non-KG/Gorman question

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle]

I think the answer needs to be broken into two parts:

1. SHOULD Pierce be in the HoF?

Probably.  Compared with other NBA players of similar ability and 
record, he's a reasonable selection, with his main knocks being that 
he's never won the NBA Championship, and he's never been a national 
fan favorite.  I think if the Celtics reach the Finals at least 2-3 
times and Pierce distinguishes himself in the process, his chances 
are as good as any likely NBA player, which leads to...

2. WILL Pierce be in the HoF?

I ask this because we've seen in recent years a frequent dismissal of 
NBA players as HoF members.  The various parts of nomination and 
selection vastly favor people NOT in the NBA.  The screening 
committees are for North America, Women, Veterans (career ended 35 
years before consideration), and international.

Obviously, Pierce is not under consideration as a Woman, Veteran, or 
International player.  That leaves "North America", which includes 
not only the NBA, but ANY basketball in North America, including 
college hoops.  Many of us can name at least 2-3 players who were 
nominated but not elected, while people most of us never heard of are 
getting in.

There's some people who belive there's a deliberate attempt to 
disassociate the notion that this is the de facto NBA HoF,  to the 
point where several former players have not donated any mementos to 
the Hall.  Back in the very early days, the Hall was overloaded with 
NBA nominations, and the pendulum might have swung too far in the 
other direction.

I personally think the NBA should either petition for an NBA 
selection committee, or build it's own HoF, preferably in Boston.

To answer the question, under the nomination process as constituted, 
no, he won't get into the Hall, not on the first attempt, at any 
rate.  Probably not until 2-3 attempts go by.


At 03:32 PM 12/3/2007, mark at 10thumbs.org wrote:

>I was wondering this after watching the 1st half of the MIA game and was
>reminded of it when reading Jeff's post on him over at Celticsblog:
>
>
>Is Paul Pierce a Hall-of-Famer?
>
>
>I was thinking that he might need to make it to the Finals, but then i
>looked at his numbers compared to 3 other recent Hall of Famers through
>age 29: Drexler, Worthy and Nique.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/2g6n6w
>
>Pierce is right there with them each. I feel almost like Pierce is
>underated by fans outside Boston b/c of the last many years, by fans of
>Boston b/c of the irritating things he does sometimes (1 on 3, etc) and
>may get overshadowed by KG over the next 2-3 years.
>
>I find myself in that 2nd category -- i think i underate Pierce some b/c
>of the frustration with what he could be. Though i've ALWAYS maintained
>that i'd take him over T-Mac 100 times out of 100, who I feel like is
>generally regarded by the national media as a better player.  Pierce's won
>playoff matches with far less talent, he's MUCH more durable than TMac,
>and has endured with one team rather than leavving a good situation in
>TOR, then complaining his way out of ORL.  In fact if you look at PP's
>numbers they're better almost across the board -- if just barely
>
>Just wondering what others thought.
>
>(the other) mark

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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