This topic contains 32 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by 
Hale 15 years ago.
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- Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 2:24am #31800
Tongue-Out-Like-23ParticipantWhen it comes to international players such as Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, and Yao Ming, at times the Hall of Fame looks far from their grasp. Gasol and Dirk were labeled soft, Ginobili was a backup for a large portion of his career, Yao is the epitome of being injury prone. What they did for the NBA is way passed the numbers they put up (or lack thereof.) Combined, they have multiple championships, an MVP award, many All-Star appearances spanning through the last 9 years, and a plethora of game styles with nifty moves to go along with them.
The reasoning as to why these players may make it to the Hall of Fame is not because they averaged 18-25ppg. Not because of their rebounds or assists. Steals or blocks. It goes way passed statistics. These guys made the NBA into an international business. What they did for the game of basketball is on the same level as Erving, Magic, Russell, O’Neal, and Iverson. They may not have changed the game the way as Magic and Co., except maybe Dirk and Yao, but they changed the game by expanding it.
The game now expanded to 4 different countries. 3 different continents. West, South, and East of the United States. Not only did they have success in the league in terms of number and accolades, they won a combined 7 championships. For 7 years, an international country had bragging rights. They were not just some scrubs at the end of the bench either; they were huge factors and assets for their teams and helped win the championship.
The Hall of Fame is not what a player did in the NBA. It’s what a player did while playing basketball. Manu, Dirk, Pau, and Yao all dominated in their respective leagues before coming over to the U.S. They have earned a legendary spot in Hall of Fame in their own countries. Not only that, each of these players will, for the most part, be seen playing with their international teams when it comes to FIBA or the Olympics. (At least when they were younger)
It is not just the statistics that these guys put up in the NBA, but the fact that they helped the NBA spread around the world. They are some of the top ambassadors for international basketball and this is why they will make the Hall of Fame. Not because of their stats (again, or lack thereof.) But because they changed the game of basketball in a different way with equal magnitude as… dare I say it? Michael Jordan.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 3:11am #570956
BlazermannParticipantdirk is a hall of famer period point blank and so is manu…. I couldnt even bring myself to read the restof the post.. your high or something
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 3:11am #570821
BlazermannParticipantdirk is a hall of famer period point blank and so is manu…. I couldnt even bring myself to read the restof the post.. your high or something
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 3:52am #570967
frogmanParticipantSo true. I think Sean Marks should also be a hall of famer for upping the popularity of basketball in New Zealand from 3.4% to 3.7%
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 3:52am #570833
frogmanParticipantSo true. I think Sean Marks should also be a hall of famer for upping the popularity of basketball in New Zealand from 3.4% to 3.7%
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:06am #570973
Tongue-Out-Like-23Participantfrogman
Yeah, so true! Because Sean Marks belongs in the conversation with NBA stars such as Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Manu Ginobili! I mean, 2ppg average and 0 All-Star appearances really puts him in the conversation! The way he dominated FIBA, Olympic basketball tournaments and his success in Europe is a real standout!
You made yourself sound extremely ignorant with that statement…
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:06am #570839
Tongue-Out-Like-23Participantfrogman
Yeah, so true! Because Sean Marks belongs in the conversation with NBA stars such as Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Manu Ginobili! I mean, 2ppg average and 0 All-Star appearances really puts him in the conversation! The way he dominated FIBA, Olympic basketball tournaments and his success in Europe is a real standout!
You made yourself sound extremely ignorant with that statement…
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:20am #570985
MuggsyParticipantArvydas Sabonis is being inducted into the HOF this year. He played limited years in the NBA as he entered at age 30-31. But it’s the unique style and the impact he made on the NBA that gets him in. I think all 4 of the players you named will or at least should make the HOF.
Dirk is the best shooting 7 footer the NBA has ever seen, heck he’s one of the best shooters period. Manu is quite possibly the best bench player the NBA has seen, just imagine what he could do if he was starting all of those years on a more consistant basis, or on a team where he was the go-to-guy. Pau is another highly skilled 7 footer, he may not have the shot Dirk has but he has the post moves, he’s a lot like Sabonis just not nearly as big. As for Yao it goes without saying, anyone whos 7’6 and has that type of skillset is amazing, there have been many 7’5+ players in the league that were just god awful. Not to mention the huge NBA market he built in China and all Asian countries. All of these guys have made serious waves in Europe as well, Pau & Manu both have gold medals from the Olympics.
Regardless of the what ifs, and the lack there ofs, all four of these guys deserve to be in the HOF, but that doesn’t mean they will get in, time will tell.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:20am #570851
MuggsyParticipantArvydas Sabonis is being inducted into the HOF this year. He played limited years in the NBA as he entered at age 30-31. But it’s the unique style and the impact he made on the NBA that gets him in. I think all 4 of the players you named will or at least should make the HOF.
Dirk is the best shooting 7 footer the NBA has ever seen, heck he’s one of the best shooters period. Manu is quite possibly the best bench player the NBA has seen, just imagine what he could do if he was starting all of those years on a more consistant basis, or on a team where he was the go-to-guy. Pau is another highly skilled 7 footer, he may not have the shot Dirk has but he has the post moves, he’s a lot like Sabonis just not nearly as big. As for Yao it goes without saying, anyone whos 7’6 and has that type of skillset is amazing, there have been many 7’5+ players in the league that were just god awful. Not to mention the huge NBA market he built in China and all Asian countries. All of these guys have made serious waves in Europe as well, Pau & Manu both have gold medals from the Olympics.
Regardless of the what ifs, and the lack there ofs, all four of these guys deserve to be in the HOF, but that doesn’t mean they will get in, time will tell.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:46am #570991
FilipinoEllahall of fame is not about NBA, its about the BASKETBALL, how they contributed on it, it honors exceptional basketball players, coaches,referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide!, not just the NBA, look at the players that are in Naismith Hall of fame, some of them did not even play in the NBA
though NBA is Basketball,
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:46am #570856
FilipinoEllahall of fame is not about NBA, its about the BASKETBALL, how they contributed on it, it honors exceptional basketball players, coaches,referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide!, not just the NBA, look at the players that are in Naismith Hall of fame, some of them did not even play in the NBA
though NBA is Basketball,
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:52am #570997
FilipinoEllaim with Tongue-Out-Like-23 in here! heheeh
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 4:52am #570863
FilipinoEllaim with Tongue-Out-Like-23 in here! heheeh
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:01am #571001
aamir543ParticipantCan someone please find Sabonis’ pre NBA stats?
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:01am #570866
aamir543ParticipantCan someone please find Sabonis’ pre NBA stats?
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:07am #571005
Tongue-Out-Like-23ParticipantAamir, the only thing I could find was that Sabonis averaged 22.8ppg, 13.2rpg, 2.6bpg, 2.4apg but that was in the 94-95 season, his last season of his first European stint, aged 30
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:07am #570870
Tongue-Out-Like-23ParticipantAamir, the only thing I could find was that Sabonis averaged 22.8ppg, 13.2rpg, 2.6bpg, 2.4apg but that was in the 94-95 season, his last season of his first European stint, aged 30
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:09am #571007
omphalosParticipant@ TOL23: I think you made yourself look ignorant by reacting to a clearly sarcastic comment as if it were serious.
As for the players mentioned, Yao is almost definitely in, Dirk is definitely in, Manu and Gasol aren’t too likely. Maybe down the track, but they’ll be waiting a while.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:09am #570873
omphalosParticipant@ TOL23: I think you made yourself look ignorant by reacting to a clearly sarcastic comment as if it were serious.
As for the players mentioned, Yao is almost definitely in, Dirk is definitely in, Manu and Gasol aren’t too likely. Maybe down the track, but they’ll be waiting a while.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:14am #571009
JoeWolf1Sabonis out played David Robinson in the 1988 Olympics, he was very athletic back then paired with the skillset and range he had when he made it to the NBA. He was Yao Ming’s skill with David Robinson’s athleticism at 7’3”, really a tremendous basketball player.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:14am #570875
JoeWolf1Sabonis out played David Robinson in the 1988 Olympics, he was very athletic back then paired with the skillset and range he had when he made it to the NBA. He was Yao Ming’s skill with David Robinson’s athleticism at 7’3”, really a tremendous basketball player.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:25am #570881
Tongue-Out-Like-23Participantomphalos
What can I say? I’m the Stephen A. Smith of NBADraft.net
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:25am #571015
Tongue-Out-Like-23Participantomphalos
What can I say? I’m the Stephen A. Smith of NBADraft.net
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:28am #570885
JoeWolf1@TOL23, lol
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:28am #571019
JoeWolf1@TOL23, lol
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:32am #570889
omphalosParticipantTremendous recovery right there.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:32am #571023
omphalosParticipantTremendous recovery right there.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:57am #570905
Memphis MadnessParticipantWhat do you guys think of Toni Kukoc?
He got a lot of hype but he didn’t really impress me that much. Very good player at times but he was no superstar and not even an all-star. Was supposed to be the Croatian Jordan, but he was more like the Euro Lamar Odom.
Kukoc had a good rookie year and played on 3 great title teams and was an excellent sixth man, but he didn’t really do much after the MJ-Pippen-Rodman era ended in Chicago. He had a good 1992 Olympics and probably a good European career before he came over but he was somewhat of a disappointment.
Anyone have anything to add about Kukoc? Maybe he was just hyped too much…
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 5:57am #571039
Memphis MadnessParticipantWhat do you guys think of Toni Kukoc?
He got a lot of hype but he didn’t really impress me that much. Very good player at times but he was no superstar and not even an all-star. Was supposed to be the Croatian Jordan, but he was more like the Euro Lamar Odom.
Kukoc had a good rookie year and played on 3 great title teams and was an excellent sixth man, but he didn’t really do much after the MJ-Pippen-Rodman era ended in Chicago. He had a good 1992 Olympics and probably a good European career before he came over but he was somewhat of a disappointment.
Anyone have anything to add about Kukoc? Maybe he was just hyped too much…
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 7:12am #570953
aamir543ParticipantYeah I couldn’t find anything other than that also.I typed up a bunch, then I clicked on hte stupid ad, just look at the per 36 minute stats for Sabonis. I truly believe that if he had come over in 86, He would be rihgt there with ptrick Ewing. Maybe not Wilt and Russel, and Hakeem and Kareem and Shaq, but defeinatly a star. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sabonar01.html
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 7:12am #571088
aamir543ParticipantYeah I couldn’t find anything other than that also.I typed up a bunch, then I clicked on hte stupid ad, just look at the per 36 minute stats for Sabonis. I truly believe that if he had come over in 86, He would be rihgt there with ptrick Ewing. Maybe not Wilt and Russel, and Hakeem and Kareem and Shaq, but defeinatly a star. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sabonar01.html
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 7:36am #570963
HaleParticipantPersonally, I hold Hall of Famer’s to a higher standard then most people so in the original post I wouldn’t even consider any of them (except Dirk who would definitely be in).
Manu, Gasol and Yao were never top 5 guys, and Yao was probably the only legit top 10 (I don’t want to hear that just because the Lakers won 2 championships Gasol was in the top ten because it’s BS), so I see no reason why they should get in whatsoever.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 07/14/2011 - 7:36am #571097
HaleParticipantPersonally, I hold Hall of Famer’s to a higher standard then most people so in the original post I wouldn’t even consider any of them (except Dirk who would definitely be in).
Manu, Gasol and Yao were never top 5 guys, and Yao was probably the only legit top 10 (I don’t want to hear that just because the Lakers won 2 championships Gasol was in the top ten because it’s BS), so I see no reason why they should get in whatsoever.
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