Evaluating the Hall of Fame cases of 10 NBA stars

The biggest honor and feat in team sports is to win the championship and hoist that trophy with the teammates and coaches you fought so hard alongside all season.

When it comes to an individual’s career, being enshrined to the sport’s Hall of Fame is the mountain top. To join the legends and greats that paved the way is something no one can take from you.

This weekend, we saw Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and the late, great Kobe Bryant enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to honor their long, illustrious careers.

Today’s NBA is filled with sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famers: LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant to name a few. Then you have your fringe Hall of Famers — guys who are on the fence with arguments for and against being enshrined.

See the list below of current, or freshly retired players, who are on the doorstep of becoming a Hall of Famer.

Vince Carter

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Career stats: 16.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 Assists per game, 1.0 Steals per game Accolades: 8x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 1998-99 Rookie of the Year, 1998-99 All-Rookie Vince Carter's career arc is quite fascinating, from the explosive, somewhat selfish scorer in Toronto and New Jersey to the ultimate veteran teammate and mentor in the latter half of his career. Carter was right there under Kobe and Allen Iverson when it came to who kids idolized growing up in the early 2000s. The 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest will forever hold the test of time as he's arguably the greatest dunker of all-time. Through his 11 years as a Raptor and Net, Carter averaged 23.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.3 APG, putting himself in the same conversations with Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and his cousin, Tracy McGrady. But the impact didn't end there as a perennial All-Star. The impact Carter left as a fringe starter for the Magic and Suns as well as a veteran leader and mentor for the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings and Hawks can't be understated. Prediction: First ballot? Maybe -- but a lock for the Hall regardless.

Dwight Howard

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Career stats: 16.2 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.9 Blocks per game Accolades: 2020 NBA Champion, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, 2004-05 All-Rookie Hate him or not, Dwight Howard was a man among boys through the first half of his career. In the first 10 years of his career, Howard was 18.3 PPG, 12.9 RPG and 2.2 BPG every night as he dominated and altered games on the defensive end game in and game out. In the 2009 playoffs, Howard averaged 20.3 PPG and 15.3 RPG, leading the Orlando Magic to the finals, falling in five games to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the antics and perception as a team cancer, Howard has become an asset again late in his career, helping the Lakers win last year's NBA championship and playing an important role off the bench for this year's 76ers. Prediction: First ballot Hall of Famer -- easily.

Kevin Love

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Career stats: 18.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 37.0 3-point percentage Accolades: 2016 NBA Champion, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2010-11 Most Improved Player, 2008-09 All-Rookie Kevin Love was a vital part of LeBron James' second stint as a Cleveland Cavalier, capped by winning the 2016 NBA championship in historic fashion, coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. Before being traded to Cleveland, Love put up a 23.5 PPG, 13.7 RPG and 3.0 APG stat line over a four-year stretch in Minnesota. Despite his production faltering due to injuries and an inexperienced team around him following the departure of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Love has a strong chance to put on that orange jacket one day. Prediction: Depending on the class, and due to the ring alone, Love could sneak his way into first ballot territory.

Kyle Lowry

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Career stats: 14.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG Accolades: 2019 NBA champion, 6x All-Star, 2015-16 All-NBA Kyle Lowry has been the heart and soul of the Toronto Raptors for the last nine years, helping the franchise finally getting over the hump in 2019 as they won the NBA championship over the short-handed Golden State Warriors. Lowry's not flashy but he gets the job done night in and night out on top of being a great leader for the Raptors. Since 2013-14, Lowry has averaged 18.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 7.2 APG. Prediction: Not first ballot, but Lowry will likely get in to the Hall.

Blake Griffin

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Career stats: 20.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.9 BPG Accolades: 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 2010-11 ROY, 2010-11 All-Rookie Blake Griffin didn't just hit the ground running as a rookie in 2010-11, he hit the ground jumping out the gym. Griffin automatically became one of the most can't miss guys in the league simply based on the fact that at any given moment, he could put the opponent's big man on a billboard. In the six-year Chris Paul-era of the Clippers, when the team was a contender year after year, Griffin averaged 21.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 4.4 APG. He finished third in MVP voting in 2014. Blake was a polarizing player at his peak, with highlight dunks and the ability to playmaker from the big man position. Prediction: His peak ended a lot faster than expected but I think Griffin eventually gets the nod.

Rajon Rondo

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Career stats: 10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.6 SPG Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 2011-12 All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive, 2006-07 All-Rookie First viewed as the ugly duckling of the 2007-08 Boston Celtics after the team acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo quickly put that view to rest. He became a vital part of the Celtics championship run and the franchise over the next seven seasons. From 2009-10 to 2012-13, Rondo averaged 12.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 10.8 APG, and 2.1 SPG during four straight All-Star appearances. Despite bouncing around following his Celtics tenure, earning a second NBA championship in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers surely helps Rondo's resume. Prediction: An eventual Hall of Famer

Andre Iguodala

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Career stats: 11.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 2014-15 Finals MVP, 1x All-Star, 2x All-Defensive, 2004-05 All-Rookie Andre Iguodala's career trajectory is an interesting one. He sacrificed potential All-Star appearances in the peak of his prime to win championships. From 2006-07 to 2011-12 in Philadelphia, Iggy averaged 17.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.5 APG and 1.8 SPG, including his sole All-Star appearance in 2011-12. Winning the 2014-15 finals MVP, Iguodala averaged 16.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 4.0 APG while having to defend LeBron James on most possessions. The impact Iguodala made on the Warriors once he arrived in Golden State in 2013-14 is infinite. Without Iggy on those finals teams, you could argue LeBron James and the Cavaliers might have won one or two of those series. Prediction: The impact Iguodala made on those Warriors teams on the defensive end and in the locker room can't be stated enough. I really think he gets his named called eventually.

LaMarcus Aldridge

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Career stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.6 APG Accolades: 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 2006-07 All-Rookie LaMarcus Aldridge's career is certainly fresh on our minds as it came to a quick halt earlier this season when he abruptly retired due to an irregular heartbeat soon after joining the Brooklyn Nets. Aldridge's career hit its peak in Portland from 2011-2015 when he averaged 22.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 2.3 APG while making four All-Star teams during that time with two Portland greats by his side, Brandon Roy and Damian Lillard. LA went on to make three more All-Star teams after joining the San Antonio Spurs, including losing to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals in 2016. Prediction: Similar career stats to Kevin Love but without the ring. Gut says Aldridge misses the Hall.

Derrick Rose

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Career stats: 18.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.5 APG, 0.8 SPG Accolades: 2010-11 MVP, 3x All-Star, 2010-11 All-NBA, 2008-09 ROY, 2008-09 All-Rookie Derrick Rose was on a first ballot Hall of Fame trajectory through the first four seasons of his career, averaging 21.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 6.8 APG including three All-Star appearances and of course, the 2010-11 MVP award. But as we all remember, Rose tore his ACL in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012, forcing him to miss the entire 2012-2013 season. Though Rose has carved out a nice reserve role for himself for several teams after coming back from the injury and dealing with off-court issues, Rose has never returned to the MVP version of himself. Rose's career is certainly one of the all-time 'what if's' in NBA history. Prediction: Rose is the most fascinating HOF case in this list. He would be the first league MVP to not make the Hall of Fame, which is crazy. Pure resume, MVP award aside, he's not a Hall of Famer.

DeMar DeRozan

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Career stats: 20.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.0 SPG Accolades: 4x All-Star, 2x All-NBA DeMar DeRozan was born in the wrong era. If DeRozan came into the league in the early to mid 80s, he's Clyde Drexler. DeRozan, along with Kyle Lowry, helped put the Raptors on the map, but continued to lose to the same boss at the end of the video game -- LeBron James. By the time James moved to Los Angeles, it was too late for DeRozan: He was traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard. In San Antonio. DeRozan has transformed his game and become a legit playmaker in the Spurs lineup. Overall, from 2013-14 to 2020-21, DeRozan is averaging 22.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.9 APG per game. Prediction: The Hall lets in just about everyone nowadays but unless DeRozan can add some hardware to his resume, he likely comes up short.

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