The new class of Hall of Famers will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today.
That got me thinking about LeBron James and his status among the greats.
Suppose for a second that LeBron James retired today (a move that would shock the world and go down as the most famous retirement of all time).
Would LeBron James be a first-ballot Hall of Famer?
Would he even be a Hall of Famer?
At first thought, I wasn't so sure. He hasn't won a title or even been competitive in an NBA Finals.
But as I started to do my research, I was able to put my head back on straight and realize that the answer is easy.
Yes, LeBron James is a first-ballot Hall of Famer right now.
We are so used to talking about LeBron's resume in terms of where he stands compared to Kobe or Michael, that we have come to hold him to a ridiculous standard.
Yes, of course, he will need at least a few rings before he can approach the legacy that Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have built.
But the standards for being a Hall of Famer, even a first-balloter, are nowhere near the requ ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Gordon Garner
LeBron James: First-Ballot Hall of Famer if He Retired Today?
August 13th, 2010 by Gordon Garner Leave a reply »
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