HOF 2025 Finalists announced

[Hey Yo]

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and a team they were part of -- the gold medal-winning 2008 U.S. Olympic Team -- headline the group of finalists for this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Among the other nominees are women's basketball legends Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, along with coaches Billy Donovan and Mark Few.

Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, is 10th all time in the NBA in scoring with 28,289 points. He also led Syracuse to a national championship in 2003.

Howard was the preeminent defensive presence of his era, winning three straight NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards (2009-11). He made eight All-NBA teams in addition to leading the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals and then winning a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

the rest in the link
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43849680/carmelo-anthony-dwight-howard-maya-moore-hall-finalists

[Street Hunger]

Will always have mixed feelings about Dwight Howard and how his career went but I guess it can't be denied that he was a top center in the league for a long time.

It's an easier case to make for Carmelo Anthony because of all the international stuff he did along with NBA stuff

[Street Hunger]

Seems like a pretty small Hall of Fame class NBA wise doesn't it

[Kblaze8855]

Melo could have Potentially made it for college international and the NBA. Or do they disregard one and done college players? I could see the argument but it’s not like he left anything undone in the one year.

[Im Still Ballin]

Does a player need to be retired to make the HOF as a player? What if Dwight got signed by LA? He's like 39 but I feel like he could still get up and down the court. Dikembe played till about 44 and more like 50 if you don't believe his listed age. Kevin Willis also.

[Neal Romer]

Melo could have Potentially made it for college international and the NBA. Or do they disregard one and done college players? I could see the argument but it’s not like he left anything undone in the one year.

I didnt care much for his play style but his degree of relevance throughout his basketball career makes him a pretty easy hall of famer to me. I dont know why people care about numbers or titles so much with this stuff, it's the hall of FAME. To me it's about guys who have an obvious place in basketball history. If it was up to me guys like Artest and Horry would be in there. Players whose careers were significant to the overall history amd narrative of basketball.

[Neal Romer]

For instance Reggie Miller not getting in first ballot because of numbers nerds was criminal. If you dont wanna rank him above player x or y because numbers thats fine. But being 'the' 3-point shooter of the 90s and the infamous battles with MJ, and Spike Lee in the garden.... anyone who lived in the 90s knows Reggie Miller. Hes a huge part of NBA history. Who doesnt think hes HOF worthy?? Because of some stupid metrics??

They do the hall of fame all wrong tbh.

[ImKobe]

Will always have mixed feelings about Dwight Howard and how his career went but I guess it can't be denied that he was a top center in the league for a long time.

It's an easier case to make for Carmelo Anthony because of all the international stuff he did along with NBA stuff

Dwight was the better player peak for peak with more team success & more accolades and he beat Lebron in the Playoffs while being a massive underdog as his star PG was injured. Melo has more highlights and was more relevant culturally I guess and the extra gold medals help his case, but Dwight was undeniable for 3 years straight with 3 DPOYS, 3x 1st team and top 5 MVP voting every year, and he produced in the Playoffs. Melo's Playoff career was so damn disappointing apart from that one WCF run in '09.

Melo got more ASG appearances, but apart from that Dwight just shits on him NBA-wise.

[L.Kizzle]

Does a player need to be retired to make the HOF as a player? What if Dwight got signed by LA? He's like 39 but I feel like he could still get up and down the court. Dikembe played till about 44 and more like 50 if you don't believe his listed age. Kevin Willis also.

Of Redeem teams makes it than LeBron will become the first active player in the Hall of Fame.

[Jason Terry]

Where's my name, I outplayed prime LeBron in the finals :mad:

[Nowoco]

Obviously Melo and Dwight are locks, especially for this HoF but they would be locks even if it was like the NFL or MLB one. Actual bonafide HoFers.

But why is the 2008 Olympics team getting in? For reclaiming something they never should have lost in the first place? If that roster hadn't won, it would have been 10 times worse than 2004.

[L.Kizzle]

Obviously Melo and Dwight are locks, especially for this HoF but they would be locks even if it was like the NFL or MLB one. Actual bonafide HoFers.

But why is the 2008 Olympics team getting in? For reclaiming something they never should have lost in the first place? If that roster hadn't won, it would have been 10 times worse than 2004.

Nominee, I don't think they should get in. It's four players on the roster not even Hall of Famers.

[L.Kizzle]

How did Amare not make it as at least a finalists .

1x All-NBA 1st Team
5x All-NBA 2nd Team
In an era that featured Dirk, Duncan, KG, Bron as the forwards.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Dwight. Never. Soft.

[pandiani17]

Will always have mixed feelings about Dwight Howard and how his career went but I guess it can't be denied that he was a top center in the league for a long time.

It's an easier case to make for Carmelo Anthony because of all the international stuff he did along with NBA stuff

I am not a fan of Dwight Howard, but he was the best center in the league from 2006 to 2013 or so. And he got 4 DPOY, IIRC. Then the style of play changed i the NBA and he was not as productive as before. He deserves to be in the HOF, no question about it.

[pandiani17]

Does a player need to be retired to make the HOF as a player? What if Dwight got signed by LA? He's like 39 but I feel like he could still get up and down the court. Dikembe played till about 44 and more like 50 if you don't believe his listed age. Kevin Willis also.

Until some years ago they had to be retired for five years. I don't know the rules nowadays, it seems that Dwight and Melo were playing two days ago.

[L.Kizzle]

Until some years ago they had to be retired for five years. I don't know the rules nowadays, it seems that Dwight and Melo were playing two days ago.
Used to be 5 years, changed to 4 and now down to 3.

[Xiao Yao You]

Where is demarcus on this list? The guy that would dominate in any era except the one he played in :roll:

DeMarcus Cousins: The way I’m wired and the way I’m built, I feel like I could dominate in any era. I’m very confident in my abilities, my work ethic, and the commitment I’ve put into my craft. No matter when I played, I believe I would have stood out. That’s just who I am. – via *********

DeMarcus Cousins: I do wish things could have been better (in Sacramento) because I was really passionate about winning. I do think I received a narrative that wasn’t me, and that can be easily confused between being a passionate guy and being in a losing situation. So I get it and I understand, but it just sucks that I ended up with a narrative that I don’t think I necessarily deserved. – via *********

look in the mirror! You were in a losing situation because of yourself :facepalm

[rawimpact]

Where is demarcus on this list? The guy that would dominate in any era except the one he played in :roll:

DeMarcus Cousins: The way I’m wired and the way I’m built, I feel like I could dominate in any era. I’m very confident in my abilities, my work ethic, and the commitment I’ve put into my craft. No matter when I played, I believe I would have stood out. That’s just who I am. – via *********

DeMarcus Cousins: I do wish things could have been better (in Sacramento) because I was really passionate about winning. I do think I received a narrative that wasn’t me, and that can be easily confused between being a passionate guy and being in a losing situation. So I get it and I understand, but it just sucks that I ended up with a narrative that I don’t think I necessarily deserved. – via *********

look in the mirror! You were in a losing situation because of yourself :facepalm

I don't think he's completely at fault. Dude wrote his own story with his attitude and short fuse. But the management and team itself was garbage top down. George Karl is a horrible coach... if you get fired from coaching the Kings, you suck.

[Xiao Yao You]

I don't think he's completely at fault. Dude wrote his own story with his attitude and short fuse. But the management and team itself was garbage top down. George Karl is a horrible coach... if you get fired from coaching the Kings, you suck.

The kings have had bad ownership. To say a guy that won as much with several different teams as a bad coach is certainly debatable. Dominant players can carry teams and at least make them competitive. Hes the main reason the kings sucked. He was inefficient. Bad defender. Empty stats and a whining, pouting head case that still doesnt get it obviously aftercall these years

[rawimpact]

The kings have had bad ownership. To say a guy that won as much with several different teams as a bad coach is certainly debatable. Dominant players can carry teams and at least make them competitive. Hes the main reason the kings sucked. He was inefficient. Bad defender. Empty stats and a whining, pouting head case that still doesnt get it obviously aftercall these years

He was the reasons the Kings won as many games as they did tbh

George Karl won as many games as he did because of talent, whether it was Payton and Kemp or Melo and Iverson... and they always underachieved. He NEVER made winning adjustments in a playoff series. Usually, players who thrive under a coach for a long period appreciate their coach. We've seen this with Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, Wade etc. All of which praise Phil, Greg, Pat etc Carmelo, JR, Iverson, Payton etc. even Kobe hate George. In fact, I recall an article in the early 2000s about George and Andre miller not talking for like a decade. George Karl still goes on twitter to beef at his ripe age.

[Xiao Yao You]

He was the reasons the Kings won as many games as they did tbh

George Karl won as many games as he did because of talent, whether it was Payton and Kemp or Melo and Iverson... and they always underachieved. He NEVER made winning adjustments in a playoff series. Usually, players who thrive under a coach for a long period appreciate their coach. We've seen this with Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, Wade etc. All of which praise Phil, Greg, Pat etc Carmelo, JR, Iverson, Payton etc. even Kobe hate George. In fact, I recall an article in the early 2000s about George and Andre miller not talking for like a decade. George Karl still goes on twitter to beef at his ripe age.

He was certainly the main reason they won as many and lost as many as they did. If you are dominant like he said you shouldnt be one of the worst teams in the league regardless.

[Xiao Yao You]

Ready to dominate the current era of puerto rican basketball! 🤣

Puerto Rican team Mets de Guaynabo acquired former NBA players DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Williams for the 2025 season. – via Alberto De Roa @ *********