Post by Rog on Aug 16, 2016 16:31:31 GMT
Stevie Franchise is NBN Hall of Fame nominee #45, with a nickname like that he has to be all that and a bag of chips right? You might as well throw in a few bags of chips, because Francis was that good. He did have flaws, were they enough to prevent his induction or is this just the case of a superstar who just isn't a GOAT, but is a legend? Lets take a look.
Career Stats
38 MPG, 25.9 PPG, 8.4 APG, 6.3 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 3.5 TOPG on 46.3% from the field, 86.2% from the line, and 40.5% from three
Best Season
Hornets(2006) - 30.3 PPG, 10.1 APG, 6.9 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 3.5 TOPG on 46% from the field, 86.0% from the line, and 40.7% from three
Career Highs
Points: 59
Rebounds: 21
Assists: 20
Steals: 9
Blocks: 3
Achievements
Championships: 1
Player of the Game: 334
Player of the Week: 10
Player of the Month: 4
Double Doubles: 519
Triple Doubles: 65
Accolades
2000 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2001 - All-Star Game Participant
2002 - All-Star Game Participant
2002 - All-Defensive Team
2002 - Playoff MVP
2003 - All-Star Game Participant
2003 - All-League First Team
2003 - All-Defensive Second Team
2004 - All-Star Game Participant
2005 - All-Star Game Participant
2005 - All-League Third Team
2005 - All-Defensive Second Team
2006 - All-Star Game Participant
2006 - All-League First Team
2006 - All-Defensive Second Team
2008 - All-Defensive Team
2009 - All-Defensive Second Team
2010 - All-Star Game Participant
2010 - All-League Second Team
2010 - All-Defensive Second Team
2011 - All-Defensive Team
Arguments For Induction
- Francis played in seven All-Star games, was named to three All-Defensive first teams and five All-Defensive second teams. He was also named to two All-League first teams, and one apiece for All-League second and third teams. Quite decorated. He also won a title with the Nets in 2002 where he won playoff MVP.
- Steve Francis was a destructive force with the ball in his hands. If you take away his turnovers, Francis may have ended up as the greatest scorer of all time, but he'll have to settle for "one of" the greatest. He finished his career 4th All-Time in points while averaging 25.9 a game for his career. Although he never really got a point where his final seasons were really dragging him down, he still was closer to 27 to 28 a game a nine year stretch where he had three years under 26.9 a game. Every season of his career he averaged 21.7 PPG or better, which is incredible consistency.
- He also shot the bell with pretty good efficiency, which is crazy given his all out assault on the other teams basket that ended in turnovers just as much as it did in scoring. His 46.3/86.2/40.5 slash line is a good, not great one but better than you'd expect from a guy like Francis and his play style. It just continues to reinforce the idea that without his turnovers, who knows what crazy statlines you could expect here.
- Francis was also a solid passer, I say solid because he was prone to throwing it away, though his assist totals paint the picture of a near elite passer. For nine straight years, minus one year at 8.8, he averaged over 9 assists a game and had six seasons above 9.5 including one in the 10s. Those are crazy good numbers.
- Destructive describes Francis offensively but also aptly describes him defensively as well as he finished his career 2nd All-Time in steals. He averaged 2.2 a game for his career and over that nine year prime we week talking about he averaged 2.2 or more all but one year. The league recognized his overall defensive game as well by giving him eight total Defensive team nods, proving he was a two way player.
- You can't go without mentioning the fact that Steve Francis leads the league in All-Time triple doubles, because he was probably the best rebounding point guard ever in NBN, averaging 6.3 a game. If 7 is solid for a shooting guard, he did that twice at point guard.
- There isn't a thing you can say that Francis couldn't do. If "five tool" was a term used for basketball, Francis's name would show up at the top of the list. He got his title, he has the awards, the counting stats, and the averages, what more could you ask for from a guy to be enshrined into the NBN Hall of Fame? This has to be a pretty locked case no?
Arguments Against Induction
- Lets start with a lack of awards, which Francis does have. He was only a top 3 player at his position six years? Thats six out of fifteen seasons, not even half. Is that enough?
- Turnovers were his, and his teams, biggest hindrance from being truly legendary. To average 3.5 a game for his career and near 4 for a lot of his career, plus is the All-Time Leader in turnovers, he cost his teams some games for sure, and should at least bring down his status as being a lock a little bit.
- He seemed a bit lazy at times, in the middle of brilliant stretches of seasons he seemingly seemed disinterested in performing at his top level for a season or two. I bet those talented Hornets teams he was on wished they had him at 100% all the time, because they may just have won titles if they had that.
- Speaking of titles, Francis for as good as he was and as good of teams he played on only ended up with one title. Its hard not to look at the way he played, how tunnel visioned he got, and how much he gave the other team the ball and wonder if with a more steady force(Say Andre Miller or Jose Calderon for example) if the Nets and Hornets wouldn't have won more titles with Francis at the head. Just food for thought.
- And lastly, you have to ask, did you really fear Francis come playoff time? Sure you knew he could rip a series from your grips on his own, but you also knew he could just as easily lose it by himself as well. For a guy with as much talent as Francis had, you have to wonder if he ever truly lived up to it, and to me the answer is no. Is what Francis did with all that talent enough to be inducted as the elite of the elite? I don't know.
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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