Post by Rog on May 8, 2016 4:16:07 GMT
The 25th nominee of the NBN Hall of Fame, Shareef Abdur-Ramin, was very similar to Antoine Walker in a number of ways. Both seemingly tweeners, great scorers, and both probably held on too long. Was SAR good enough to overcome his glaring flaws, or will be he be known as a fantastic piece to build with, but not quite elite? Lets take a look at the numbers.
Career Stats
37.3 MPG, 21.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 2.5 TOPG, 43.2% from the field, 79.4% from the line, and 35% from three.
Best Season: (Suns 2001) - 29.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 3.0 TOPG, 44.5% from the field, 77.3% from the line, 33% from three.
Career Highs
Points: 52
Rebounds: 20
Assists: 9
Steals: 6
Blocks: 6
Career Achievements
Championships: 0
Player of the Game: 87
Player of the Week: 0
Player of the Month: 0
Double Doubles: 409
Triple Doubles: 0
Awards
2001 - All-Star Game Participant
2001 - All-League Second Team
Arguments For Induction
- SAR was named to one All-Star Game and one All-League team.
- Was an absolute monster if he got the ball from 15 feet and in, with a lethal jump shot and awesome post up game. He scored about 22 points a game for his career, and thats including his last three years where he fell off considerably. In fact, he is 12th all time in points, a nice number of a guy like him that was more than just a scorer.
- Did everything in his power to get to the line, where he was a good free throw shooter, shooting near 80% for his career. In his prime he got to the line about 7.5 times a game, a great number for a wing in this league. When you can guarantee your small forward will score around 6 points a game just from the line, thats something you notice.
- Even more so than Antoine Walker, SAR was a crazy good rebounder for someone who spent most of his time at small forward. He pulled down just over 9 for his career, but a lot of his prime he was over 9.5 and close to 10 a game. A guy giving you 20 and 10 a year is something you expect from your power forward, not your small forward. Just a nice luxury to have.
- Finished his long career with A defense, averaged about 2 stocks a game for his career and was closer to 2.5 a game for the majority of his prime. He was a great defender. He absolutely was meant to terrorize the other guy inside and then beat him up on defense. Such a great game for a rugged three.
- Exceptionally durable, averaging 80 games a season and only missing a total of 23 games for his career. A guy as good as him in many facets of the game, you want him on the court when he could and he was. Hell Phoenix knew they had something special and he played the vast majority of his career with the Suns. Thats something.
- As a total package, SAR had it. He could score, rebound, defend, and help the team by getting the opposing three in foul trouble. There isn't many flaws in his game, and a guy who for six seasons you could count on 24 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 steals, .8 blocks, and getting to the line as much as he did, SAR is a Hall of Fame point blank.
Arguments Against Induction
- Lets start with the absolute obvious: He only has one All-Star game and one All-League team. You can't even blame not playing enough games or being hurt, because the dude was almost never hurt. Is a Hall of Famer a guy that the game never thought he was a top three player at his position? Seriously?
- And I wonder about his defense, its not like the stocks weren't there, but he was never nominated to an All-Defensive team. Thats tough to see when part of his legacy lies on the fact that he was a lock down defender.
- Also, where is the titles? Not one? And he spent all his career with the Suns, a team that has only been to the playoffs four times and has only won three games. SAR never once made it out of the first round. Not once. He never was relevant on the big stage, and thats something you want a true legend to be a part of. Never was.
- For a guy who you only wanted to give the ball relatively close to the basket, the dude had butter fingers, turning it over 2.5 times a game for his career and when he was carrying a big load offensively he gave the ball to the other team 3 times a game.
- Not just turnovers either, he was mad inefficient shooting the ball. The dude had a season where he played 38 minutes a game and shot below 40% from the field, you can't have that from a superstar. He shot 43% from the field for his career, just not a good number. And its not like he made up for it by being ultra effective from three either, shooting just 35% from there. Ouch.
- What is his case? That he was good at drawing fouls, could score it(ineffectively mind you), and was a good rebounder? What is that without titles, awards, or anything truly special to his name? He made it up the list of points by shotjacking his team of games at times. He may or may not have been a great defender, and he was never in the second round. You simply cannot enshrine a guy who had so many questions, even with good, yet not great, stats.
Vote carefully, and remember to throw out arguments regardless of which side you're on. This should be a discussion that eventually gets the league to the proper decision on him. Your vote can also be retracted after it's been cast if you feel like switching to the other side based on the arguments that have been made. To be inducted, a player needs 70% and to be considered in a later class they need 50%. Vote carefully!
***BONUS - Don't forget that everyone who votes gets $25 and the person that makes the best argument or contributes to the discussion the best will be awarded an extra $25***
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