Does RIP make the Hall of Fame this round?

[superjohn]

Dunno why Bird slipped my mind. That said, you could make a good case for Duncan over him based on a number of metrics:

Advanced Stats:

Win Shares​

Duncan - 206.4​

Bird - 145.8​

PER​

Duncan - 24.2​

Bird - 23.5​

VORP​

Duncan - 89.3​

Bird - 79.7​

Defense is where Duncan really set himself apart. Bird was a good defender, Duncan was elite. Leaving aside advanced stats:

All NBA Defensive Team​

Duncan - 15 total; 8 First Team (tied for 2nd all time)​

Bird - 3 total; 0 First team​

Duncan named to both a All-NBA team and an NBA All-Defensive teams for 13 straight seasons, by far the longest such streak in NBA history. Next closest was nine.

All NBA​

Duncan - 10 All-NBA First Team (third all time); 3 Second team​

Bird - 9 All-NBA First teams; 1 second team​

Titles​

Duncan - 5 (3 Finals MVP)​

Bird - 3 (1 Finals MVP)​

Longevity/Durability:​

Duncan - 19 Seasons; 1392 games; 251 playoffs​

Bird - 13 Seasons; 897 games; 164 playoffs​

Add the fact that Duncan was the best ever at his position.

I wouldn't begrudge anybody to choose either way. If I'm starting a team, I'm taking Duncan over Bird myself.

I think Bird has somehow become the most underrated person in sports along with Marino. I love Duncan but he just wasn't as good as Bird IMO. The only thing that slowed BIrd down was his back, he simply dominated the mid 80's.. Duncan was significantly better defensively (Bird's D underrated) and a better rebounder (hard to believe Bird only averaged 1 fewer rebound per game) but Bird was better at every single other aspect of the game and if I want anybody in the history of basketball taking the last shot it's Larry Bird.

If players are somewhat close I will always take the more unstopoable offensive player/shot maker. It's why I take Dirk over Garnett, KG simply couldn't completely carry a team and win it all like Dirk did in 2011.

Duncan is top 10, right there with Hakeem and Shaq, IMO.

 

[joober jones]

I doubt you could find 5 NBA players who agree with this. Not what the HOF is for, anyway.

Love Rip, and think he puts together a unique case. Unfortunately I think it falls just a bit short.

Considering the sheer amount of people who were NBA contemporaries, you could pretty easily find 5 even if they were all delusional. I can guarantee Tim Duncan and Charlie V are two of the many non-delusional members of the list.

 

[tentoes4rings]

This round no but I think based on his college success and his Pistons run, he has a solid chance. My favorite Husky of all time, would love to see it.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Hall of Very Good.

Same as Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and Ben Wallace from those Pistons teams.

 

[UconnU]

No on RIP. Kemba will be there eventually though.

 

[Chief00]

I think Bird has somehow become the most underrated person in sports along with Marino. I love Duncan but he just wasn't as good as Bird IMO. The only thing that slowed BIrd down was his back, he simply dominated the mid 80's.. Duncan was significantly better defensively (Bird's D underrated) and a better rebounder (hard to believe Bird only averaged 1 fewer rebound per game) but Bird was better at every single other aspect of the game and if I want anybody in the history of basketball taking the last shot it's Larry Bird.

If players are somewhat close I will always take the more unstopoable offensive player/shot maker. It's why I take Dirk over Garnett, KG simply couldn't completely carry a team and win it all like Dirk did in 2011.

Duncan is top 10, right there with Hakeem and Shaq, IMO.

I agree when Bird was healthy he was dominant. The Celtics, Lakers and Pistons were such powerful teams, Michael Jordan did not win a championship in his first 7 NBA seasons. Let that sink in.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

name this UConn guy not in the hall of fame.
nba all time rank:
games 13
minutes 23
fg made 53
3pt 54
ft attempts 74
steals 57
blocks 43
points 48
defensive win shares 33
fouls 8!
pretty good, huh?

 

[TheChamps990411]

He's certainly worthy. He was a great college athlete, a champion both in college and as pro, his motor was legendary. With game on the line he a great option. He's due. It is well deserved.

Swin Cash is up for it too.

I think he gets in eventually and deservedly so. He only made 3 all star games but when your in a conference with Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Gilbert "I have a pistol" Arenas youre bound to get left out. I just dont think hes a first ballot guy.

 

[CTGoonie]

Wasn't he one of the few that one a state championship in HS (Coatesville, PA), NCAA and NBA championship?

 

[tentoes4rings]

name this UConn guy not in the hall of fame.
nba all time rank:
games 13
minutes 23
fg made 53
3pt 54
ft attempts 74
steals 57
blocks 43
points 48
defensive win shares 33
fouls 8!
pretty good, huh?

Cliff Robinson?

 

[nycscooby]

Love RIP, one of the greatest Huskies def top 10 maybe even better than that but he is not a HOFer. And as much as I love Duncan and his amazing career (and damn lottery balls kept him off Celts), no way I take him over Bird. in his absolute prime, Bird was a top 5 player I ever saw play.

 

[intlzncster]

I think Bird has somehow become the most underrated person in sports along with Marino. I love Duncan but he just wasn't as good as Bird IMO. The only thing that slowed BIrd down was his back, he simply dominated the mid 80's.. Duncan was significantly better defensively (Bird's D underrated) and a better rebounder (hard to believe Bird only averaged 1 fewer rebound per game) but Bird was better at every single other aspect of the game and if I want anybody in the history of basketball taking the last shot it's Larry Bird.

If players are somewhat close I will always take the more unstopoable offensive player/shot maker. It's why I take Dirk over Garnett, KG simply couldn't completely carry a team and win it all like Dirk did in 2011.

Duncan is top 10, right there with Hakeem and Shaq, IMO.

That's just where we differ preferentially then. I'm always gonna take the most complete player, as long as they are elite at their respective skills. They can impact the game in more ways. In that vein, I take Garnett over Dirk simply because of his dominance at both ends. And Dirk's one of my favorite NBA players ever. Would kill to see Dirk in his prime with Luca.

For last shot, I'm going with MJ, because he can get more shots, but would not be at all disappointed with Bird.

Either way, we're splitting hairs. Idk if Bird is underrated (I mean we are discussing Top 6 guys ever here), maybe that's due to how long ago it was. I personally think one of the most underrated (hard to call most) is Charles Barkley.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Maybe not HOF overall but better and tougher UConn player than Ray. In a close game I’d want Rip any day.

 

[Huskybass]

He's certainly worthy. He was a great college athlete, a champion both in college and as pro, his motor was legendary. With game on the line he a great option. He's due. It is well deserved.

Swin Cash is up for it too.

Loved Rip's game and he was certainly a great college player, but I don't think his pro career was quite good enough for him to make the HOF. I would be happy to be wrong, but I just don't see it happening.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Loved Rip's game and he was certainly a great college player, but I don't think his pro career was quite good enough for him to make the HOF. I would be happy to be wrong, but I just don't see it happening.

This is where I differ from many on this topic. It isn't the NBA HoF. It's the Basketball HoF. Rip was a McD's AA, NCAA First Team AA, Final Four MOP on Champ Team, won NBA championship and made a few All-Star teams. He excelled at three levels of basketball. He should be in.

 

[Kenny11]

He probably won’t get in but if someone important lobbied for him it’s possible (which doesn’t seem like something rip would care for.) Non-nba basketball accomplishments seem to be taken Into account more with foreign players. Most people forget about what rip did in college.

 

[Huskybass]

This is where I differ from many on this topic. It isn't the NBA HoF. It's the Basketball HoF. Rip was a McD's AA, NCAA First Team AA, Final Four MOP on Champ Team, won NBA championship and made a few All-Star teams. He excelled at three levels of basketball. He should be in.

Sorry, all the pre NBA stuff helps a lot, but the overall body of work won't get him in. I am being objective, which apparently some UConn fans are not capable of. Rip only made 3 All Star teams in 14 years in the NBA. He was a very good pro, but in my opinion not quite HOF worthy. Then again, Calvin Murphy is in, so who knows?

I hope I am wrong, but I would be very surprised in Rip ever makes the HOF.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Love the guy, but no. As @Huskybass said, 3 all-star seasons doesn't cut it where the Hall of Fame should be for players with prolonged excellence.

Random Rip stat: A career 34.6% 3 point shooter, Rip hit 45.8% of his threes in the 05-06 season.

 

[Excalibur]

Check that -- Danny Manning is in the College Hall of Fame, not the Basketball Hall of Fame. Thought I had a good comparison for a minute.

 

[UofCT]

If Kevin Garnett was so great how come his Minnesota teams were terrible? He made one Conference finals as an alpha? Reggie Miller made six.

It took joining 2 other HOFers to sniff success.. And that interview with Bill Simmons, ya kidding me? Hate to break it to you KG, Lebron and Wade are significantly better than you.

 

[T-Squared]

No on Rip. Duncan, Kobe, Garnett, and Bosh are locks. Kukoc is borderline but I think he should make it, Webber also borderline. Don't know about any of the female nominees so can't comment.

Bosh? Bosh?? Bosh?!?!? No.

 

[Brochacho]

If Kevin Garnett was so great how come his Minnesota teams were terrible? He made one Conference finals as an alpha? Reggie Miller made six.

...Did you watch prime KG? If you did, you wouldn't be asking this question. He only played with two all-stars in Minnesota - Wally Szczerbiak in 2002 and Sam Cassell in 2004. No surprise that his only WCF appearance was when Minnesota got Cassell and he finally had a competent NBA player next to him. He CARRIED that franchise for a decade and had no help.

NBA MVP. 15 time all star. 9 All-NBA teams. 9 All-Defensive first teams. Led the NBA in rebounding 4 consecutive seasons. BuT hOw GooD wAs He?

 

[Huskybass]

...Did you watch prime KG? If you did, you wouldn't be asking this question. He only played with two all-stars in Minnesota - Wally Szczerbiak in 2002 and Sam Cassell in 2004. No surprise that his only WCF appearance was when Minnesota got Cassell and he finally had a competent NBA player next to him. He CARRIED that franchise for a decade and had no help.

NBA MVP. 15 time all star. 9 All-NBA teams. 9 All-Defensive first teams. Led the NBA in rebounding 4 consecutive seasons. BuT hOw GooD wAs He?

KG did EVERYTHING in his prime. Great passer, rebounded well, scored well. Always played hard and tough on D. OG badass. All time great, no doubt. He was a treat to watch in his prime.

 

[superjohn]

Bosh? Bosh?? Bosh?!?!? No.

Yes, he's a lock.

 

[Husky25]

...Did you watch prime KG? If you did, you wouldn't be asking this question. He only played with two all-stars in Minnesota - Wally Szczerbiak in 2002 and Sam Cassell in 2004. No surprise that his only WCF appearance was when Minnesota got Cassell and he finally had a competent NBA player next to him. He CARRIED that franchise for a decade and had no help.

NBA MVP. 15 time all star. 9 All-NBA teams. 9 All-Defensive first teams. Led the NBA in rebounding 4 consecutive seasons. BuT hOw GooD wAs He?

He also, for better or worse, re opened the HS to the Pros floodgate that, IMO, changed the NBA draft forever.