OT: Chris Mullin HoFer??
|
Guys,
Is anybody keeping up w/ the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony? What's every body's take on Chris Mullin (see link below for his HOF profile)?
Is this a case of a white boy getting a free pass or is Mullin truly HoF worthy?
I've never thought Chris Webber had much of a chance at the HOF. That is until I saw Mullin was sneaking in through the backdoor. Imo, Webber's numbers are more impressive than Mullin's and as far as I know CWEbb's teams won more (i.e. CWebb went to the playoffs more often as the centerpiece of his teams etc.).
If memory serves Mullin was a liability on defense while Webber was generally considered an excellent defender. This despite the fact that CWebb played many of his prime years with a bum shoulder and on one leg (having endured the dreaded knee micro-fracture surgery which is basketball's answer to TJ surgery).
Mullin was an excellent college basketball player and he really was an excellent shooter (FT% and FG%) during his NBA tenure. Mullin had a pretty good 5 year run where he averaged over 20 pts per game. But that in and of itself should not make him a HoFer. By that standard shouldn't guys like Bernard King (a far more explosive scorer) also be in the HoF?
When I think of Mullin I think of Peja Stojakovic. Both were good players but Hall of Famers? Err I don't think so...
|
August 12th, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^
gray blockquote
August 12th, 2011 at 5:01 PM ^
For the hair, if nothing else.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^
I was more a fan of Artis Gilmore's hair personally, although Mullin's is HoF-worthy certainly.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:10 PM ^
The Hall of Fame in all the four major sports are starting to become a joke.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:42 PM ^
Baseball's is still pretty legit. Their voting method makes it very tough to get in. The Veterans' Committee has let in a few shaky candidates, though.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:43 PM ^
Those standards are going to change when they let in players like Curt Schilling.
August 13th, 2011 at 1:27 AM ^
Quite possibly the most obnoxious man to ever lace up a pair of cleats. He was in the booth on Sunday night baseball last week, just oozing sentimental schmaltz about Fenway Park and calling the Red Sox "his" team.
Nevermind that he was in Philadelphia longer or was much better and healthier in Arizona (where he was also part of a championship squad). Boston is the place that gave him what he wanted more than anything else: special attention from baseball's snotty East Coast elite.
His sanctimonious, praise-seeking crap during the steroid hearings still makes me want to puke.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^
At first I was going to say yes, but looking at his career statistics, I'm not so sure. I thought they'd jump out at me more than they did. 18.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.5 apg, 38.4% 3FG over 16 years . . . that's a very good career, but I don't know if it's Hall of Fame-good. In the playoffs his teams never won much, and his stats were generally worse than in the regular season. I was also surprised that he only made five All-Star teams.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mullich01.html
Granted, it's the Basketball HoF, not just the NBA HoF, and he did have an outstanding college career. (Being the best player ever at a NY-area school probably helped his candidacy). But I'd lean towards no.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:13 AM ^
That's a little bold. Unless you're Referring to college/St John's, have to throw the challenge flag. Ever hear of Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor? You know, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
<br>
<br>Earl the goat and pewee Kirkland are also legends. Stephon also is from bk. I respect Mullin, but he's not the best.
<br>
<br>Ron Artest also went to a rival HS of mine for a while.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:16 AM ^
But Alcindor/Kareem went to UCLA. I mean a guy who played at a NY-area college.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:56 AM ^
How would you define NY area? NYC college athletics is limited. Kids around here always rooted for Syracuse, UConn, and St John's. If you're talking strictly NCAAB at St Johns, then I can't say I disagree.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:56 PM ^
Good comparison; I didn't know Bernard King wasn't in the HOF, Chris Mullin wasn't nearly as good as Bernard King in his prime, just ask Kelly Tripucka. Tripucka had the misfortune of getting torched by Bernard King and Dominique Wilkins in his Piston career.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:58 PM ^
King also lost a large chunk of prime to an ACL injury, which was a 2 year recovery process at the time. King was one of the best pure scorers ever.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:16 PM ^
You got that right, his lightening quick release in the paint was something to behold, I ain't never seen anything like it.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:40 PM ^
BK was one of the most underated player to play in the league...his stroke was quite def!
August 13th, 2011 at 9:01 AM ^
Tripucka hair+mustache+shorty shorts = pure gold.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:03 PM ^
I don't want to judge him compared to Webber, because I think Webber is a HOF player as well, so the comparison isn't that valid.
But, yeah, I think he's a HOF'er. If guys like Reggie Miller and Ray Allen are, I don't see how Mullin isn't. He was a 25-point scorer in his prime (cut short due to injury), and a valuable three-point gunner on some quality Indiana teams at the end of his career. He wasn't a good defensive player, but was savvy enough to pick up a fair number of steals (he averaged 2 a game through his prime). He's probably one of the 70 best ever, or so? I have no problem.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:22 PM ^
well, im not saying mullin shouldnt be but i think you are backwards in your logic since miller and allen are both better than mullin. if mullin was alreay in and we were talking about either one of them then it would make sense but usually one points out players that are in the HOF and that are worse than the player the argument is about when it comes to arguing entrance
August 12th, 2011 at 6:23 PM ^
Are you saying Reggie miller is not HOF worthy? LOLOLOLOL. One of the most clutch players in the history of the game, The face of the Pacer's for his whole career, and his team was always in the playoffs. Come on now.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:22 AM ^
August 12th, 2011 at 6:37 PM ^
I don't think Mullin is one of the 70 best ever, maybe his offensive stats say so, but his O was partly a function of the system he played in. The years he was scoring 25/game, Golden State was literally the best offensive team and worst defensive team in the league. usually finishing a few games over 500 with no shot of going anywhere in the playoffs. He could certainly shoot the rock but his game overall wasn't very impressive
On a couple of those Golden State teams, Mullin was the third best player on a mediocre team. I would rate Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway as both better basketball players than Chris Mullin, scoring stats be damned.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:42 PM ^
Imo,one of three players to EVER in the league...who could change the outcome of the game without SCORING a point. The other two...Bill Russell & Eavin Johnson.
August 12th, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^
Yes. I'm impressed that they let go of the usual bias toward offensive guys (and the fact that he turned into a freak) and let him in. He definitely deserves it.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:37 AM ^
while he isnt HOF worthy, ben wallace could change the outcome of a game without scoring a point back in the day
August 12th, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^
RUN TMC! I grew up a G State Warriors fan, so maybe my opinion is a bit slanted. To me the HOF is about what a particular player did for the game, more so than pure statistics. Mully did a lot for the game. He brought in a different group of fans. I am sure some of it had to do with his color, same thing goes with the Williams sisters in tennis. Mullin was a NY and college legend before the NBA (Bill Walton is considered one of the greatest ever, and he didn't do much spectacular in the NBA), and one of the biggest stars on an otherwise crappy Golden State Warriors franchise. Two time gold medalist. One of the great shooters. The HOF likes to spread the love around too, and i think it helps he came from a team that isn't well represented in the hall. There is a lilttle politics in everything.
And for Rodman, thank god they overlooked the off court and stupid stuff he did, he was a for sure hall of famer, per inch greatest rebounder ever. Crazy defender who could guard almost any position. Shut down some of the great PFs of all time, held his own guarding centers.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:23 AM ^
Shut down Shaq in the 96 Conf Finals. Bulls swept the Magic 4-0.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:40 PM ^
Let's anybody in. It's by far the easiest to get into. By their standards he fits. But not really by anyone else's.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:39 AM ^
I don't think either Mullin or Webber are HoF worthy. Both very good players, yes, but HoF honors should only be given to great players.
August 13th, 2011 at 8:33 AM ^
NBA hall isn't as stat-crazy as baseball. Not that 18+ PPG is easy. I think he deserves it. He was a top tier guy in an era with some of the greatest ever; I think that's why we're dismissing him here.