Mourning/Richmond inducted into HOF

[Eric15]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...onzo-mourning-three-others-make-naismith-hall

Maybe I'm being harsh (and I know it's not just based on their pro careers), but I feel like these guys aren't Hall of Fame caliber players. Richmond was never 1st-team All-NBA, and Mourning was 1st and/or 2nd team a total of two times. They each are great players, but I feel they slightly water down the field.

 

[shandeezy7]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...onzo-mourning-three-others-make-naismith-hall

Maybe I'm being harsh (and I know it's not just based on their pro careers), but I feel like these guys aren't Hall of Fame caliber players. Richmond was never 1st-team All-NBA, and Mourning was 1st and/or 2nd team a total of two times. They each are great players, but I feel they slightly water down the field.

I was shocked to hear Mitch Richmond made the Hall of Fame. A very good NBA player, but not hall of fame worthy in my opinion. Averaged 21 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 3.5 apg. He is 37th all time in points scored in the NBA though, and every single player ahead of him (who isn't active or not yet eligible for the HOF) is in the hall of fame.

Mourning makes a little more sense. While he wasn't a consistent all-NBA guy, he was one of the best defensive centers of his era (averaged almost 3 blocks per game), an era that was dominated by big men (Ewing, Hakeem, Shaq, etc.) Have to also remember that the basketball hall of fame isn't a professional hall of fame. It takes into account your entire basketball career, from high school to college to professional to post-playing days.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think Richmond is way underrated.

 

[Whitey23]

Fun Fact:

Miami Heat Retired Jersey Numbers
10 Tim Hardaway
23 Michael Jordan
33 Alonzo Mourning

 

[rrlbees]

Mourning should be eliminated just for playing for Thug U.

 

[Millhouse]

small rosters, big museums, they're going to be less selective. if the nba HOF were proportional to football rosters, it'd be a closet

 

[kuethstheman]

Mourning should be eliminated just for playing for Thug U.

And for a while he was head thug. He never saw an altercation he would hesitate to escalate.

 

[Briancuse]

I think Richmond is way underrated.

I couldn't agree more, the guy played on some bad teams.

 

[RandygoCuse]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...onzo-mourning-three-others-make-naismith-hall

Maybe I'm being harsh (and I know it's not just based on their pro careers), but I feel like these guys aren't Hall of Fame caliber players. Richmond was never 1st-team All-NBA, and Mourning was 1st and/or 2nd team a total of two times. They each are great players, but I feel they slightly water down the field.

Believe it or not, McHale was only All-NBA 1st team one time (I'm fairly certain, someone correct me if I'm wrong). As for Richmond, I guess it could go either way - It certainly opens the door for McGrady.

 

[OrangeDW]

Richmond played his best years in Sacramento(after getting traded for Billy Owens!), when they were bad so I think he gets underappreciated because most fans didn't see much of him. I can't hold the no 1st Team All NBA against him...it was basically impossible for Richmond to make first team All NBA because he played the same position as Jordan.

 

[kirbivore]

Jordan said that Richmond was his toughest defensive assignment.

 

[Eric15]

Lots of good points in this thread that I can't disagree with. Honestly, I just wanted to talk about anything but the game tonight.

 

[Guinness]

Richmond was dynamite on the offensive end but did not play a lick of defense.

 

[Eric15]

Believe it or not, McHale was only All-NBA 1st team one time (I'm fairly certain, someone correct me if I'm wrong). As for Richmond, I guess it could go either way - It certainly opens the door for McGrady.

You're right - he was first team in 1987. Surprisingly, that is the only time he was EVER on an all-NBA team.

And I would put McGrady on another level from Richmond - TMac won multiple scoring titles and was all-NBA first team twice.

 

[realorange]

small rosters, big museums, they're going to be less selective. if the nba HOF were proportional to football rosters, it'd be a closet

Let's not talk about Cooperstown!

 

[LennX6]

I was shocked to hear Mitch Richmond made the Hall of Fame. A very good NBA player, but not hall of fame worthy in my opinion. Averaged 21 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 3.5 apg. He is 37th all time in points scored in the NBA though, and every single player ahead of him (who isn't active or not yet eligible for the HOF) is in the hall of fame.

Mourning makes a little more sense. While he wasn't a consistent all-NBA guy, he was one of the best defensive centers of his era (averaged almost 3 blocks per game), an era that was dominated by big men (Ewing, Hakeem, Shaq, etc.) Have to also remember that the basketball hall of fame isn't a professional hall of fame. It takes into account your entire basketball career, from high school to college to professional to post-playing days.

Richmond is going to the HOF for the same reasons people are always beating down 'Melo.

 

[OrangeDW]

Richmond is going to the HOF for the same reasons people are always beating down 'Melo.

Melo will be going to the hall of fame too.

 

[shandeezy7]

Richmond is going to the HOF for the same reasons people are always beating down 'Melo.

True, but Carmelo is going to end up higher on the all-time scoring list, at more than 3 ppg higher than Richmond, with a scoring title or two to boot. But yeah, as of now, no titles, no real signature playoff experiences, no first team all-NBA, etc.

 

[RandygoCuse]

True, but Carmelo is going to end up higher on the all-time scoring list, at more than 3 ppg higher than Richmond, with a scoring title or two to boot. But yeah, as of now, no titles, no real signature playoff experiences, no first team all-NBA, etc.

I also feel like Melo has one more. No, he hasn't had much success in the playoffs, but up until this year, he's made it every year. I think each team has had a winning record as well. Plus, it seems like the committee takes college into account more than in the past - Ralph Sampson made it on his college game alone.