ceremony for the Class of 2021 is scheduled to take place in September 2021, following May’s announcement of the inductees.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I love the way Ben Wallace played, but I’m not sure he’ll get in.
Tim Sr is the only one on the list who is a HOF
@nyy42 I’m going to guess you’re between 30 and 38 years old.
WAY OLDER
@NYY42
Bosh: 11x all star, 2x champion, 1x all NBA
Pierce: 10x all star, 1x champion, 4x all NBA
Not sure how you can argue those guys aren’t HOFs.
Paul Pierce was better than Tim Hardaway, so was Bosh.
Bosh better get in, imagine if he had stayed healthy.
Michael Cooper? His case for the HOF is?…go!
He scored lots and lots of points without playing any defense?
I mean, it worked for Magic! LOL
Coop was known as an elite defender. 8x all-defense player. He was also the ultimate 6th man.
To me, Webber and Pierce belong in.
I think Webber gets in because of his college days.
Webber was the best player in college for 2 years (pretty much). He was the best player on a team that was a referee away from winning an NBA championship. I watched all these guys play and to me Webber was the best on this list. Paul Pierce was the top guy or second guy on a team that won a finals and went to 2. Bosh should also get in imo but he was clearly the third best player on an all time great dynasty that underperformed while going to 4 straight finals…and Bosh got injured and retired during his prime.
I enjoyed watching Marques Johnson vs Julius Erving back in the early 80’s. Drafted 3rd overall the year Milwaukee had picks 1,3 and 11. He was the best of the group for the Bucks.
Bosh and Pierce are no doubt HOF. Adelman as well. CWebb… nope. Tons of guys with great stats aren’t in. He’s a loser. Hardaway… maybe?
C-Webb is a no brainer to get in!
I guess you can get C-Bosh, PP & Hardaway in as well!
Russell nope!
I like Hardaway, Pierce, CWebb, and Ben Wallace out of that group.
Bosh may well be inducted one day, but the idea of him getting in before DWade and/or LBJ seems… off..
So Bosh becomes available before wade and Bosh but should still get in after them? I don’t get your logic. Especially in lebron’s case considering he probably won’t be retiring anytime soon, nevermind becoming eligible
I view Bosh as a marginal HOF’er at best, and there’s a lot of folks that are a higher priority to get in than Bosh. I just named four players I would enter this year, and I think there should be some limit on how many you get in year to year. It’s the HOF, not an entitlement.
Bosh was a good player, but, If he doesn’t make the HOF I won’t be sad.
Tweed jackets and leather elbow patches. Rick Adelman is a portland legend. Russell, and he should get in. Russell is the most deserving undoubtedly.
I once served Jay Wright water at the country club he belongs to
I didnt think bosh was a hof player, when he was playing