legends who won a title without a single other hall of famer

[ShaqAttack3234]

There's a good chance Pau makes the HOF, especially when international play is considered. His impact on 2 championship teams and 3 finals teams alone will get him quite a bit of consideration. Although the HOF is about accomplishments, not how great you actually were as a player, but that actually helps his case more.

2 all-nba third teams, 1 all-nba second team, 4-time all-star, '02 rookie of the year, 2 championships, 3 finals appearances, career averages of over 18/9/3 on 52% shooting through 12 seasons, 2 Olympic silver medals.

Even if he doesn't make the HOF, what does that mean? He was a borderline top 10 player for both of those championships, which is about what most championship second options have been.

[kennethgriffin]

Pau has a decent shot. And if he doesnt make it hes factually better and more accomplished than many already there. He was leading teams of role players to 50 wins in Memphis though they never did anything in the playoffs. There are HOF players who never won a playoff series as a starter.

Guys like Walt Bellamy might be legends but they never actually...did anything.

HOF or not Pau was a HOF level player on the Lakers....of what relevance is anything else?

We are talking basketball playing. On the floor. What you do to help your team win. At the time....Pau played HOF ball. If he makes the HOF hes no better in retrospect.

Dennis Johnson wasnt a HOf player till he died. But he was a HOF player from like 1978-1988. Bob Mcadoo didnt make the HOF for years. Nor did Artis Gilmore. Jamaal Wilkes didnt make it till what...last year? Till then Rick Barry would be on the winning without a HOF teammate list.

Barry now less impressive? Is Wilkes better?

No. This shit means nothing.

pau was a hall of famer.... for about 3 years... yes

you have to play like that for around 10 years to make it

theres been past mistakes where guys got in undeserving yes... but baring a tragedy... pau is not a hall of famer in the factual or probable sense of the word

hypothetical hall of fame? sure

[D.J.]

ben wallace is not a legend

hes a great defensive player. but thats about it.. dennis rodman made the hall of fame by a hair, he slipped in

and he had twice as many rebounds, was twice the defensive player, and won 5 times as many rings

You also realize that David Stern, his peeps, and the media hated Rodman with a passion. I'm sorry, but Wallace and Mutombo have the most DPOY's of anyone to ever play. No one is saying Wallace is better than Rodman, but to say Wallace isn't a legend simply isn't true. A 6'7" center with 4 DPOYs and 5 All-Defensive 1st teams is a legend.

[TOLATE]

u right about kobes 2009 champion,pau wasnt a hof that year [YET]

[Bigsmoke]

true and KG was basically on one leg but I was disappointed that he got out matched by Gasol in 2010

Gasol was a better player by then

[kennethgriffin]

You also realize that David Stern, his peeps, and the media hated Rodman with a passion. I'm sorry, but Wallace and Mutombo have the most DPOY's of anyone to ever play. No one is saying Wallace is better than Rodman, but to say Wallace isn't a legend simply isn't true. A 6'7" center with 4 DPOYs and 5 All-Defensive 1st teams is a legend.

ben wallace is a nobody though. he was never a guy people paid to see. he will be easly forgotten

he was purely just a shot blocking rebounder.. the most popular thing about the guy was his hair

who had a ben wallace jersey in the state of michigan during that piston run... prob not allot of people


rodman jerseys on the other hand... everyone has one.. i have one

[MMM]

Gasol was a better player by then

agreed, just disappointed that I witness and realized that in the finals

[R.I.P.]

Gasol is going in the hall of fame you ****ing retard

Did he really get banned for speaking the truth, in a slightly unpleasant tone.

[D.J.]

ben wallace is a nobody though. he was never a guy people paid to see. he will be easly forgotten

If he's going to be easily forgotten, so will Mutombo.

he was purely just a shot blocking rebounder.. the most popular thing about the guy was his hair

He was a defensive anchor who anchored the best modern defensive team.

who had a ben wallace jersey in the state of michigan during that piston run... prob not allot of people

I saw a lot of Ben Wallace jerseys here in NYC. I'm sure there were just as many in Michigan.

rodman jerseys on the other hand... everyone has one.. i have one

Everyone huh?

[MMM]

ben wallace is a nobody though. he was never a guy people paid to see.

who had a ben wallace jersey in the state of michigan during that piston run... prob not allot of people

also there are people who actually appreciate the entire game of basketball and enjoy watching defense and hustle

[ShaqAttack3234]

u right about kobes 2009 champion,pau wasnt a hof that year [YET]

He played at a level easily comparable to many in the HOF. Pau was great in 2009. Around top 10 in the league. But if that's your criteria then how can Duncan be excluded from the list? Or Dirk for that matter? Pau in 2009 was at least at a similar level to Pierce in 2008, Shaq in 2006 and Kobe in 2000 to name a few recent examples.

[Kblaze8855]

You are as good as you are at the time. If you play HOF ball your team won with a HOf level player. A vote 20 years later has nothing to do with basketball.

Kobe won with a HOF level bigman....5 times.

Nothing to be ashamed of. Better players than Kobe won with more talent than hes had. And better players than Kobe have lost with more talent than hes had. Worse players have led less talented teams....past Kobe.

It doesnt really matter. Cant win em all. Bird lost to teams nobody even remembers. Bob Cousy didnt even make the finals before russell with 3 all NBA first team players to help him. At one point the Lakers had arguably 3 of the 5 greatest players of all time all near their primes on one team and lost anyway.

Great teams tend to win...sometimes they dont. Winning while great isnt a knock on the winner. People get emotional online and try to disregard everything anyone they hate on does.

So you discredit Lebron as if playing a few less games before Christmas makes winning in June irrelevant and some point out that Kobe won with Shaq doing 38/16 and then missed the playoffs or lost in the first round 3 years straight before he had another bigman playing HOF ball.

The Lebron side will hate on Kobe the Kobe side will hate on Lebron. What...the...****...ever.

It took a great effort to win in 2012 and Lebron played all time elite ball in doing it with a team that did not have Wade or Bosh playing near the ball that made them who they are. And Kobe played a pretty big role in the first ring, and was a superstar for 2 more, and was the main reason his team won 2 when he was leading them.

The rest..."eh" status.

[ShaqAttack3234]

You are as good as you are at the time. If you play HOF ball your team won with a HOf level player. A vote 20 years later has nothing to do with basketball.

Kobe won with a HOF level bigman....5 times.

Nothing to be ashamed of. Better players than Kobe won with more talent than hes had. And better players than Kobe have lost with more talent than hes had. Worse players have led less talented teams....past Kobe.

It doesnt really matter. Cant win em all. Bird lost to teams nobody even remembers. Bob Cousy didnt even make the finals before russell with 3 all NBA first team players to help him. At one point the Lakers had arguably 3 of the 5 greatest players of all time all near their primes on one team and lost anyway.

Great teams tend to win...sometimes they dont. Winning while great isnt a knock on the winner. People get emotional online and try to disregard everything anyone they hate on does.

So you discredit Lebron as if playing a few less games before Christmas makes winning in June irrelevant and some point out that Kobe won with Shaq doing 38/16 and then missed the playoffs or lost in the first round 3 years straight before he had another bigman playing HOF ball.

The Lebron side will hate on Kobe the Kobe side will hate on Lebron. What...the...****...ever.

It took a great effort to win in 2012 and Lebron played all time elite ball in doing it with a team that did not have Wade or Bosh playing near the ball that made them who they are. And Kobe played a pretty big role in the first ring, and was a superstar for 2 more, and was the main reason his team won 2 when he was leading them.

The rest..."eh" status.

Great post. This should end the thread. Sadly, it won't.

[kennethgriffin]

If he's going to be easily forgotten, so will Mutombo.

He was a defensive anchor who anchored the best modern defensive team.

I saw a lot of Ben Wallace jerseys here in NYC. I'm sure there were just as many in Michigan.

Everyone huh?

A) mutombo was an iconic figure. his look, his voice, he invented the finger wave, the classic moment of clutching the ball on the ground after the playoff upset, he was a personable guy too, verry outgoing and popular with the fans.

wallace on the other hand has no character, no charisma, nothing that touched the crowd. he was great at what he did. but he wasnt an icon like mutombo. if the nuggets won the title. the media would have voted mutombo mvp. when the pistons won. they voted for chauncy. nuff said

B) the pistons were a flair up. they had a short lived run. 1 title and failures/chokings. no casual fans really remember them

C) ben wasnt even the most popular wallace on the pistons.

D) ya... dennis rodman is one of the most popular nba players in history. i would say hes one of the most recognizable sports figures in the world actually

north korean dictators have his poster above their bed for god sake

wheres ben wallaces.. spike tv pro vs jo, fear factor, apprentice, peoples court and other reality tv deals?

[kennethgriffin]

You are as good as you are at the time. If you play HOF ball your team won with a HOf level player. A vote 20 years later has nothing to do with basketball.

Kobe won with a HOF level bigman....5 times.

Nothing to be ashamed of. Better players than Kobe won with more talent than hes had. And better players than Kobe have lost with more talent than hes had. Worse players have led less talented teams....past Kobe.

It doesnt really matter. Cant win em all. Bird lost to teams nobody even remembers. Bob Cousy didnt even make the finals before russell with 3 all NBA first team players to help him. At one point the Lakers had arguably 3 of the 5 greatest players of all time all near their primes on one team and lost anyway.

Great teams tend to win...sometimes they dont. Winning while great isnt a knock on the winner. People get emotional online and try to disregard everything anyone they hate on does.

So you discredit Lebron as if playing a few less games before Christmas makes winning in June irrelevant and some point out that Kobe won with Shaq doing 38/16 and then missed the playoffs or lost in the first round 3 years straight before he had another bigman playing HOF ball.

The Lebron side will hate on Kobe the Kobe side will hate on Lebron. What...the...****...ever.

It took a great effort to win in 2012 and Lebron played all time elite ball in doing it with a team that did not have Wade or Bosh playing near the ball that made them who they are. And Kobe played a pretty big role in the first ring, and was a superstar for 2 more, and was the main reason his team won 2 when he was leading them.

The rest..."eh" status.

maybe pau was only good for such a short period of time because he was playing with a top 6-7 all time legend at the highest peak of his basketball career?

eh?


kobe made paus career. kobe could have taken any solid big who was a boarderline allstar averaging 17ppg and made them a 2 time champion