The greatest former NBA players not (yet) in the Hall of Fame

Although the bar for entry into the Naismith Hall of Fame isn't quite as intense as entry into Cooperstown (where the Baseball Hall of Fame resides) or Canton, Ohio (where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is), becoming a Hall of Famer as a basketball player is still the ultimate honor the sport offers.

Below, we present the best former NBA players not currently in the Hall of Fame. Some of these players have yet to reach the three years of retirement needed to be considered for entry while others have been waiting for a while and might be out of luck as far as getting in. Luckily for the latter group, the Basketball Hall of Fame doesn't have a rule where they remove players from consideration if they haven't made it in after a certain number of chances.

(Note: We are only including non-active players. Players like DeMarcus Cousins might get in one day but he, for example, is still playing professionally overseas.)

1. Carmelo Anthony

Top accolades: Six All-NBA selections, 10 All-Stars, three Olympic gold medals

NBA rank: 10th in scoring, 82nd in rebounds, 91st in steals, 183rd in assists, 205th in blocks

A matter of when he's getting in, not if, Brooklyn native Carmelo Anthony only formally announced his retirement in May of 2023.

Anthony was one of the best scorers of his generation and a key member of the vaunted 2003 NBA Draft class that also featured two other current Hall of Famers, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and another player who will be joining them there one day, LeBron James.

Anthony was a bucket in his prime, with an elite first step and an equally devasting jab step to befuddle defenses. He could score from three, the midrange or around the bucket explosively, and had a very aesthetically pleasing game that kids at the park liked to emulate. Anthony's lone issue was that he wasn't able to win games at the level of some of his 2003 draft counterparts, in part due to never playing on that stacked of a team but also due to his own faults, primarily on defense and on the glass.

Anthony never played in an NBA Finals and lost in the first round of the playoffs 11 times. He only played in one Conference Finals in his entire career.

Both Anthony and the player coming up next on this list were recently announced as candidates for the Hall of Fame 2025 class so they probably won't be on this ranking for much longer.

2. Dwight Howard

Top accolades: One NBA title, five All-NBA 1st Team selections, eight All-Stars, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, four All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal

NBA rank: 10th in rebounds, 13th in blocks, 56th in scoring, 146th in steals

Former all-world big man Dwight Howard was playing as recently as the 2022-23 season with the Taoyuan Leopards and has yet to announce his retirement. Once he does, he should be a lock to get into the Naismith Hall of Fame, as he was at one point the best center in basketball, leading his own team, the Orlando Magic in 2008-09, all the way to the NBA Finals, before then winning a championship in 2019-20 as a key role player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Howard was quietly an important part of the NBA's movement to the three-point-shooting floor-spacing-focused offenses we see today, as during the 2009 Finals run, then-Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy ran an offensive system in which Howard was the lone paint player, surrounded by four players who could shoot threes. Although teams were slow and hesitant to copy Van Gundy's methods, there's no question that offenses today look more like the '09 Magic than the other teams of that era.

In all, though Howard's offensive bag was limited by his inability to shoot outside the paint, he was an effective low-block scorer with scary athleticism, which he expertly used on both ends to dunk shots and block them away on the less glamorous end of the floor.

3. LaMarcus Aldridge

Top accolades: Five All-NBA selections, seven All-Stars

NBA rank: 47th in points, 60th in rebounds, 67th in blocks

Big man LaMarcus Aldridge probably had a strong enough peak to get into the Hall of Fame on his first try, which should be in 2026 considering he announced his retirement in March of 2023, as he made five All-NBA teams and was a seven-time All-Star.

But his lack of winning could be used against him by voters who make him wait a year or two, as Aldridge played in just one Conference Finals in his career and lost in the first round of the playoffs six times.

Regardless, Aldridge was a load to defend in his heyday, a big man with great size and strength but soft enough touch to have an elite face-up game from the midrange.

4. Shawn Kemp

Top accolades: Three All-NBA selections, six All-Stars

NBA rank: 59th in rebounds, 55th in blocks

If there were a Hall of Fame for basketball highlights, the explosive Shawn Kemp would certainly be in that, as he was one of the best dunkers the league has ever seen.

That's not to say he wasn't skilled, because he was, possessing the ability to drive the ball against slower-footed defenders and hammer down dunks. He also had a bit of short midrange shooting touch to his game.

Kemp earned MVP votes four times in his career, peaking in 1993-94 when he finished seventh in the vote after putting up 18.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

What held Kemp back was his inability to stay in great shape later on in his career, as the big power forward was a role player by the time he was 31. That shorter prime for an all-time player and the fact he never won a title could be enough to hold Kemp out of Hall-of-Fame discussions for the foreseeable future.

5. Amare Stoudemire

Top accolades: Five All-NBA selections, six All-Stars, Rookie of the Year award

NBA rank: 93rd in blocks

Amare Stoudemire was one of the best bigs in the league in his prime, earning 1st Team All-NBA honors once and 2nd Team All-NBA honors four times. His face-up game was deadly as he could knock down shots from the midrange with aplomb. Stoudmire was also a good driver and one of the most explosive finishers in the league, making him all-around quite difficult to defend.

Stoudemire had three seasons in which he averaged at least 25 points and eight rebounds back when scoring levels weren't as high as they are today, and was an elite pick-and-roll partner with Steve Nash and the 7-seconds-or-less Phoenix Suns.

Stoudemire is lacking somewhat in the longevity department, as his body began to fail him before he even turned 30, but it's very possible he'll be a Hall of Famer eventually.

6. Blake Griffin

Top accolades: Five All-NBA selections, seven All-Stars, Rookie of the Year award

NBA rank: 173rd in points, 183rd in rebounds, 227th in assists

Explosive power forward Blake Griffin had an elite peak, with three 2nd Team All-NBAs and three Top 10 finishes in MVP voting under his belt. What he lacks is the all-time stats and the longevity that many Hall-of-Famers boast.

Griffin missed the entirety of what was supposed to be his rookie season due to knee problems, then hit the ground running in his pro career, making five straight All-Star teams by his age-25 season before further injury troubles ended his prime way too early.

Griffin was able to show his greatness one more time when he was 29, his first year with the Detroit Pistons when he managed to suit up in 75 games and earn 3rd Team All-NBA and All-Star honors, proving how elite of a player he was when healthy. But his NBA career would last just four more seasons after that, all of which he spent pretty much as a role player.

Griffin's injury troubles were unfortunate, as the one-time Oklahoma standout was a generational athlete who had underrated skill as a ball-handler and playmaker, and he was extremely productive early on in his career. Had he stayed healthy, Griffin would have been a no-doubt first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.

Now, he should still get in but it might not be on his first try.

7. Joe Johnson

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, seven All-Stars

NBA rank: 49th in points, 72nd in assists

A Top 50 scorer in NBA history, Joe Johnson was an expert in getting buckets from three and the midrange, possessing a quick crossover and stop-on-a-dime pull-up shooting ability. He was also a solid rebounder and playmaker for his position, in large part thanks to being a 6-foot-7 shooting guard.

What could hold Johnson back in the eyes of Hall of Fame voters is how unmemorable his career was as far as winning, as the Arkansas native made it as far as the Western Conference Finals just twice and never came all that close to winning a championship.

Johnson is probably better suited for the Hall of Very Good but at the same time, considering the Naismith Hall of Fame induction process isn't as brutal as the MLB or NFL's, he could very well sneak into the Hall of Fame one day anyway. We just don't expect it to be on his first attempt.

For what it's worth, Johnson is tied with Kobe Bryant for the second-most buzzer-beating game-winners in NBA history, trailing only Michael Jordan. Whether voters take that into account for his Hall of Fame candidacy remains to be seen.

8. Anfernee Hardaway

Top accolades: Three All-NBA selections, four All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal

The difference between his accolades and his all-time rankings in statistical categories does a pretty good job of illustrating why Anfernee Hardaway isn't in the Hall of Fame.

Hardaway was well on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer, as the No. 3 overall pick from the '93 draft was at first incredible for the Orlando Magic, earning four All-Star appearances over his first five seasons. In that stretch, Hardaway was also a two-time 1st Team All-NBAer, a one-time 3rd Teamer and finished third in the MVP vote in 1995-96.

A supersized lead guard with very good athleticism, lateral quickness, ball-handling and tough-shot making, as well as a keen eye for playmaking, Hardaway was an excellent sidekick to Shaquille O'Neal, as the duo won a whole lot of games for the Magic in the '90s.

Hardaway even helped lead Orlando to the 1995 NBA Finals, as well as to the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals.

If not for injury troubles that began to strike when he was still in his mid-20s, Hardaway looked well on his way to being in the Hall today, his level as a player was that high. We even recently ranked him as one of our biggest what-ifs in NBA history.

9. Shawn Marion

Top accolades: One NBA title, two All-NBA selections, four All-Stars

NBA rank: 21st in steals, 42nd in rebounds, 61st in steals, 89th in points

A Swiss Army Knife of a player, Shawn Marion had a very unique game all the way down to the funky form he had on his jumper and the little tear-drop floaters he loved to shoot in the lane.

He was also able to adapt to various different team situations and almost always do well in his role. First, playing alongside Nash and Stoudemire in Phoenix and putting up near-star-level numbers on the wing, and then, as a member of the Dallas Mavericks after his athletic prime, as a fantastic role player, one who would knock down threes from the corners and score off of cuts.

Marion was a big part of the Mavericks' surprising run to the 2010-11 championship and was also important to a few Suns teams that made deep playoff runs.

That's without even discussing his defense, which was also very solid, especially as a help defender. Marion had six seasons in which he averaged at least two steals per night, also putting up over one block per game for his career.

10. Derrick Rose

Top accolades: One MVP, one 1st Team All-NBA selection, three All-Stars, Rookie of the Year award, two World Cup gold medals

One of the biggest what-if players in NBA history, Derrick Rose looked set to become the NBA's next generational star, as he had the game and the fanbase to reach extraordinary heights both on and off the court.

But major knee problems that started when he was still 23 pretty much put an end to that, as Rose quickly went from MVP to "very good starter" in his mid-20s, with the explosive floor general unable to recapture his early-career, pre-injury explosiveness.

Over his first three seasons, Rose averaged 20.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists on 46.8 percent shooting, earning All-Star honors twice, 1st Team All-NBA honors once and was named league MVP in 2010-11. From his age-25 season through the end of his career, however, Rose would put up us 15.1 points and 4.2 assists per game, never earning another accolade after the age of 23.

So Rose's Hall of Fame case will be an interesting one.

We think he'll get in but it might not be that cut and dry. On one hand, would voters really make Rose the only MVP winner in league history not to make the Hall of Fame? We doubt it, especially with the size of his fanbase and not with the impact, brief as it was, he made in the late 2000s and early 2010s. On the other hand, his all-time historical statistical rankings are weak and his list of accolades isn't all that long.

11. Jermaine O'Neal

Top accolades: Three All-NBA selections, six All-Stars

NBA rank: 24th in blocks

An elite shot-blocker in his prime who came straight out of high school to the NBA, big man Jermaine O'Neal might already be in the Hall of Fame if it didn't take him so long to develop. Over his first four seasons, O'Neal averaged 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 211 appearances.

After four years, O'Neal, not happy with his playing time, demanded a trade from his original team, the Portland Trail Blazers, who responded by moving him to the Indiana Pacers. That's where the face-up shot-blocking center really saw his career take off. Two years later, O'Neal would win Most Improved Player, earn All-Star honors and make 3rd Team All-NBA, an almost astonishing turnaround, going from putting up 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 1999-00 to averaging 19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 2001-02.

That would be the first of six straight All-Star appearances for O'Neal. But just like it took him a while to enter his prime, he also exited it rather abruptly, putting up role-player numbers by the time he was 29.

Despite being a great player at his peak, O'Neal lacked longevity after getting off to a very slow start to his pro career, which is why he isn't in the Hall of Fame right now.

12. Zach Randolph

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, two All-Stars

NBA rank: 41st in rebounds, 71st in points

A "you just had to be there" type of player, Zach Randolph was arguably a Top 3 power forward in the league for a brief stretch, which might sound hard to believe considering he earned one 3rd Team All-NBA and just two All-Star nods in his career.

But over a five-year stretch, the player known as Z-Bo averaged 20.6 points and 11.0 rebounds on nearly 48 percent shooting from the floor. His play would translate to the playoffs, too, including in 2012-13 when he led the Memphis Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in the process. Just two years prior in 2010-11, Randolph had a 13-game playoff stretch where he put up north of 22 points and 11 rebounds per contest.

Still don't believe us about how good peak-Z-Bo was? How about this: In 2011, after Randolph led Memphis to a Game 1 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, Kevin Durant called Randolph the best power forward in the NBA:

Randolph had just finished dropping 34 points, 10 rebounds and three steals on 54.5 percent shooting against OKC on the road at the time of Durant's comments.

Ranking Top 75 all-time in points and rebounds thanks to his longevity, Randolph might even be a little underrated historically, as the smooth southpaw with a great face-up game was a problem in his prime.

13. Latrell Sprewell

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, four All-Stars

NBA rank: 77th in steals

The enigmatic Latrell Sprewell was a great player in the NBA, averaging 18.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists for his career, impressive marks to be sure. But he wasn't the most likable person, and that's putting it lightly considering what he did to his then-head coach PJ Carlesimo in December of 1997.

If it weren't for his attitude, Sprewell might get more Hall of Fame consideration, in part because he would have been more popular during his time in the NBA and earned more accolades. Instead, now, there's no way a player is getting in with just one All-NBA on his resume (even if it was as a 1st Teamer, which Sprewell accomplished in '94 as a second-year player) and no championship rings.

14. Marques Johnson

Top accolades: Three All-NBA selections, five All-Stars

An absolute bucket-getter in his prime, Milwaukee Bucks legend Marques Johnson finished his career averaging 20.1 points per game to go with 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists, impressive marks all around. Johnson ranks eighth all-time in total points for Milwaukee to this day, even despite how many all-time greats the franchise has seen don its colors.

Johnson's issue as far as his Hall of Fame candidacy is that he wasn't able to win much in his career, making the playoffs just six times – and getting to the Conference Finals just once over those six chances. What's more, his NBA career was pretty much over by the time he was 30, as he suffered a neck injury in his age-30 season that cost him the majority of that campaign and the entirety of the next two league years before he had a brief comeback attempt with the Golden State Warriors as a 33-year-old, one which lasted 10 games.

15. Rasheed Wallace

Top accolades: One NBA title, four All-Stars

NBA rank: 43rd in blocks, 99th in rebounds

Floor-spacing big man Rasheed Wallace had worlds of talent, probably even more so than he showed in his NBA career. Whether it be due to poor mentality on the court or whatever else (he does rank third all-time in technical fouls to this day), Wallace never did reach his full potential in the league, which shows how talented he was to still make four All-Star appearances without reaching his ceiling.

Wallace had a great post-game with the ability to score over either shoulder down low, be it with hook shots or turnaround jumpers, and he could space the floor from three as an almost-7-footer. That was obviously a much rarer skill for frontcourt players back then. Wallace was a very adept shot-blocker on the other end of the floor.

A rim-protecting floor-spacer as a power forward before the archetype became what it is today, Wallace was ahead of his time as a player.

16. Kevin Johnson

Top accolades: Five All-NBA selections, three All-Stars

NBA rank: 26th in assists

Judging by the first five years of his career, Kevin Johnson looked well on his way to being a Hall of Famer, as the diminutive but explosive floor general had three Top 15 MVP finishes and four All-NBA appearances (three times as a 2nd Teamer) over his first five seasons.

Then, his injury troubles began and by the time Johnson was 31, he was averaging 9.5 points per game. In his final season, at just 33 years old, Johnson played six more games for the Phoenix Suns before his NBA career was over.

Johnson was also very impactful to winning, as by his age-26 season, he had already made three trips to the Western Conference Finals, including in 1992-93 when he and Charles Barkley got all the way to the NBA Finals for the first and last time together.

It's too bad injuries cut his career short and forced him to miss so much time in his prime, as Johnson certainly had a Hall of Fame peak as an NBA player.

17. John Wall

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, five All-Stars

NBA rank: 47th in assists

Former No. 1 overall pick John Wall was a top-notch point guard in his prime, averaging 18.8 points 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.7 steals over his first seven seasons, most of which he spent relatively healthy.

But injury troubles put an end to his Hall of Fame hopes, as Wall missed two entire seasons before his final campaign, in 2022-23 as a 32-year-old, due to various devastating leg injuries.

The fact Wall didn't do much winning even when he was healthy (Wall played in just four postseasons in his career and never got past the second round) leads us to believe he doesn't have much of a shot at the Hall of Fame. Regardless, Wall was a great player at his peak, one with lightning speed on the open floor. The Kentucky legend could score from the midrange and near the bucket, and was a very disruptive defender on the other end, to boot.

18. Marc Gasol

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 1st Team selection, three All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection, two Olympic silver medals, two World Cup gold medals, five Eurobasket medals

NBA rank: 60th in blocks

Another interesting case as far as Hall of Fame candidacy, Spanish legend Marc Gasol, along with his Hall of Fame brother Pau Gasol, helped lead Spain to a lot of glory on the international basketball stage, namely two World Cup gold medals, two Eurobasket gold medals and two Olympic silver medals.

He was also an important piece on the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors championship team as the squad's anchor down low, a big man who could protect the rim at a high level, space the floor on offense and even create for others with the ball in his hands.

His peak may not have been all that impressive, as Gasol only had one season in which he averaged more than 17 points per game, nor did he ever average double-digit rebounds, but he had good longevity, playing until his age-36 season, and he did his fair share of winning, both in the NBA and on the international stage.

19. Tom Chambers

Top accolades: Two All-NBA selections, four All-Stars

NBA rank: 50th in points

High-flying big man Tom Chambers had one heck of a peak, a higher one than fans today might remember.

Over a two-season stretch between '89 and '90, Chambers averaged 26.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 48.6 percent shooting. He led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals both years, though Phoenix failed to win either series. Chambers would play in the Finals once in his career, but it came when he was a role player for the 1992-93 Suns.

Chambers' outrageous peak came late in his prime, however, and though he was an All-Star once prior to that, he was never quite as good as he was in those two campaigns, both of which earned him 2nd Team All-NBA honors. Chambers also finished Top 10 in the MVP vote for both of those years.

Chambers feels right on the cusp of being a Hall of Famer, as we can't even say he was a Hall of Very Gooder – he was clearly a level above that. Had he managed to win a championship or had his peak lasted another season or two, he'd probably be in the Hall by now.

20. Elton Brand

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, two All-Stars, Rookie of the Year award

NBA rank: 23rd in blocks, 57th in rebounds

A brutal injury that didn't even happen while he was playing in the NBA is to blame for Elton Brand not being in the Hall of Fame today, as the 1999 No. 1 overall draft pick saw his career get off to a great start.

Over his first eight seasons, Brand averaged 20.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 blocks. Then in, August of 2007 while taking part in a practice session for Team USA ahead of the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, Brand tore his Achilles and was never the same afterward.

He came back late in the 2007-08 season. Making matters worse, in December of 2008, a little over a year after his Achilles injury, Brand got shut down by his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, due to the big man needing shoulder surgery. Over his final nine seasons, Brand would be relegated to being a role player, averaging 10.0 points and 6.3 rebounds over that stretch.

Just goes to show how much injury luck players need on their side if they want to be Hall of Famer. In fairness, how little playoff success Brand had even in his prime before the injuries – he made the playoffs just once prior to the blown Achilles – is also to blame for why isn't he considered much for Hall of Fame honors. (The Los Angeles Clippers used to be an absolute mess and were mostly to blame for Brand having such little playoff experience in his career. In his one playoff appearance in his prime, Brand was monstrous, putting up 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 blocks over 12 games in the '06 postseason, as he got Los Angeles to Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals that year.)

21. Deron Williams

Top accolades: Two All-NBA selections, three All-Stars, two Olympic gold medals

NBA rank: 24th in assists

There was a time when there was a real debate as to who was the best point guard in the NBA: Deron Williams or Chris Paul. Of course, Paul emphatically ended that debate but in the late 2000s, some actually favored Williams thanks to his better size and stronger finishing game around the basket.

Williams' prime ended abruptly. By the time he was 29, he was basically a role player. What's more, he was out of the NBA entirely by his age-33 season, which greatly hurts his Hall of Fame case.

Even so, Williams was a great player, especially early on in his career, with the West Virginia native earning MVP votes twice in his first five seasons, as well as receiving two 2nd Team All-NBAs in that stretch.

22. Rolando Blackman

Top accolades: Four All-Stars

NBA rank: 91st in points

Bucket-getting 2-guard Rolando Blackman was a great scorer in his prime, averaging 19.9 points on 49.5 percent shooting over a 10-year stretch from '83 through '92.

His stats weren't empty, either, as Blackman helped lead the Dallas Mavericks to the playoffs six times in that stretch, getting as far as Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals in 1987-88. The fact Dallas pushed the Showtime Lakers to the brink of elimination in the Conference Finals that year shows how good the Mavericks were at that point in time.

Blackman wasn't Dallas' best player that year, though, that honor would belong to fellow Hall of Very Gooder Mark Aguirre, as the Mavericks had a very well-balanced squad that year, also boasting the likes of Derek Harper and Sam Perkins.

Still, Blackman was one heck of a player in his own right and is firmly entrenched where he belongs today, in the Hall of Very Good.

23. Andre Iguodala

Top accolades: Four NBA titles, one Finals MVP, one All-Star, two All-Defensive Teams, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup gold medal

NBA rank: 20th in steals, 69th in assists

A do-everything forward with streaky shooting but elite finishing as a slasher and in transition, Andre Iguodala will undoubtedly get consideration to be in the Hall of Fame, mostly buoyed by the fact he won four NBA championships, including in 2014-15 when he famously won Finals MVP over Stephen Curry.

As it stands today, Iguodala is not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. But even when he is, his case will be a fascinating one. On one hand, he won four championships and two gold medals, one at the 2010 World Championships with Team USA and another at the 2012 London Olympics. He also won Finals MVP in '15.

On the other, his counting stats were mostly pretty mundane outside of a three-year stretch in his prime where he put up a 19.0/5.6/5.2 stat line with 1.9 steals from '07 to '09. Over the final 14 years of his career, Iguodala averaged just 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 45.8 percent shooting, a two-way role player through and through.

He'll probably get into the Hall of Fame and maybe it'll even happen on his first try but we're just saying, Iguodala's averages for his career don't scream Hall of Famer.

Relevant here: The only Finals MVP in league history not in the Hall of Fame is Cedric Maxwell, who earned the championship series honor in 1980-81. That means Iguodala would be the only All-Star player with a Finals MVP not to be in the Hall of Fame if he doesn't get in. Hence, we think he's getting in. We'll just wait and see if it's on his first try or not.

24. Richard Hamilton

Top accolades: One NBA title, three All-Stars

Richard Hamilton would be firmly enshrined in the Hall of Very Good if such a thing existed.

He was a fun player in his prime, a unique one, too, in the way he'd run around off-ball screens to knock down midrange jumpers for days. Hamilton even played a large part in the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons championship run, finishing 2nd in the Finals MVP vote that year.

But with no All-NBAs on his resume and just three All-Star appearances, it seems pretty unlikely Hamilton will ever be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, despite how solid he was.

25. Kemba Walker

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, four All-Stars

A surefire first-ballot Hall of Very Gooder, Kemba Walker was a low-level All-Star for a lot of his prime, earning 3rd Team All-NBA honors once in 2018-19. He had a quick crossover and could hit shots from all over the floor, and he was also a superstar in college at UConn, winning a national title in 2011.

But in the NBA, he spent much of his career toiling away on mediocre Charlotte Hornets teams. Walker made the playoffs just four times in his career and only got past the first round once.

We don't think he's quite on that Hall of Fame level but maybe he'll sneak in if the voting committee takes into account his star-level college career.

26. Bill Laimbeer

Top accolades: Two NBA titles, four All-Stars

NBA rank: 39th in career rebounds

If he's not in by now, it's probably not going to happen.

We're not sure if Bill Laimbeer's antics as a member of the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons are to blame or if it's his lack of accolades but either way, Laimbeer has been eligible since roughly 1997 and hasn't gotten in, so we're thinking it's not going to happen at this point.

Laimbeer was the anchor to two championship-winning teams with the Pistons, often brutalizing opponents who dared attack the basket against Detroit. He did have some popularity, as he made four All-Star appearances in his prime, and his numbers at his peak were decently impressive, as Laimbeer enjoyed a five-year stretch in which he averaged 16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 50.5 percent shooting. The Notre Dame legend even lead the league in rebounding in '86.

Even if he never gets in, Laimbeer was a memorable player and will be long thought of as one of the best former NBA players not in the Hall of Fame.

27. Carlos Boozer

Top accolades: One All-NBA selection, two All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal

NBA rank: 71st in rebounds

One of the best power forwards in the NBA in his prime, Carlos Boozer had a unique game in that he wasn't all that athletic nor did he have three-point shooting touch or much size for a big man, but he did have a great first step and the ability to handle the ball. Boozer could also knock down shots from the midrange and was an elite face-up big from inside the three-point line, making him a load to defend. The Duke legend also used his size very well and had a nose for rebounding, averaging 9.5 rebounds per game for his career. Boozer was a fantastic finisher around the basket, too, with the ability to finish with either hand around the rim.

He probably won't ever get into the Hall of Fame with his accolades but Boozer was a great player for a good stretch of time in the NBA.

28. Stephon Marbury

Top accolades: Two All-NBA selections, two All-Stars

NBA rank: 29th in assists

A New York basketball legend, born in Brooklyn and eventually playing for the New York Knicks toward the end of his prime, Stephon Marbury was one of the best point guards of his era.

A two-time 3rd Team All-NBAer, the one thing holding Marbury back was the fact his prime ended so abruptly, with the point guard averaging 3.8 points per game by his age-31 season and then heading overseas where he became arguably an even bigger legend in Chinese basketball.

Marbury was no slouch in the States, though, enjoying a seven-season stretch in which he averaged 21.7 points, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Had that peak just lasted longer, he might have gotten stronger consideration for the Hall of Fame.

29. Peja Stojakovic

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA selection, three All-Stars, one World Cup gold medal

One of the best shooters of his time, Peja Stojakovic simply played in the wrong era, because if he were around today, he would have been launching at least eight threes per game. Instead, he never even averaged seven threes per contest in his career.

Still, for his time, Stojakovic was letting it fly at a high rate. Over an eight-year stretch, Stojakovic put up 5.8 threes per game and hit them at with 41.3 percent accuracy.

Stojakovic's NBA accolades were great though not elite (at the same time, winning an NBA championship and earning a 2nd Team All-NBA honors is still quite noteworthy, especially for a European player in that era), but he also was an elite player internationally, winning a Eurobasket MVP award while representing Yugoslavia in 2001.

Maybe his influence overseas internationally will help get him in one day but for now, Stojakovic doesn't seem all that close to getting into the Hall of Fame.

30. Larry Nance

Top accolades: Three All-Stars, three All-Defensive Teams

NBA rank: 19th in blocks

Another player who would have been first-ballot Hall of Very Good, Larry Nance was a steady big man during his heyday, peaking from '85 through '88 when he averaged 20.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.0 blocks on 56.2 percent shooting.

Had Nance kept that outrageous peak up longer, or if the Cleveland Cavaliers had been a better team during his time there, he might get more Hall of Fame consideration but regardless, he was an elite player in his prime. In fairness, Nance was a part of some solid Cavs teams, getting to the Eastern Conference Finals and taking two games from the dynastic Chicago Bulls in that series in 1991-92.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The greatest former NBA players not (yet) in the Hall of Fame