Is Kawhi Already a Hall of Famer?

[Big333223]

I was thinking about Leonard and his mysterious leg injury and what might happen if it's real and he never gets fully healthy or if he leaves the Spurs and is never as good. Think about this resume:

Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 4-time All Defense, 2-time All NBA First Team, 1 Finals MVP, best player on a 67 win team.

Just looking at the resume of achievements, it looks better than Reggie Miller, doesn't it? Or Ray Allen (who had no league awards, no NBA 1st teams)? Is there anyone out there with a better resume who's not a hall of famer? Derrick Rose isn't a HoF'er and has an MVP but only made 1 All NBA Team and never even made a Finals, let alone won a championship and be the FMVP. Kawhi's resume of achievements is better, even without the MVP.

The obvious parallel is Sidney Moncrief, a 2-time DPoY who made 5 All NBA Teams but he never played in a Finals and I feel like the he's the go-to "it's a crime this guy isn't in the HoF" example right now, anyway.

The cons are obvious and many. Only 2 all star appearances, which is low. Only 407 games total, which is fewer than 5 full seasons.  Only 2 years averaging more than 16.5 ppg. And obviously all of his counting stats are woeful for a modern HoF candidate.

But that's all longevity based. If he never comes back healthy again, is he still a HoF'er? What if he comes back and has a Derrick Rose-post injury career where he plays 6-7 more years but never at an all star level?

[Monkhouse]

Way too early to tell.

But Kawhi is definitely able to end up in HoF in a few more consistent years.

[KGs Knee]

If he never comes back healthy again, is he still a HoF'er? What if he comes back and has a Derrick Rose-post injury career where he plays 6-7 more years but never at an all star level?

Tough to say, but I think if Kawhi never has another all-star worthy season it's going to be very difficult to vote him into the HOF.  That would be a very short peak, however good it may have been.

[Beat LA]

The obvious parallel is Sidney Moncrief, a 2-time DPoY who made 5 All NBA Teams but he never played in a Finals and I feel like the he's the go-to "it's a crime this guy isn't in the HoF" example right now, anyway.

Absolutely - TP. I've felt the same way for quite some time, now.

[gouki88]

I think he’s effectively there, but will need to play out a few more years. If it’s on a competitive team then I think it’s a certainty

[Moranis]

Ben Wallace isn't in yet, so I would say no at this point. He needs another couple of seasons at a high level I think. Got hurt to early in his career to be a guarantee.

BTW, the hall of fame monitor has him 32nd among active players at .0633.  So they agree that he needs to do more

www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/hof_prob.html

[Surferdad]

If he never comes back healthy again, is he still a HoF'er? What if he comes back and has a Derrick Rose-post injury career where he plays 6-7 more years but never at an all star level?

Tough to say, but I think if Kawhi never has another all-star worthy season it's going to be very difficult to vote him into the HOF.  That would be a very short peak, however good it may have been.

This.

[SHAQATTACK]

present situation is not helping .

needs to forfill his mission in life ,  to shut down Lebron.

[smokeablount]

If he never comes back healthy again, is he still a HoF'er? What if he comes back and has a Derrick Rose-post injury career where he plays 6-7 more years but never at an all star level?

Tough to say, but I think if Kawhi never has another all-star worthy season it's going to be very difficult to vote him into the HOF.  That would be a very short peak, however good it may have been.

This.

Good question OP, TP.

[colincb]

Not by a long shot.

[Phantom255x]

No. He still needs a few more all-star level seasons IMO before being a HOF'er.

[ederson]

I'd be surprised if he was.

How many players secured a spot in the hall of fame by their 6th-7th season ? Maybe Curry ?

[Big333223]

I'd be surprised if he was.

How many players secured a spot in the hall of fame by their 6th-7th season ? Maybe Curry ?

That's an interesting question. There are a lot of older guys (like, pre 80's guys) who did, when careers weren't as long.

Lebron won his second MVP for his 7th season, so him. Same for Curry. Durant won his MVP and his 4th scoring title in his 7th season, so him, too.

Dwyane Wade had a scoring title and a FMVP in a dominant (if controversial) championship run by his 7th year, so he might've. Dwight Howard won his 3rd straight DPOY award in his 7th season, he had 3 rebounding titles and 2 shot blocking titles as well (heck, it might've been better for him if he had just retired after his 8th season). Chris Paul had led the league in assists twice and steals 4 times by his 7th year but he didn't get the MVP award he deserved in '08 so probably not him.

EDIT: Going back to some retired guys, Tim Duncan had won 2 FMVP's and 2 MVP's by year 7. Iverson had 3 scoring titles and an MVP by year 7.

Grant Hill is an interesting one because he just made the hall, mostly on the strength of his first 6 seasons and being a really nice guy. Post injury, he made one all star team, averaging 19.7 ppg for a bad Orlando team but had a nice run as a guy who could score 11-15 ppg and be good in the locker room. So his longevity as a role player has to have factored in, too.

[Moranis]

I'd be surprised if he was.

How many players secured a spot in the hall of fame by their 6th-7th season ? Maybe Curry ?

That's an interesting question. There are a lot of older guys (like, pre 80's guys) who did, when careers weren't as long.

Lebron won his second MVP for his 7th season, so him. Same for Curry. Durant won his MVP and his 4th scoring title in his 7th season, so him, too.

Dwyane Wade had a scoring title and a FMVP in a dominant (if controversial) championship run by his 7th year, so he might've. Dwight Howard won his 3rd straight DPOY award in his 7th season, he had 3 rebounding titles and 2 shot blocking titles as well (heck, it might've been better for him if he had just retired after his 8th season). Chris Paul had led the league in assists twice and steals 4 times by his 7th year but he didn't get the MVP award he deserved in '08 so probably not him.

EDIT: Going back a little more, Iverson had scoring titles and an MVP by year 7.

Duncan is probably the cleanest case of anyone after year 7 (of the modern players I mean).  2 MVP's (plus finished in top 5 all 7 seasons including 2 2nd place finishes with the 2 wins), 2 Titles with 2 Finals MVP's, plus the ROY, 6 all star games, 7 1st Team All NBA, 5 1st Team All Defense, 2 2nd Team All Defense.

[Celtics4ever]

He is good to great player and he has the hardware so yes is my answer.   He will be a first ballot kind of guy I wager.