H.O.F. Watch - Alonzo Mourning
Every day for the next few weeks we’re gonna take one active NBA star with at least arguable Hall of Fame credentials and break down his chances of getting into the Springfield, Mass., hoops mecca. We’re looking at not just past accomplishments, but also how a player’s career realistically projects for the future. For a full explanation of the process, click here. Today’s candidate: Alonzo Mourning.
ALONZO MOURNING (15th year, Heat/Nets/Hornets)
17.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.8 blocks per game
Why: Alonzo’s on-court resume is impressive enough without the extra credit he’ll get for being one of the game’s well-known good guys and getting ultimate respect for coming back to play at a high level following a nearly career-ending kidney ailment. He’s got two Defensive Player of the Year trophies, seven All-Star selections, two All-Defensive first team nods, one All-NBA first team nod, led the League in blocks twice, and he was a standout back when the League was stacked with a lot of great centers. He got his championship ring with Miami in ‘06 as a legit contributor. Zo is 10th all-time in blocked shots, and barring injury this year could pass Robert Parish and Shaq on that list. As far as average blocks per game, Zo is tied with former Georgetown teammate Dikembe Mutombo for sixth-best all-time. Speaking of college, Mourning one of the best interior defenders the NCAA has ever seen, blocking 5.0 shots per game as a senior with the Hoyas.
Why not: Since he played in an era of great centers, Alonzo will naturally be judged against his peers from that time. He wasn’t as reliable a scorer as Hakeem, Ewing and David Robinson, and Mutombo was a better defender. In his first stint with the Heat (pre-Shaq and Wade) as their franchise player, Zo only made one deep playoff run.
Our call: IN
The H.O.F. Watch archive
10/22 - Allen Iverson
10/19 - Dwyane Wade
10/18 - Chauncey Billups
10/17 - Stephon Marbury
10/16 - Jason Kidd
10/15 - Shawn Marion
10/12 - Ray Allen
10/11 - Chris Bosh
10/10 - Chris Webber
10/9 - Paul Pierce
10/5 - Jermaine O’Neal
10/4 - Gary Payton
10/3 - Tracy McGrady
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Gregg says:
I’m caught on the fence here. Most of his good years in his waning prime were taken away from him due to his kidney transplant. The same can be said about Grant Hill and his ankle issues. Both were great players before their own respective injuries. I don’t know if Mourning is that worthy compared to his peers (Ewing, Mutumbo, Hakeem, Robinson, and Shaq)
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 am
Daniel says:
All be honest with you here… Zo is DOO DOO! I just didn’t know of any other way to put it. How is a guy going to get a rebound, and flex for the camera while the game is still on!!! If anything, his biceps need to be in the HOF, NOTHING ELSE! Zo I hope some how you read this too. YOU. ARE. POO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:36 am
Gee says:
Mourning is in. A very nice time at Georgetown and then on to the NBA. Where he simply put the then Charlotte Hornets in the playoffs. He has had his moments good and bad (the heat fight with the coach holding his leg for dear life). Still, he has always put up good numbers and played with heart, especially before the kidney drama. Yet, being the warrior he is, he still comes back and eventually gets his ring by teaming with someone he once feuded with (I think he should have retired after the ring). Zo will get the sympathy vote, the love vote and mostly the vote of deserving to be in. I am not saying he is automatic like Kobe or even Shaq but Zo will be in as a player and ambassador.
On a side note it’s odd that his college life and NBA life have so much to do with Larry Johnson and Shaq. If my memory serves me correctly it was UNLV vs. Georgetown in the tourney (not the N.I.T. the real one). Zo had just fouled out to which Larry Johnson waves bye bye to Zo as he is headed toward the bench (classic). I am not sure if L.J. got a tech. or not. Anyway UNLV won that game but it was a good one. Then you jump to the NBA where ZO and L.J. actually go toe to toe in the playoffs. Crazy.
Then with Shaq, Shaq-Fu as he was called with the Fu-Shnickens (probably spelled that wrong) does the rap about being the best compared to ZO and some crappy Duke player lol. Move on down the road and the same Shaq and Zo win a ring together. Again crazy.
Top three Zo fights (well they are “sort of” fights in no particular order)
1. Zo and LJ in the playoffs.
2. Whenever Zo and Rodman went at it (so funny to watch them)
3. Didn’t see this one but heard that Zo and Kenyon Martin got into it something fierce over Kenyon joking about Zo’s kidney trouble.
Zo is in!
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:52 am
JA says:
I’ll still always remember how Zo acted like a little Bitch and bailed after he was traded to the Raptors. The Raps shouldn’t have bought him out, and should have let him and his kidney rot at home.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:09 pm
E-ROC says:
I don’t know about this one. Zo was a really good player, but he didn’t really dominate the game like people thought he would. I think he’s in because he dominated on the defensive end. When enters the game, everything changes. Guards don’t go into the paint at all. Zo overcame career ending disease and still had an impact on the game. Zo is in. Oden should turn out to be another Alonzo Mourning.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:18 pm
jnuh says:
Zo is a shoe-in for the Douche Bag Hall Of Fame.
Or, the Pointlessly Flexing His Biceps After A Mediocre Play Hall Of Fame.
Or, the I Mistakenly Believe That I’m Owed A Championship Ring For My Middling Career So I’ll Fuck Over The Nets & The Raptors In A Bid To Become A 3rd Rate Ambulance Chasing Back-up Center Hall Of Fame.
Out.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Smity says:
one of the leagues “well known good guys”? really? I hadnt known and wouldnt have been able to tell from watching him play all these years. He’s probably worthy of a Hall selection but like someone said earlier (and you guys mentioned) not before his peers of the 90s. His defense is serious. His cry baby face is too. I laugh when he has his pouty face on. Does miami have the most number of pouty faced players? Toine and Zo are among the g.o.a.t.s of pouty faced-ness and D-Wade has developed his own as well. But on the strength of his d and his career numbers and i’d say he’s deserving of a spot in the hall but ONLY after every other deserving player of his era gets their spot.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
fiyaman says:
this is a tough 1 for. I used to think ZO was overrated and now I think he gets his ratings because of his illness. Granted its remarkable that someone can play with that tyoe of injury I dont think they should be held above others who are better but not injured.
As far as Zo goes he never dominated and category and wasnt a feared shot-blocker until the kidney and refs started letting him push-off with his off arm when going for blocks. (if you watch the majority of his blocks he push the offesive player off the ball making it easier to block since the player cant even get to the bucket)
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:53 pm
fiyaman says:
also he gets credit for being tough .. but from what I remember he always went after someone smaller than him. When the big Oaktree used to step to him in those Heat-Knicks rivalry he always backed away but was ready to fight anyone else.
only sympathy votes could get him in…
The more I think about it I have to agree with Daniel..
ZO IS DOO DOO!!!lol
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:01 pm
For Real? says:
I’d probably put Zo in the Hall of Fame. At one point he had teams on “Don’t go into the lane” status. I think pound for pound he’s better than Mutombo.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
random_dude says:
seems like most of the “no” voters on here have personal vendettas against zo. taking personal hatreds/likings out of the matter, zo is just a guy who’s case could go either way. His peers from his time deserve to be in the hall more than him, but there are those in the hall that deserve it less than he does. His defense is still a feared presence, and made the difference in several of the games leading to his championship ring. I would say he eventually gets in, but it probably won’t be right away, nor is it assured
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Bron42 says:
Theres a few things you gotta look at here.
1) The era when Zo first started playing was Crazy. he only had one deep run because of the other great centers he played with. If he was just coming into the league now he would abuse everyone cuz the center position is so weak outside of Dwight and offensivly yao (his defense sucks and i’m not counting guys like amare,duncan cuz their legit PF). The center positon back then is what the shooting guard position is now. So you can’t really take away from what he has done. thats like sayin charles barkley sucked just cuz his team kept runnin into jordans bulls and hakeems rockets.
2) his prime was pretty much cut short cuz the kidney and while he will get alot of votes for coming back, I think he should get more votes for gettin dunked on by carter like that and shruggin it off (see what happens when u don’t come completely across on the weak side block? pay attention oden)
3) the guy has a ring so thats gonna bolster him alil and even at his age with the flexing and cry baby face, hes still one of the more legit back up centers in the league and could probably start for most. Tell me the lakers wouldnt trade chris mihm, kwame brown and who ever else they have at center for Zo to play tomorrow.
4) you cant deny him and grand ma ma weren’t sick in those early hornets years and then him and timmy “i hate gay people” hardaway werent nice on the heat.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Gee says:
Random I am going to have to agree with you. Seems like the “no” people are going off of a personal dislike more than anything. Before the kidney drama, you can’t just play Zo to the left like he was just a scrub or something. Zo before the kidney stuff was dominant. Not to say like Shaq dominant or Hakeem but every game you knew Zo was there. Post kidney drama he still played hard. Zo is in.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Duke says:
I dunno. it seems like Zo is one of those players that if he gets in people will be happy for him, but if he doesn’t it wouldn’t really have people rioting or arguing his case. I give him props for coming back after that kidney surgery, but I think that that’s what he’ll be remembered for, that and fighting with everyone.
I just think he shouldn’t get any sympathy votes for the kidney ordeal. I’d rather be in the HOF for what I did instead of if people felt sorry for me ad voted yes. That’s just me though.
Frankly though, I don’t really care whether he gets in or not.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:43 pm
AY says:
I disagree that the “no” votes are a personal issue with Zo; if you judge him on his full body of work, then you must judge him as the first nba player to not show up to a team after a trade, force a buyout and play again for another team in the same season. That is beyond unprofessional; you can say “because of the kidney”, but you can make the same argument of “because of old age” about any player, which his example eventually led to. He was right on the fence before the incident, but in my mind this takes him out of it. Which is a shame because I really liked the passion he played with, but it was absolutely classless to do what he did. Imagine someone like this working for you, not show up one day and still wants to get paid.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Smity says:
the lakers wouldnt trade chris mihm, kwame brown and andrew bynum for alonzo mourning to play tomorrow.
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Smity says:
good point ay.
October 23rd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Gee says:
Well if we are going on classless things then a whole lot of NBA players are not going to go in. Kobe, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and the list goes on. So if we are indeed judging him on his “FULL” body of work then let us do that. Even in taking away the whole buy out and kidney trouble. It can’t be denied or forgotten that Zo early on was a beast. He was putting up close to 20-10 for about 8 seasons. He played a vital role in Charlotte seeing there first playoff taste. He was awesome in college. Then he comes back and still plays a very important roll even as a back up in the Heat winning their ring. Even on his “work” alone. Again he is in!
October 23rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Smity says:
Gee-
I think that Ay was referring to basketball related infractions. basketball unprofessionalism. So in that case don’t be so quick to include J. Kidd in your hypothetical list of players that have committed “classless” acts. I’m not even sure you could include AI in that category either…but if you can think of anything to refresh my memory (maybe you’re thinking of AI and his run-ins with larry brown…but i still can’t think of anything Kidd related, on the court) please do so.
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Gee says:
Smity
Kidd threw this big hissy fit when his boy K-Mart got traded (Kidd even admitted he shouldn’t have done that). I probably followed it more than most because of being a Kidd fan (still am). I felt that was basketball related enough to include him. Anyway with AI, you are correct, I was speaking of the run-ins with Larry Brown. The main thing is these are all “classless” to those that deem them as such. I personally am fine with Zo, Kobe, A.I. and Kidd and feel they all did what they felt was necessary for “their” career not what a fans sees as right or wrong. So I was using them as saying with or without those actions Zo is still in.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:01 pm
AY says:
I think I need to clarify my comment; I didn’t mean to come off as I only evaluated his career based on that one incident. I look at Zo as someone like a Bill Walton: one of the best post players of his era but not the very best group. Bill Walton I thought was a weak HOF case, if you took away his blazers championship and only looked at his Celtics championship in a backup role and his career and his injuries, he wouldn’t be in; Zo is much like that. He got a ring on the backs of Wade and Shaq, was an important role player, but he doesn’t have that one ring that Walton had where he was the key player. Now I liked the passion he brought to the game and I’d still say he is on the fringe at this point, then he pulled this “I’m not going to play for the raptors, buy me out” act. I thought that one was the difference maker in the HOF discussion, but in no way defined his career.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Simon says:
Don’t forget to mention Toronto on his teams played for. I personally think anyone who says they refuse to play for a team shot not make the hall of fame. Sure the Raptors were bad at the time, and Alonzo went through a lot to get back in the league and contend but what kind of a warrior refuses to play for a team? I am not trying to take anything away from what he did because it is inspirational, but to rob a franchise of $10 million without playing a single game should not be tolerated or respected.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Duaneo says:
Gee, I find there to be quite a difference between refusing to play for a team like Zo did, and being pissed and throwing a hissy fit like Kidd did when the second best player on your team, and a beast of a rebounder, gets traded away.
Same with Kobe, he’s pissed the Lakers not only failed to get better players around him, but actually worsened the team by trading Butler for Brown lol.
Yeah Kobe and Kidd can both be big whiny babies, like most other players in the league.
However Zo refusing to play in Toronto, getting bought out, getting another contract with Miami in the same season, is selfish and a whole lot of BS.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:45 pm
doc says:
I dont like Zo so I’d say no. But he was nice on D and the voters might let him ride on that. He used to have a little j when Pat was schoolin him.I never seen post game. But Vince aint tryin to hear about Zo’s d. You could make a top ten Vince on Zo if you wanted.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:05 pm
vince says:
let the young kids talk all they want, but zo is a HOFer. he’s a pure warrior.
the D he displayed along with a VERY nice offensive game (hookshot anyone?) had him as one of the best centers of the last two decades. these young punks talking about ‘letting him rot along with his kidney’ are probably fans who got into NBA basketball around the time carter was drafted. tossers.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Bron42 says:
you all are bitching about the raptors thing and not even looking at it in his angle. The guy was a beast before the kidney thing almost ended his career. HE busted his ass more than 90% of the nba would have done to get back in shape and gets sent to a raptors team that wasnt any good. You know how much that would of taken a toll on him and his body at that point? Trying to be the #2 Option on a terrible team? Knowing he doesn’t have that much time, he wanted to contend and thats where he belonged if you look at early part of his career and even in miami. Its not like he was just bein a dick, but it would have pretty much been a waste for him to play in toronot ala Hakeem at the end of his career. Then you would be complaining how bad he looked and how he should of never came back. That aside, Hes def not walton lol….Bill walton (possibly the most annoying announcer of all time) was a college star. IN the nba the only high lights of him are a) gettin dunked on by Dr.J b) him cheering from the bench as larry bird intercepted the pass against the pistons. He strictly got in because of college. Based on Zo’s career before the injury where he carried 2 mediocre teams (hornets and heat) to the playoffs, then after surgery played a big role in the heats victory (filled in for shaq when he was injured) theres NO way u can say hes out.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Andy Yuen says:
If I have to understand Mourning’s point of view for not playing for the raptors, then he should not have taken the money, which is not the case. He STOLE the money, he didn’t earn it! How can a guy like that be a H.O.F.?
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 pm
chris says:
i think that is the point - “taking 10 million” while getting onto a contender by playoff time when you know you only have a few good years left if you’re lucky…i don’t think you can let this particular kind of behaviour decide whether someone is in the hof or out…it is too common, and too understandable.
October 24th, 2007 at 3:31 am
Bron42 says:
ya but its not like he broke a nba rule. Is it a dick move? ya depends who you ask, but its within the nba standard. I mean are you gonna take away mike finleys ring now since hes still gettin payed by the mavs while hes a spur?
October 24th, 2007 at 6:30 am
ride01 says:
My, how we forget. Zo was a beast when he came out, with numbers second only to Shaq. I liked him at 1st, then stopped liking him cause he complained almost as much as Pippen did. (Both made my all whiners team, with Malone topping the list). His comeback was inspiring and he was a contributor to that Heat team (remember him hodlling down the middle and putting up respectable numbers in Shaq’s absence?) He was the man on each of his early teams as well. That is what the criteria should be about. Whether you are a significant part of your team as well as the level of success reached.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Gee says:
Duaneo
I mean, that is cool if you feel that way. I ain’t trippin cause you have that right. I myself am not looking at the weight of the action, just the action itself. Again my point is their are many H.O.F. candidates that have done something that may not sit well with fans. Cause apparently that whole Zo and Toronto deal has pissed a lot of yall off (I am basically laughing at that). I am never gone knock someone for making money.
That seems to be the major difference here. Many of you are mad about that situation (Toronto) and others choose to look more at Zo’s work. So really it’s your side of the fence that you choose.
If an artist paints a wonderful picture, but then yells at an old lady for no reason does that take away from the picture? No. The picture is still wonderful. Zo’s body of work pre and post Kidney has been wonderul in my view and any other fights, money situations, or scowls will not change his H.O.F. work to me.
So now I am going to
1. Agree with every word you said Bron42 .
2. I still feel Zo will make it in the H.O.F.
3. I am gone sip a little and pour a little while we wait for the next candidate.
You all got some respectable views though. I will say that. …..but at the end of the day ….Zo is still in homey lol!
October 24th, 2007 at 10:04 am
DEXter (Atlanta) says:
ZO is DEFININETLY A HOF. His only major competition at his prime was Shaq and he more then held is own agaisnt him. Also check out ZO stats before the kidney problem. Dude was a beast. And today is still a major contributor. Also in his prime ZO was 6′10 245 playing against much larger competition and still intimidated and defended the paint relentlessly. He had the body of a power forward and is a throw back player from a past era of back to the basket centers and big power forwards. Zo gets my vote and should have all of yours for HOF. Plus peep out his stats during last few playoffs. The Heat are more team oriented and run smoother when ZO is in the game.
October 24th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Zo' Who? says:
This guy is worth a HOF look but shudnt be in. He’s done nothing extraordinary to define the game. Wasnt a guy that could carry a team let alone be a great defender. At most, hes just above average at both ends of the floor & above average just doesnt cut it for HOF lock. Besides, he screwed over 2 NBA teams that actually bothered to give him a chance for a championship ring.Not 1 but 2 teams. N he won it by riding piggyback with D Wade n Shaq(maybe he did block a few shots at most). Thats an NBA good guy?
October 24th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
2 Easy says:
Ok this one is really tough. Now on the one hand you have to respect how good Zo was durin a stretch where the NBA was full of great Trees, The dream, Ewing, Shaq, The Admiral and so on. On the other hand you have what he did to Toronto and Jersey which was not cool in any way but at the same time dude didnt wanna be in Toronto and stupid ass Babcock took him anyway so we can put all the blame on Zo. Now all that said, I dont think Zo may make it in unless everyone decides that everyone is a HOF. Some of you are arguin for Zo and I think that many of you are willin to put almost everyone in that is a well known name. Now I kno was somewhat nice but to put him in the hall is a stretch for me. At the end of the day ur gonna have Hakeem in there, Shaq, David Robinson, Ewing, Mutumbo (yea I said it) each of whom dwarfed his accompishments. Thats like puttin all those talented or SGs of today in when their time comes because they played wit talented people. So im summation, Zo real good, real talented, sorry about the illness but its a no
October 24th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Ian says:
bron
those examples u used
the barkley one was stupid (one of the best 5 pf ever)
and the bill walton one (didnt he win an mvp and a title being the best player on his team)
agree with the worst commentator ever
back to zo
HELL NO he doesnt get in
why
a lot of centers where better than him on both ends of the court
he didnt do anything special and dont give me because of the kidney he should come back
maybe sean elliott should ge in too then
and ride
ZO’s numbers second to shaqs LOL
maybe if u consider that when zo came out shaqs numbers where third to david and hakeem (have u heard of them?)
October 24th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Gee says:
I will say that Hakeem, Shaq, P. Ewing, and David are all H.O.F. worthy. I will dare say Mt. Mutumbo even can go in barely by the tip of the finger he loves to wag after his blocks (I personally wouldn’t put him ahead of Zo). After them though who do you all still consider better than Zo in that time period? I just feel when you mention them you also should mention Zo who put up very good numbers as well in my view.
Anyway some of you all should go and check out Zo’s awards and stats and all on NBA.com, and perhaps that will change your perception. Again I ain’t even on that Toronto debacle. I am saying Zo did work!
Oh yea and this is just Gee, but I would take Zo before David (just cause I never cared for him and he never really had a lot of heart to me). I would certainly take Zo over Mutumbo because Mutumbo is not as proficient on offense. I put him and Ewing at about the same because while Ewing may have a slightly better offensive package, Ewing wasn’t putting D on nobody like Zo. I will put Shaq ahead just because Shaq is just dominant and he don’t even have to try really. Hakeem before all them because was really complete. That is just Gee though.
Let the flood gates open!
October 25th, 2007 at 1:54 am
brandythefox says:
Alonzo definitely deserves to go in and this before Ewing or Mutombo. And it’s not just the ring he got riding on Shaq’s coat-tails. People forget that when zo was manning the middle in his prime, Miami was one heckuva a match-up. Only poor perimeter defense and mismatches at other positions kept Miami falling to the Knicks and other perimeter strong clubs like Indiana or Chicago. In other words, unlike Ewing (who preferred baseline fadeaway choke shots in the clutch) or Mutombo (whose rudimentary offensive game remains stuck at an infantile level despite years of work), Zo did his part and did it very well.
October 25th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Chi-Town D says:
Alonzo is a borderline HOF guy at best. The only thing he truly has to ride on is his defense, and Mutombo was a better defender. Zo was an excellent player, and is still serviceable, but in comparison to the guys from his era, if you put him in it’s because of sympathy, not production.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Ian says:
chi town
u r rught
GEE and BRANDY mentioned zo ahead of ewing mutombo and even ROBINSON thats a good one
ahead of the admiral lol
zo doesnt have mutombo’s numbers and please dont compare a boderline player like zo
to an mvp ,defensive player of the year, scoring champ, all nba for ever player like david is just stupid
October 25th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Shep says:
I remember that, before Zo’s focalglomerulosclerosis (i.e. the kidney thing) - so sometime in 1999-2000 - Larry Bird said (to paraphrase), “Alonzo is my favorite player.” Meaning his favorite player in the entire NBA. That’s good enough for me. In.
October 25th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Lyell says:
Whiny bitches who use their kidney as an excuse to whine about playing in Toronto need not apply. You are a true loser in the Vince Carter, Randy Moss mode, oh yea, your not near the player that either of them are either. Whine your way back home. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
October 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
ride01 says:
Ian
Keep in mind that Shaq and Zo were relative rookies when Ewing, Hakeem and Robinson were on their way out. Robinson doesn’t get in to me before Zo. He didn’t win anything till Duncan got there and got beatsed by Shaq and Hakeem.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:01 am
2 Easy says:
Whoa whoa whoa the admiral dropped 70+ in a game so u cannot say he didnt do shit and if dude has little to no help while Hakeem’s team was stacked exactly wat do you expect to happen
October 26th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Gee says:
rideo1
I am gone agree with your points.
Shep
That was tight you called out the real disease, if that is indeed what it’s called, like that.
As for me I still take Zo before David and Mutumbo. I ain’t saying Dave and Mutumbo ain’t raw and really good. Just on offense ain’t no one gone convince me Mutumbo is better than Zo. He wasn’t better offensively in college or in the NBA check the stats.
Now as far as David, he probably does have way better stats than Zo, I will give Dave that. I will just say it’s more of a personal dislike their, cause again to me Dave just never had heart. So please don’t mistake me not liking David for saying he is not as good or better than Zo. I am not saying that at all. “I” just don’t like him. I mean I got reasons and all but that is some personal ish that don’t really matter ya dig. So yea if I had to take them 6 in order it would go
Hakeem (Served all of these cats before Duncan came)
Shaq (It just aint fair with him)
Zo -Ewing (Tie because Ewing better O but Zo better D)
Robinson (Again he was awesome. I just don’t like him)
Mutumbo - (Beast on the boards and blocking )
Mourning is in and here is just a “few” reasons why.
2000-01: …won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the USA Men’s Basketball team in Sydney, Australia…elected by teammates to serve as one of three captains for the USA Men’s Basketball team at the 2000 Olympics…was named the 2000 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year
1999-2000: Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive First Team…finished third in the MVP voting…was named All-NBA Second Team…led the NBA in block shots for the second consecutive season
1998-99: Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive First Team…named All-NBA First Team…led the NBA in blocked shots
…at Georgetown…as a senior, averaged team-highs of 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.0 blocks and tabbed first team All-America…first player named Big East Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Tournament MVP in the same season
NBA.com
Huh???
Yessss. Please know that Zo will be in.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Ian says:
2 easy
you r right david had to carry those scrubs all through the 90s
the only reason they were considered contenders was him
look at what happened when he missed the whole season
October 29th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
john says:
I think that he should probably be in. I never understood why he stopped using his quickness on the offensive end by facing other slower centers up and getting that quick first step like he did in his early years in Charlotte. He started to just play like shaq (not as big and not has effective) instead using that strength he gained in the weight room along with his quickness. He became a masher when he should have used his quickness more then he did. Just my opinion.
October 30th, 2007 at 11:24 am
KnkonWD says:
Before Zo’s Kidney gave out he was playing in one of the best eras for bigs. And to be honest, regards of his “Douche Bag Hall Of Fame” potential, he was one of them. But unfortunately, to me at least, the kidney thing foreshadow his career more then I thought. Because he was gone and nobody missed him or even noticed he was gone. I can’t even remember what really made him unique. Hakeem nimble post moves that shook the crap out of anyone. Mr. Robinson one of the most atheletic 7′0″ ever. Even Ewing one of the best shooting bigs ever. So with that I say sorry Zo but NO.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Dan says:
Out. No vendetta, but I really don’t think there’s anyone less deserving who’s in there. Like, I mean, who? Putting him in would lower the bar. You’d have to let a lot of guys in who have been denied if you let Zo in.
November 1st, 2007 at 8:50 am
Gee says:
Zo is in!