Skip to Content

NBA Hall of Fame Probability

By: Author Andrew Herig

Posted on Published:

NBA Hall of Fame Probability

NBA Hall of Fame Probability

The NBA’s Hall of Fame, officially titled the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts, the official birthplace of the sport of basketball. Serving as basketball’s most complete and comprehensive library, the Hall of Fame is meant to preserve and promote the history and future of the game.

Named in honor and dedication to the founder of the game of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, the Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959 and opened its first facility in 1968. To date, the Hall of Fame has formally inducted 401 basketball individuals, with the Boston Celtics topping the list, with 40 individuals associated to the team having been inducted.

And while some of the most famous and most prominent NBA, NCAA, and basketball players, coaches, refs, and teams have been inducted into the hall, fans and players are always looking to ascertain whether current NBA players will be inducted.

That is why, below, we are going to look at the NBA Hall of Fame Probability for currently active NBA players. That is, we are going to provide a list of currently active NBA players below whom we believe are all but guaranteed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

NBA Hall of Fame Probability

What is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame?

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is the official hall of fame for players, coaches, referees, and teams within the United States, Canada, and internationally. Serving as the defacto source of information on the history of the sport, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame also looks to promote the sport and preserves its history.

Originally envisioned as the source for all basketball information, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame would be established in 1959, however due to a lack of available funds, the Hall would not have a physical location until 1968.

In the two decades following the opening of a physical location, with the Hall of Fame attracting visitors from around the world, a new $11.5 million facility would be opened to help accommodate the additional flow of fans and tourists.

And, again, in 2002 the facility would move and be upgraded to a $47 million facility. A state-of-the-art and modern facility, the current building features a metallic silver, basketball-shaped sphere flanked by two similarly symmetrical rhombuses.

The dome is illuminated at night and features 80,000 square feet of interior space, including a rather large gift shop, a basketball court, a gaming gallery, interactive exhibits, several theaters, and memorabilia from some of the best players, coaches, and stadiums of the game.

How Are NBA Players Nominated to the Hall of Fame?

Nearly anyone can be nominated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. However, a nomination does not guarantee acceptance into the Hall of Fame. Rather, to be considered eligible, an individual must meet one of the four following guidelines.

  • Player – a player must be fully retired for four full seasons before being eligible. Subsequently, on the fifth year, that player may be considered eligible for enshrinement within the Hall of Fame.
  • Coach – A coach must be either fully retired for four full seasons or, if still an active coach, have coached as either a full time assistant or head coach on the high school or college or professional level for a minimum of 25 years. That person will then be considered for eligibility to be enshrined in the Hall in the sixth year of retirement or 26th year of active coaching.
  • Referee – A referee must be fully retired for four full seasons or, if still an active referee, have been an active referee for a minimum of 25 years.
  • Contributor – a contributor is anyone who has made significant progress, advancements, or contributions to the game of basketball. That “contribution” shall be determined by the Basketball Hall of Fame, its Election Process Committee, and the Contributor Direct-Elect Committee.

Once a player, coach, referee, or contributor has been nominated, their nomination shall be placed before the screening committee. This committee is separated between a North American one and a Women’s one. Made up of 9 and 7 members respectively, a nominee must receive either 7 or 5 affirmative votes from their respective committee to advance in the process.

Once past the initial screening committee, the potential inductee will be reviewed by the Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees to confirm that the player had not committed any material impact to the game.

Once confirmed, the player moves forward to the Honors Committee. Made up of 24 individuals, the Honor Committee is made up of Hall of Famers, basketball executives and administrators, members of the media, and other experts in the game of basketball. These members will vote on a players nomination and 18 members must vote in the affirmative for the player to be inducted.

Current NBA Players Most Likely to Get Inducted Into the HoF

Below, we’ve listed the current NBA players with the highest likelihood of being inducted into the NBA’s Hall of Fame once they retire. These players have contributed immensely to the sport and barring any disqualifying actions on their part, they should be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame once eligible.

  • LeBron James – currently a 4-time NBA Champion, a 4-time NBA Finals MVP, 4-time Most Valuable Player, 18-time NBA All-Star, 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, 12-time All-NBA First Team, 3-time All-NBA Second Team, 2-time All-NBA Third Team, 5-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Rookie First Team, and the NBA scoring champion in the 2008 season.
  • Chris Paul – 12-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Star MVP, 4-time All-NBA First Team, 5-time All-NBA Second Team, 2-time All-NBA Third Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, 5-time NBA assists leader.
  • Kevin Durant – 3-time NBA Champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA Most Valuable Player in 2014, 12-time NBA All-Star, 2-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, 6-time All-NBA First Team, 4-time All-NBA Second Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, 4-time NBA Scoring champion
  • Stephen Curry – 4-time NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, 2-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 8-time NBA All-Star, 4-time All-NBA First Team, 3-time All-NBA Second Team, 2-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion, 2-time NBA Scoring champion, NBA steals leader in 2016.
  • James Harden – NBA Most Valuable Player, 10-time NBA All-Star, 6-time All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 3-time NBA scoring champion, NBA assists leader.
  • Russell Westbrook – NBA Most Valuable Player, 9-time NBA All-Star, 2-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, 2-time All-NBA First Team, 5-time All-NBA Second Team, 2-time NBA scoring champion, 3-time NBA assists leader.
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo – NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, 2-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 6-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Star Game MVP, 4-time All-NBA First Team, 2-time All-NBA Second Team, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, NBA Most Improved Player.