Former Sacramento King eligible for Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024
Aug 14, 2023, 1:01 PM | Updated: Aug 16, 2023, 12:07 pm
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 09: Vince Carter #15 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after making a shot during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on January 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Last weekend, the Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members.
Fans waved a German flag and chanted Dirk Nowitzki’s name when he walked the red carpet into Symphony Hall on Saturday night for the Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony. Tony Parker’s fans whooped it up when he took the stage to lead off the proceedings. Spain was well-represented, too, with Pau Gasol shouting out his national team — “mi familia” — before joining what may be the greatest international class of inductees in the Springfield shrine’s history.
And Dwayne Wade joined his former Heat teammate Chris Bosh as the only two members of the 2003 Draft Class to enter the Hall of Fame.
Then there were the coaches. Longtime San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich joined Parker as a member of this year’s class. Former Spurs assistant coach, current coach of the Las Vegas Aces, and WNBA great Becky Hammon rounded out the start-studded class.
Welcome Home #23HoopClass 🏆 pic.twitter.com/7BPuhTRLVF
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) August 13, 2023
With this year’s ceremony officially behind us, let’s look ahead to who’s eligible for the 2024 Naismith Hall of Fame class. To be eligible, a player must be retired for four full seasons.
Vince Carter
The 1999 Rookie of the Year may be best known for his time with the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets, but he hopped around the league in his later years, settling in Sacramento for the 2017-18 season.
In his lone year with the Kings, Carter played just under 60 games, averaging 5.4 points (his second-lowest in his career) and 2.6 rebounds in just under 18 minutes a game.
Carter would go on to play two more seasons after his stop in Sacramento. He currently holds the record for the longest NBA career with 22 total seasons played. Over that time, he accrued 25,728 points (20th all-time in NBA points history).
Centers
Two defensive-minded big men are up for Hall of Fame nods in 2024. Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah, winners of the Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2012 and 2014 respectively, could get the nods next year.
Noah spent 13 years in the NBA, nine of which were in Chicago, where he sits in the Top 5 in total rebounds (4th) and blocks (3rd). He made the NBA All-Defensive team three years in a row and was First Team All-NBA following the 2013-14 season.
Chandler gives Carter a run for his money with time spent in the NBA. Drafted in 2001 by the Chicago Bulls, Chandler also played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks, among others.
His time in New York and Dallas is when Chander hit his stride, winning an NBA championship with the Mavericks and the Defensive Player of the Year award with the Knicks.
Guards
Jamal Crawford, Kyle Korver and J.R. Smith, among others, are eligible for first-year Hall of Fame nods. Korver could have the toughest argument of the three. Crawford and Smith are both multi-time Sixth Man of the Year award winners, with Crawford winning the award three times. Smith is also a two-time NBA champion, having a pivotal role in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 title win.
Inductees into the 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame class won’t be announced until next year.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. Thank you for reading SactownSports.com. Follow us on Twitter and Google News, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
