# Basketball HOF Finalists **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 14, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786 "2009-02-14T04:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/1 "2009-02-14T04:14:04Z")
Here is the list: Michael Jordan John Stockton David Robinson Don Nelson Jerry Sloan C. Vivian Stringer Dennis Johnson Chris Mullin Bernard King Cynthia Cooper Al Attles Bob Hurley Sr. Vladimir Kondrashin Pereira “Ubiratan” Maciel Richie Guerin Johnny “Red” Kerr I think the top 5 are shoe-ins, but I don’t think anyone else makes it. Seeing this list today, I was shocked that MJ wasn’t already in the HOF because it has been so long since he retired. Then I remember that he played for the Wizards. I try to block that out. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/2 "2009-02-14T04:38:25Z")
Yeah, the top 5 all probably get in. Nelson and Sloan both for their playing and coaching careers, if you limited it to just their coaching careers it might be a little more dicey. I also think that Johnny “Red” Kerr gets in. He was one of the best Big Ten players ever for the Illini. He won an NBA Championship and was a All-Star as a player and probably had better numbers than either Sloan or Nelson and was one of the original Iron Men at one time holding the All-Time Consecutive Games Streak. He won an NBA Coach of the Year award taking the expansion Bulls to the playoffs in their first season. Last and most relevant is his place as one of the All-Time announcers. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of NBA announcers calling Bulls games for 33 years. He gets in as an announcer alone, his playing and coaching career makes it more compelling. The fact that his health is failing and that former Bulls Jerry Sloan (who he coached) and Michael Jordan (who’s career he called and who he started the talcum powder gimmick with) are going in in the same class will make it a great story and tear filled induction. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Walking\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90ced4/32.png) [@The\_Walking\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Walking_Dude)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/3 "2009-02-14T05:12:52Z")
I agree with the first five making it in. Definitely the first three and I can’t see leaving the next two out. I like Chris Mullin, but he won’t make it this year and quite possibly never. He was pretty dominant in the late 80’s and early 90’s, though, so you never know. Cynthia Cooper probably won’t make it, although I think she should. She is quite possibly the best women’s basketball player ever. C. Vivian Stringer should also have a good shot eventually. She is one of the best coaches in women’s basketball. Over 800 wins in her college coaching career. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/4 "2009-02-14T07:19:43Z")
**Dennis Johnson** should be there. And not just because he will be honored posthumously. Finals MVP, major component of Boston’s 80’s run, multiple all-star and one of the top five defensive guards of all-time. And an unstoppable scoring machine for Harbor Junior College. Lit up Michael Cooper (of Pasadena City College) for 36 one night. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/5 "2009-02-14T07:46:30Z")
> [@Ataraxy](#): > > I think the top 5 are shoe-ins, but I don’t think anyone else makes it. I don’t know. You really think this Jordan fella deserves to make it on the first ballot? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Shot\_Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_Clock)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/6 "2009-02-14T15:47:55Z")
I want to see Red Kerr get in. He deserves it, and lets honor one of the Old Guard while he’s still available. Bernard King won’t make it, which is kind of a shame. In that period after he got his addiction problems straightened out and before he turned his knee into a pretzel, he was about as unstoppable a force as the game has ever seen. He’s a perfect example of, “Gee, what he coulda been…”. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/7 "2009-02-14T16:26:43Z")
> [@](#): > > You really think this Jordan fella deserves to make it on the first ballot? You mean that Jordan kid what played for the Barons down in Birmingham? What, was he a college basketballer or something? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Shot\_Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_Clock)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/8 "2009-02-14T19:23:38Z")
> [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](#): > > What, was he a college basketballer or something? I think he and M.L. Carr were teammates for a while on one of those old Eastern League teams. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/9 "2009-02-14T19:38:31Z")
> [@Shot\_Clock](#): > > I think he and M.L. Carr were teammates for a while on one of those old Eastern League teams. This is a whoosh, right? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Shot\_Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_Clock)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/10 "2009-02-28T14:10:53Z")
> [@Shot\_Clock](#): > > I want to see Red Kerr get in. He deserves it, and lets honor one of the Old Guard while he’s still available. And, just like that, [he’s no longer available.](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-27-johnny-kerr-bulls-chicagojan12,0,5279916.story) Now I’m pissed. C’mon people. The guy should’ve been in years ago. Now, because of some convoluted bullshit reasons about “preserving the integrity of the Hall”, we’ve missed yet another chance to honor somebody who was truly worthy of honoring. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/11 "2009-03-01T01:14:29Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > This is a whoosh, right? No, it’s a swoosh. Gosh, I crack myself up. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/12 "2009-03-01T01:34:58Z")
> [@Shot\_Clock](#): > > And, just like that, [he’s no longer available.](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-27-johnny-kerr-bulls-chicagojan12,0,5279916.story) > > Now I’m pissed. C’mon people. The guy should’ve been in years ago. Now, because of some convoluted bullshit reasons about “preserving the integrity of the Hall”, we’ve missed yet another chance to honor somebody who was truly worthy of honoring. During the memorial they mentioned that Kerr never missed a game, and made several All Star teams while playing a full **1/3 of his games against Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell**! ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-hof-finalists/485786/13 "2009-04-06T19:17:49Z")
They announced the winners today: Michael Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, and C. Vivian Stringer