Who Are the NBA Hall of Famers?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Introduction

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. The NBA is widely considered to be the premier professional basketball league in the world.

The NBA has a long and storied history, dating back to its founding in 1946. Since then, the league has seen many great players come and go. Some have left their mark on the game and gone down in history as true legends of the sport. These players are honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

To be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, a player must have played at least five seasons in the NBA, be retired for at least four years, and be nominated by a special committee. The committee then votes on whether or not to induct the player into the Hall of Fame. If a player receives enough votes, they are officially inducted at an induction ceremony held annually in Springfield, Massachusetts.

As of 2019, there are 314 members of the Hall of Fame, including players, coaches, referees, and contributors to the game of basketball. Of these 314 members, 246 are players who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame as players. This list includes some of the greatest names in NBA history, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson.

The Players

There are many great players who have been inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. Some of the greatest players of all time are in the Hall of Fame. This includes players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.; April 16, 1947) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. NBA coach Pat Riley and players LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have called him the greatest basketball player of all time.

After winning 71 consecutive basketball games on his high school team in New York City, Alcindor was recruited by just about every college basketball program in the nation. He chose to play for John Wooden at UCLA where he won three consecutive NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championships, while being named Most Outstanding Player each time. As a freshman at UCLA, he contributed to the team’s 1965 NCAA championship by scoring 56 points and grabbing 29 rebounds in the finals against USC. He was named NCAA College Basketball Player of the Year in 1967 and 1969, television sports anchor Brent Musburger dubbed him “The tower from Poway” (a suburb outside San Diego).

Abdul-Jabbar’s earlier contributions were steady but not spectacular: averaging between 21 and 24 points per game during his first five years but never leading his team beyond the second round of playoff competition. He’d be voted into 6 All Star games during this period but would only start once (the result of fan voting). It wasn’t until 1970–71 that he became firmly entrenched as a full-fledged superstar: averaging 34 points per game while winning his first MVP award at age 24; leading his team to an NBA Championship defeating Earl Monroe’s New York Knicks in 5 games; being voted into his first All Star Game starting lineup; and being selected to his first All Defensive First Team while also becoming the first player other than Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain to lead the league in blocked shots with 226 swats – all this despite playing with fellow rookie sensation Magic Johnson.

Magic Johnson

Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player and current president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played point guard for the Lakers for 13 seasons. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for good.

Johnson’s career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, and is one of only two players to average at least 10 points and 11 assists per game in their careers. He was a member of 1992 United States men’s Olympic gold medal basketball (“The Dream Team”), as well as serving as head coach of Loyola Marymount University men’s team for a short time in 1990–1991.

Johnson was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 by vote of both fans and news media,[1] and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame that same year.[2][3] He was ranked as the greatest player of all time by ESPN poll taken during his playing career,[4]and Sports Illustrated named him Player of the Century after his death.[5][6] In addition to his basketball career he also served as co-owner and presidentspectator sports teams – firstly baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers from 1994 to 2012[7], followed by football’s Los Angeles Angels from 2003 till 2010.[8]

Larry Bird

Larry Bird was one of the greatest players in NBA history. He played for the Boston Celtics for his entire career, and was a 12-time All-Star. He won 3 NBA championships, and was named the NBA Finals MVP 3 times. He was also the NBA MVP 3 times. In addition, he won 2 Olympic gold medals as a member of the US men’s basketball team.

Michael Jordan

Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time and was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation. He played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. His biography on the official NBA website states: “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.

LeBron James

King James, as he’s often called, is one of the most decorated and beloved basketball players in history. Hailing from Akron, Ohio, LeBron played high school basketball for St. Vincent–St. Mary High School before being drafted into the NBA by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. He spent his first seven seasons with the Cavs, later moving to the Miami Heat in 2010 where he would win two NBA championships. After returning to the Cavaliers in 2014, LeBron would go on to win his third title with the team in 2016. In 2018, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career, LeBron has been named an All-Star 16 times and has won four NBA MVP Awards and three Finals MVP Awards. He is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time.

The Contributors

Jerry West, Lucius Allen, Gail Goodrich, Elgin Baylor, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar make up the list of the five greatest players in Lakers history. These five players have all been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and have had their jersey numbers retired by the Lakers.

David Stern

David Joel Stern (born September 22, 1942) is the former Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league’s Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984, succeeding Larry O’Brien. He is credited with increasing the popularity of the NBA globally during his time as commissioner.

Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach was an American basketball coach and executive. He was the head coach of the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1966, and is credited with transforming the team into a championship dynasty. He also led the Celtics to nine NBA titles, including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966. He is considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Auerbach was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Jerry West

Jerry Alan West (born May 28, 1938) is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames included “Mr. Clutch”, for his ability to make a big play in a clutch moment, such as his buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals; “The Logo”, in reference to his silhouette being incorporated into the NBA logo; and “Zeke from Cabin Creek”, for the creek near his childhood home of Chelyan, West Virginia. His accomplishments include an NBA Championship (1972), Finals MVP (1969), 12 All-Star selections, and been named to every one of the 50th and 60th Anniversary All-Time Teams.
After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three years, then as General Manager of the Lakers for another dozen years. He helped build the 1982 championship team by drafting players like James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson. He also acquired Shaquille O’Neal through a trade in 1996.

The Coaches

Since the National Basketball Association(NBA) was established in 1946, there have been 24 head coaches who have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Out of the 24, four have coached for more than one team, while the other 20 have coached for just one team each. Let’s take a look at the head coaches who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is considered one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time. Jackson won a record 11 NBA championships as a coach with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. His NBA coaching career lasted 20 seasons from 1989 to 2010.

Jackson was born in Deer Lodge, Montana on September 17, 1945. He grew up in Williston, North Dakota where he played basketball and football in high school. Jackson attended the University of North Dakota from 1963 to 1967. He played college basketball for UND from 1966 to 1967. Jackson was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1967 NBA draft. He played for the Knicks from 1967 to 1978 winning two NBA championships with the team in 1970 and 1973.

After retirement from playing, Jackson became head coach of the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1982 to 1985. In 1986, he became an assistant coach for the Baltimore Bullets/Washington Wizards. In 1989, he became head coach of the Chicago Bulls. During his time with the Bulls, they won six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998. In 1996, he was named one of Sports Illustrated’s Fifty Greatest Coaches of All-Time.

In 1999, Jackson became head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. During his time with the Lakers, they won five NBA championships between 2000 and 2010. In 2001, he was named Coach of The Year by The Sporting News. In 2002, he coached Kobe Bryant to a then career-high 71 points against the Toronto Raptors which is still an NBA record for most points scored by a player in a game coached by Phil Jackson.

After retiring from coaching for a second time in 2011, Phil Jackson became President of Basketball Operations for The New York Knicks where he served until 2014 when he stepped down from this position.

Pat Riley

Pat Riley is an American former professional basketball player and current head coach of the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is credited with popularizing the term “three-peat”. Riley has been the NBA Coach of the Year three times. He was the head coach of an NBA All-Star Game team nine times: eight times with the Western Conference team and once with the Eastern team.

Riley played for Loyola Marymount University from 1963 to 1965. He began his coaching career with Oregon State in 1969. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971 as an assistant coach under Bill Sharman. In 1981, Riley was promoted to head coach, a position he held for five seasons before stepping down due to health reasons in 1986. Riley then became general manager and executive vice president of player personnel for the Lakers, helping them rebuild their franchise by acquiring Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in 1996.

Riley rejoined the Lakers as their head coach in 2005 and helped lead them to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. In 2007, he helped lead them to a fourth championship, earning him NBA Coach of the Year honors that year. He then stepped down as head coach again in 2008 but remained as team president until he rejoinedthe Heat as their head coach in 2010. Under Riley’s leadership, Miami made four Finals appearances between 2011 and 2014, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013

Gregg Popovich

Gregg Charles Popovich (/ˈpɒpəvɪtʃ/ POH-pə-vich; born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Taking over as Spurs head coach in 1996, Popovich is the longest-tenured active coach in both the NBA and all US major professional sports leagues. He has led the Spurs to 22 consecutive playoff appearances, including 21 consecutive 50+ win seasons and 17 consecutive seasons with a playoff berth, as of 2019. He has also led them to five NBA championships – 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 – while twice being named NBA Coach of the Year (2003 and 2012). Popovich has coached Team USA at two Olympic Games: Beijing 2008 Frist game played August 10th opponents were China losing 86–50.
He was an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski for Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and the 2010 FIBA World Championship, winning gold medals both years.

The Broadcasters

Dick Vitale

Dick Vitale, also known as “Dickie V”, is an ABC and ESPN college basketball commentator. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, Vitale has helped bring the game of basketball to a wider audience through his use ofcatchphrases and colorful commentary. He is also known for his energy and enthusiastic approach to calling games.

During his time as a head coach, Vitale led his teams to a combined record of 279-130 (.682), including a 52-20 (.722) mark at the University of Detroit. In 1979, he was named National Coach of the Year after leading the Pistons to the NCAA tournament championship game. He also coached the Detroit Mercy Titans to five NCAA tournament appearances (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990).

In his broadcast career, which began in 1979 with ESPN, Vitale has called games at every level of basketball. He has been the play-by-play voice for some of college basketball’s most iconic moments, including Christian Laettner’s game-winning shot in the 1992 NCAA tournament and Magic Johnson’s “no look” pass to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1979 NCAA championship game.

Vitale was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1994.

Marv Albert

Marv Albert is an American sportscaster. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he has been the voice of the NBA’s New York Knicks on radio and television for nearly 40 years. He is also known as the play-by-play broadcaster for NBC’s NFL broadcasts from 1977 to 1989 and for Turner Network Television’s (TNT) NBA broadcasts from 1990 to 1997. In 2000, Albert became only the second person to be honored with the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcasting.

Jim Nantz

Jim Nantz (born May 17, 1959) is an American sportscaster who has worked on telecasts of the National Football League (NFL), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s basketball, and the PGA Tour for CBS Sports since the 1980s. He also works as on-course reporter during golf’s Masters Tournament for CBS, and calls select games for the NFL on CBS Radio.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the NBA Hall of Famers are an exclusive group of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. They have been elected by a committee of basketball experts and their peers, and their accomplishments on the court speak for themselves. These players have made an indelible mark on the history of the game and will be remembered as some of the greatest to ever play.