Whenever Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James elects to close the curtains on his NBA career, he will undoubtedly waltz into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on a first-ballot induction.
However, as James continues his trek of defying father time in his 21st NBA season, it didn’t stop the four-time NBA champion from asking why active NBA players must retire before entering the hall of fame.
“Why do players have to be retired before going into the HOF?? Coaches get in while still coaching rightfully so. Wondering what’s the difference though🧐,” James tweeted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
As it stands currently, coaches must be fully retired for four full seasons or must have coached as a full-time assistant or head coach on the high school, college or professional level for a minimum of 25 years to be eligible for the hall of fame. Then, in their 26th year of coaching or their sixth year in retirement, coaches can be considered for the HOF, according to the BHOF nomination process.
Why do players have to be retired before going into the HOF?? Coaches get in while still coaching rightfully so. Wondering what’s the difference though🧐
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 23, 2023
But for players like James, they must be retired for four full seasons before becoming eligible for enshrinement. After the four, players can be considered for induction into the hall of fame in their fifth year of retirement.
It’s absurd to think that James is only four years away from 25 NBA seasons. If James played 25 full seasons and retired following the 2027-28 season, he wouldn’t be considered for induction until the 2032-33 campaign. However, if James was able to follow the active coaches designation for hall of fame consideration, he would be eligible for enshrinement in the ’33-34 season.
Realistically, if James retires at the end of the 2023-24 season, the 19-time All-Star would be eligible for the HOF in the ’28-29 season. Whenever James concludes his basketball career, he will be enshrined into hoops paradise in his first year of consideration.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches, referees, and other major contributors to the sport. It is named after Dr. James Naismith, who conceived the sport in 1891; he was inducted into the Hall as a contributor in 1959.
The Player category has existed since the beginning of the Hall of Fame. For a person to be eligible on the ballot for Hall of Fame honors as a player, he or she must be fully retired for three years. If a player retired for a short period, then “his/her case and eligibility is reviewed on an individual basis”.
As part of the inaugural class of 1959, four players were inducted; over 150 more individuals have been inducted as players since then. Five players have also been inducted as coaches: John Wooden in 1973, Lenny Wilkens in 1998, Bill Sharman in 2004, Tom Heinsohn in 2015, and Bill Russell in 2021.
Of the inducted players, 30 were also members of teams that have been inducted into the Hall as units.
Zack Clayton, Tarzan Cooper, William “Pop” Gates, and John Isaacs were members of the New York Renaissance. The induction category of another former player for the team, Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton, is subject to dispute; he was originally announced as a contributor, but is now listed with player inductees by the Hall.
Marques Haynes and Reece “Goose” Tatum were two of the most famous players of the Harlem Globetrotters. Five other players who made their greatest contributions with other teams—Sonny Boswell, Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, Inman “Big Jack” Jackson, Albert “Runt” Pullins, and Lynette Woodard—were members of the Globetrotters at some point in their professional careers. Furthermore, longtime member Meadowlark Lemon has been inducted as a contributor, and the aforementioned Clifton, who briefly played for the team, is (depending on definitions) a member as either a player or contributor.
Walt Bellamy, Jerry Lucas, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West were members of the 1960 United States Olympic Team.
Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockton were members of the 1992 United States Olympic Team, better known as the “Dream Team”. In fact, all but one of the players on the “Dream Team” roster (Christian Laettner) have been inducted in the Hall of Fame as individuals.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2024, including several high-profile, first-time nominees, including the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team (“Redeem Team”), Vince Carter, Seimone Augustus, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Barnes, Mike Fratello and Penny Taylor.
Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame Announces Eligible Candidates For The Class Of 2024. #24HoopClass
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https://t.co/ZUmjbLMc93 pic.twitter.com/csTfxFGeQS— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) December 21, 2023
A first look at the list of eligible nominees will be provided by “NBA Today” on ESPN, hosted by Malika Andrews, with Class of 2023 Hall of Famer Becky Hammon, Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, and Brian Windhorst. Here’s the complete list of eligible candidates.
