Current NBA Players Who Could Make the Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has a glut of future members currently playing in the NBA, but who makes the cut? Trae Young? Kyrie Irving?

We’ve made no qualms about our distrust/distaste for the process with which the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame elects its members, based on the simple fact that they let too many people in. For any Hall of Fame to keep a certain level of cache, it needs to be selective. You can’t make that argument for the Naismith Hall of Fame.

In today’s NBA, it seems like the term “future Hall of Famer” gets thrown around quite often, and for good reason. They let almost anybody with a decent career in, leading to younger players — like high-scoring Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young — up for consideration, even though they’ve barely begun their careers.

Taking into account our own wariness of the process and our understanding of what the Hall of Fame’s criteria is, here’s a look at current NBA players who could one day end up in the Hall of Fame, breaking them up into three categories — Too Soon to Tell, Too Close to Call and Absolute Locks — and ranking them within those tiers.

25. Too Soon to Tell: Karl-Anthony Towns

Rusty Jones / AP

It’s impossible to ignore the talent Karl-Anthony Towns possesses — through eight NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he has Hall of Fame stats. But on the flip side, he has proven to be one of the least likable NBA stars in recent memory. In an era when fans are embracing big men like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, Towns has been kept at arm’s length.

One big reason for that? Through seven NBA seasons, Towns has led his team to the postseason just twice and has yet to advance past the first round. His spot on this list is tenuous at best in 2023, where he’s already missed over half of the season with a calf strain.

By the Numbers: Karl-Anthony Towns

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns

Brandon Dill / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 15, 1995 (Edson, New Jersey)

Position: Center/power forward

Height/Weight: 7-foot, 248 pounds

High School: St. Joseph High School (Metuchen, New Jersey)

College: Kentucky

NBA career: Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-present)

Career highlights: Two-time All-NBA Team (2018, 2022), three-time NBA All-Star (2018, 2019, 2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2016), NBA Three-Point Contest Champion (2022), AP All-American (2015), SEC Freshman of the Year (2015), All-SEC (2015)

24. Too Soon to Tell: Ja Morant

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

Ja Morant is the very definition of our “Too Soon to Tell” players — he’s a two-time All-Star through four seasons and has already earned one All-NBA Team selection.

The feeling around Morant has gone from a player that was almost universally loved to one that people are now questioning whether or not he has a long-term viable future in the league after he was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies over a series of disturbing incidents.

When Morant has his head on straight, he’s as exciting of a player as the NBA has seen over the last 10 years.

By the Numbers: Ja Morant

Brandon Dill / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 10, 1999, 23 years old (Dalzell, South Carolina)

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds

High School: Crestwood High School (Sumter, South Carolina)

College: Murray State

NBA career: Memphis Grizzlies (2019-present)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA All-Star (2022, 2023), All-NBA Team (2022), NBA Most Improved Player (2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2020), AP All-American (2019), OVC Player of the Year (2019), two-time All-OVC (2018, 2019), OVC Tournament MVP (2019), Bob Cousy Award (2019)

23. Too Soon to Tell: Devin Booker

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker got on the radars of casual NBA fans in 2020-2021 when he and point guard Chris Paul led the franchise to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 — but diehard NBA Fans knew Booker was balling way before that. Remember that Booker was only 20 years old when he became the youngest player to score over 60 points in a game, torching the Boston Celtics for 70 points on March 24, 2017.

Take into account that Booker didn’t even turn 19 years old until almost five months after he was drafted by the Suns in 2015, and you will see a bigger picture start to evolve — he made his fourth consecutive NBA All-Star Team in 2022 and was named to the All-NBA Team for the first time. Booker seems one NBA championship away from being a Hall of Fame lock, which is no guarantee.

By the Numbers: Devin Booker

Gareth Patterson / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 30, 1996 (Grand Rapids, MIchigan)

Position: Shooting guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 206 pounds

High School: Moss Point High School (Moss Point, Mississippi)

College: Kentucky

NBA career: Phoenix Suns (2015-present)

Career highlights: All-NBA Team (2022), three-time NBA All-Star (2020-22), NBA All-Rookie Team (2016), NBA Three-Point Contest Champion (2018), SEC Sixth Man of the Year (2015), All-SEC (2015)

22. Too Soon to Tell: Trae Young

Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo

You don’t have to watch Trae Young play for very long to realize he’s a scoring wizard, the likes of which don’t come around very often.

After leading the Atlanta Hawks on a surprise run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, Young went in the tank during the 2021-2022 season, losing in the first round of the playoffs. That said, Young made his first All-NBA Team in 2022 and is averaging 25.3 points and 9.1 assists through his first three seasons. Those, my friends, are Hall of Fame numbers.

By the Numbers: Trae Young

John Bazemore / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 19, 1998, 24 years old (Lubbock, Texas)

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 165 pounds)

High School: Norman North High School (Norman, Oklahoma)

College: Oklahoma

NBA career: Atlanta Hawks (2018-present)

Career highlights: All-NBA Team (2022), two-time NBA All-Star (2020, 2022), NBA All-Rookie Team (2019), AP All-American (2018), All-Big 12 (2018), Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2018)

21. Too Soon to Tell: Jayson Tatum

Michael Dwyer / AP Photo

The rush to anoint Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum as one of the NBA’s best players has been one of the more tiresome parts of NBA media culture over the last few years, but even for the naysayers it’s impossible to deny how great of a player he is after leading Boston to the NBA Finals in 2022.

For how good Tatum already is, it’s scary to think of how good he will be in the future. He’s only 25 years old, already a two-time All-NBA Team selection and four-time NBA All-Star, including in 2023 when he set the All-Star Game record with 55 points on his way to All-Star MVP honors.

By the Numbers: Jayson Tatum

Michael Dwyer / AP Photo

Born: March 3, 1998, 25 years old (St. Louis, Missouri)

Position: Forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds

High School: Chaminade College Prep (Creve Coeur, Missouri)

College: Duke

NBA career: Boston Celtics (2017-present)

Career highlights: Two-time All-NBA Team (2020, 2022), four-time NBA All-Star (2020-23), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2023), NBA All-Rookie Team (2018), All-ACC (2017), Gatorade National High School Player of the Year (2016)

20. Too Close to Call: Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell

Ron Schwane / AP Photo

Donovan Mitchell played some pretty spectacular basketball through his first five seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, but when things went totally sour between Mitchell and center Rudy Gobert, both got shipped off to new locations.

Mitchell, already a four-time NBA All-Star, has thrived in his new role as the star of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Surrounded by young talent, Mitchell was averaging a career-high 27.4 points in the 2022-23 season and is now on a team that seems like a legit contender.

There are not a lot of dudes who are 6-foot-1 shooting guards in the NBA … and even less who make it to the Hall of Fame. But Mitchell could be one of those outliers.

By the Numbers: Donovan Mitchell

Ron Schwane / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 7, 1996 (Elmsford, New York)

Position: Shooting guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds

High School: Brewster Academy (Wolfeshire, New Hampshire)

College: Louisville

NBA career: Utah Jazz (2017-22), Cleveland Cavaliers (2022-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA All-Star (2020-23), NBA All-Rookie Team (2018), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2018), All-ACC (2017)

19. Too Close to Call: Paul George

Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Before Paul George became a meme associated with playoff failures and excuses after losing big games, he was carving out a reputation as one of the NBA’s great small forwards and one of the great defensive players of his generation.

George’s career is in a weird place right now. He’s been with the Los Angeles Clippers since 2019, paired with Kawhi Leonard in the hopes of leading the franchise to its first NBA championship. Through three full seasons together, the six-time All-NBA Team pick and Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, have yet to make the NBA Finals.

By the Numbers: Paul George

Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Born: May 2, 1990 (Palmdale, California)

Position: Small forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

High School: Knight High School (Palmdale, California)

College: Fresno State

NBA career: Indiana Pacers (2010-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-19), Los Angeles Clippers (2019-present)

Career highlights: Eight-time NBA All-Star (2013, 2014, 2016-19, 2021, 2023), six-time All-NBA Team (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2013, 2014, 2016, 2019), NBA All-Rookie Team (2011), NBA Most Improved Player (2013), All-WAC (2010)

18. Too Close to Call: Anthony Davis

Ashley Landis / AP Photo

We get the feeling Anthony Davis will be a Hall of Famer one day — he won a national championship in one season at the University of Kentucky and added an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

But there’s something about Davis’ career that seems off in our eyes. After winning the NBA title and signing a five-year, $190 million contract extension, Davis and the Lakers lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs in 2021 and missed the playoffs entirely in 2022, which largely fell on Davis’ shoulders. He missed 46 games due to injury in 2020-2021 and 42 games due to injury in 2021-2022 and has appeared out of shape in both seasons.

Maybe he’s already done enough to get in the Hall of Fame … smarter minds than ours will have to make that call but the fact that he’s the first basketball player in history with an NCAA championship, NBA championship, Olympic gold medal and FIBA World Cup gold medal is a good argument in his favor.

By the Numbers: Anthony Davis

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Born: March 11, 1993 (Chicago, Illinois)

Position: Center/power forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-10, 253 pounds

High School: Perspectives Charter Schools (Chicago, Illinois)

College: Kentucky

NBA career: New Orleans Pelicans (2012-2019), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-present)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2020), eight-time NBA All-Star (2014-21), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2017), four-time All-NBA Team (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), NBA All-Rookie Team (2013), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, Olympic gold medal (2012), NCAA champion (2012), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2012), National College Player of the Year (2012), AP All-American (2012), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012)

17. Too Close to Call: Jimmy Butler

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

We like to think Jimmy Butler is the type of player who the Hall of Fame will embrace one day, but we can’t be sure about that. He’s always been kind of an outsider in NBA circles — an elite player who never gets mentioned among the very best of the best but seems to always find himself in the mix when it comes to the end of the year.

Butler was one shot away from leading the Miami Heat back to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years in 2022, and we can’t overlook the fact he was missing key players Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry, who were felled by injuries and largely ineffective down the stretch.

Butler has been an NBA All-Star six times, NBA All-Defensive Team selection five times and an All-NBA Team pick four times — if he can avoid what seems like a proclivity for imploding the teams he’s on, he still has a shot at the Hall of Fame.

By the Numbers: Jimmy Butler

Marta Lavandier / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 14, 1989 (Houston, Texas)

Position: Small forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

High School: Tomball High School (Tomball, Texas)

Colleges: Tyler Junior College/Marquette

NBA career: Chicago Bulls (2011-17), Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-19), Miami Heat (2019-present)

Career highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (2015-18, 2020, 2022), four-time All-NBA Team (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2014-16, 2018, 2021), NBA Most Improved Player (2015)

16. Too Close to Call: Joel Embiid

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Joel Embiid is probably one or two seasons away from being an absolute lock — ironic considering he missed the first two seasons of his career with injuries after the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him No. 2 overall in 2014, and he only played 31 games in his first season in 2016-2017.

Through six full NBA seasons, Embiid has missed 162 games because of injuries, including two seasons where he missed over 30 games. All of that speaks to how much an impact his game is having when he actually does play — he led the NBA in scoring 2021-22 and is on pace to average over 30 points and 10 rebounds for the second season in a row in 2022-23.

By the Numbers: Joel Embiid

Darron Cummings / AP Photo

Born: March 16, 1994 (Yaounde, Cameroon)

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 7-foot, 280 pounds

High School: The Rock School (Gainesville, Florida)

College: Kansas

NBA career: Philadelphia 76ers (2014-present)

Career highlights: Four-time All-NBA Team (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), six-time NBA All-Star (2018-23), three-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2018, 2019, 2021), All-Big 12 (2014), Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2014)

15. Too Close to Call: Rudy Gobert

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert

Matthew Hinton / AP Photo

It’s OK to still feel kind of weird about Rudy Gobert. There’s no way around it.

Judging him just on what he’s done on the court, it’s hard to imagine a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and six-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection not making it to the Hall of Fame. One thing not helping Gobert’s case is the rade the Minnesota Timberwolves made for Gobert before the 2022-23 season that will likely go down in NBA history as an all-time fleecing.

In order to get Gobert, the Timberwolves gave up guard Patrick Beverly, Malik Beasley and Leandro Bolmaro along with forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the rights to 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler along with Minnesota’s 2023, 2024, 2027 and 2029 first-round picks … and a 2026 first-round pick swap.

Might not have been worth it for a guy who struggles to average over 15 points per game.

By the Numbers: Rudy Gobert

Craig Lassig / AP Photo

Born: June 26, 1992 (Saint-Quentin, France)

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 7-foot-1, 260 pounds

Youth Club: Saint-Quentin BB (Saint-Quentin, France)

College: None

NBA career: Utah Jazz (2013-2022), Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-present)

Career highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (2020-22), three-time All-NBA Team (2017, 2019-21), three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2017-22)

14. Too Close to Call: Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors Forward Draymond Green

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

We’d like to think Draymond Green is a lock for the Hall of Fame, with three NBA championships and a reputation as one of the grittiest players in the history of the league — the thing we appreciate most about Green is you could drop him into any NBA era, and he would thrive.

New rules on how fouls are called in 2021-2022 have brought Green’s style of play back into the spotlight — he made his fourth NBA All-Star Team and his first since 2018 along with helping lead the Golden State Warriors to a fourth NBA championship in the Green-Curry-Thompson era.

Green is also a seven-time All-NBA Selection and the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

By the Numbers: Draymond Green

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Born: March 4, 1990 (Saginaw, Michigan)

Position: Forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-6, 230 pounds

High School: Saginaw High School (Saginaw, Michigan)

College: Michigan State

NBA career: Golden State Warriors (2012-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), four-time NBA All-Star (2016-18, 2022), two-time All-NBA Team (2016, 2017), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017), seven-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2015-19, 2021, 2022), AP All-American (2012), Big Ten Player of the Year (2012), three-time All-Big Ten (2010-12), Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2012), Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year (2010), Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2012)

13. Too Close to Call: Kyrie Irving

Gareth Patterson / AP Photo

No one can dispute that Kyrie Irving has talent on a level few have seen in NBA history. He’s an offensive wizard who can handle the ball and score on a Hall of Fame level, and his 3-pointer to win Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers is one of the greatest clutch shots in NBA history.

What’s also not up for debate anymore is how Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, has gone out of his way to alienate coaches, teammates and managements at every stop of his career and failed to fulfill his potential to such a level that we question whether or not he should be in the Hall of Fame. He took that to another level in 2023, when he was suspended form the Brooklyn Nets for an extended period after he posted a link to an anti-semitic movie on his Twitter account.

It would be totally OK if the Hall of Fame never came calling.

By the Numbers: Kyrie Irving

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

Born: March 23, 1992 (Melbourne, Australia)

Position: Point guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

High School: Montclair Kimberley Academy (Montclair, New Jersey)

College: Duke

NBA career: Cleveland Cavaliers (2011-17), Boston Celtics (2017-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-23), Dallas Mavericks (2023-present)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2016), eight-time NBA All-Star (2013-15, 2017-19, 2021, 2023), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2014), three-time All-NBA Team (2015, 2019, 2021), NBA Rookie of the Year (2012), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2013), Olympic gold medal (2016)

12. Too Close to Call: Klay Thompson

Golden State Warriors Guard Klay Thompson

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

Most people will tell you Klay Thompson is a lock to be in the Hall of Fame — we would have agreed with that before he missed all of two seasons and part of another with injuries following the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals. That was the argument, at least, before he returned to help lead the Warriors to a fourth title in 2022.

Thompson is also a five-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA Team pick and has also made an NBA All-Defensive Team.

By the Numbers: Klay Thompson

Brandon Dill / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 8, 1990 (Los Angeles, California)

Position: Guard/forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds

High School: Santa Margarita Catholic High School (Rancho Santa Margarita, California)

College: Washington State

NBA career: Golden State Warriors (2011-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), five-time NBA All-Star (2015-19), two-time All-NBA Team (2015, 2016), NBA All-Defensive Team (2019), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2016), NBA All-Rookie Team (2012)

11. Absolute Lock: Damian Lillard

Portland Trail Blazers Guard Damian Lillard

John McCoy / AP Photo

Because he’s already been named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and because he’s widely considered the greatest player in Portland TrailBlazers history, we have to call Damian Lillard a lock to make the Hall of Fame.

In a rational world — one that doesn’t exist for the Basketball Hall of Fame — Lillard isn’t a lock. His six All-NBA Team selections are as impressive as his playoff failings have been the opposite. In 10 full seasons in the NBA, he’s failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs five times and missed the postseason altogether two times.

An all-time great scorer? Yes. All-time great teammate? For sure. Hall of Famer? Maybe there should be more debate.

By the Numbers: Damian Lillard

John Bazemore / AP Photo

Born: July 15, 1990 (Oakland, California)

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

High School: Oakland Senior High School (Oakland, California)

College: Weber State

NBA career: Portland Trail Blazers (2012-present)

Career highlights: xxx

NBA highlights: Seven-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018-21, 2023), six-time All-NBA Team (2014, 2015, 2018-21), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, NBA Rookie of the Year (2013), NBA Citizenship Award (2019), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2023), AP All-American (2012), two-time Big Sky Player of the Year (2010, 2012), Big Sky Freshman of the Year (2009)

10. Absolute Lock: Kawhi Leonard

Jacob Kupferman / AP Photo

Kawhi Leonard probably solidified his lock status as a Hall of Famer in 2019 when he won a second NBA championship and second NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award — the first came with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 and the second came with the Toronto Raptors.

Leonard’s career doesn’t boil down to just championships — he’s also a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, five-time All-NBA Team selection and, alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James, is just one of three players in NBA history to earn NBA Finals MVP honors for two different teams.

By the Numbers: Kawhi Leonard

Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard dunks

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Born: June 29, 1991 (Los Angeles, California)

Position: Small forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-7, 225 pounds

High School: Martin Luther King High School (Riverside, California)

College: San Diego State

NBA career: San Antonio Spurs (2011-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19), Los Angeles Clippers (2019-present)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (2014, 2019), two-time NBA Finals MVP (2014, 2019), five-time NBA All-Star (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2020), five-time All-NBA Team (2016, 2017, 2019-21), two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2015, 2016), seven-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2014-17, 2019-21), NBA All-Rookie Team (2012)

9. Absolute Lock: Luka Doncic

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

This is probably our biggest reach out of the absolute locks, as Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has only played five seasons in the NBA and has yet to even reach a conference finals.

That said, there’s never been a better case for being a surefire Hall of Famer this early in a career than Doncic, who already has four All-NBA Team selections and was named EuroLeague Most Valuable Player in 2018, at just 19 years old.

By the Numbers: Luka Doncic

Matthew Hinton / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 28, 1999, 24 years old (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Position: Guard/Forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

High School: Real Madrid (youth club)

College: None

NBA career: Dallas Mavericks (2018-present)

Career highlights: Three-time All-NBA Team (2020-22), four-time NBA All-Star (2020-23), NBA Rookie of the Year (2019), EuroLeague champion (2018), EuroLeague MVP (2018), EuroLeague Final Four MVP (2018), EuroLeague All-Decade Team 2010-2020, Liga ACB MVP (2018)

8. Absolute Lock: Nikola Jokic

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

Nikola Jokic probably solidified his status as a Hall of Fame lock with his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player trophy in 2022. Through seven seasons, the Denver Nuggets center is already in the NBA top 10 for career triple-doubles. He’s one of the favorites to win another MVP in 2023 as well.

Jokic’s lack of postseason success needs to be looked at with a discerning eye, as the teams he’s played on have been decimated with injuries. The man can’t do it all himself, you know?

By the Numbers: Nikola Jokic

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 19, 1995 (Sombor, Serbia, Yugoslavia)

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 7-foot, 285 pounds

Youth club: Mega Basket (Belgrade, Serbia)

College: None

NBA career: Denver Nuggets (2015-present)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (2021, 2022), five-time NBA All-Star (2019-23), four-time All-NBA Team (2019-22), NBA All-Rookie Team (2016)

7. Absolute Lock: James Harden

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Few players in NBA history could fill it up like James Harden has been able to since joining the league as a first-round draft pick out of Arizona State in 2009.

Harden’s career took off after he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets in 2012, where he spent a decade and won three NBA scoring titles, made seven All-NBA Team appearances and was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018.

Like so many modern players on this list who seem to be locks for the Hall of Fame, Harden’s career is missing one key aspect — a championship.

By the Numbers: James Harden

Darron Cummings / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 26, 1989 (Los Angeles, California)

Position: Shooting guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds

High School: Artesia High School (Lakewood, California)

College: Arizona State

NBA career: Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-12), Houston Rockets (2012-21), Brooklyn Nets (2021-22), Philadelphia 76ers (2022-present)

Career highlights: NBA Most Valuable Player (2018), 10-time NBA All-Star (2013-22), seven-time All-NBA Team (2013-15, 2017-20), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2012), NBA All-Rookie Team (2010), AP All-American (2009), Pac-10 Player of the Year (2009), two-time All-Pac-10 (2008, 2009)

6. Absolute Lock: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo

Aaron Gash / AP Photo

Giannis Antetokounmpo probably sealed his ticket to the Hall of Fame with his performance in the 2021 NBA Finals.

He was already a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player before bringing the Milwaukee Bucks their first championship in 50 years and did so in dramatic fashion, with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in the championship-clinching Game 6 win. Another championship likely would make him a Top 10 playe rof all time.

By the Numbers: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Nick Wass / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 6, 1994 (Athens, Greece)

Position: Forward/center

Height/Weight: 6-foot-11, 245 pounds

Youth club: Filathlitikos (Athens, Greece)

College: None

NBA career: Milwaukee Bucks (2013-present),

Career highlights: NBA champion (2021), NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (2021), two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (2019, 2020), seven-time NBA All-Star (2017-23), six-time All-NBA Team (2017-22), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021), NBA Most Improved Player (2017), NBA All-Rookie Team (2014)

5. Absolute Lock: Chris Paul

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Chris Paul was probably a Hall of Fame lock five years ago, but has solidified his status over the last three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns. Paul led a team to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career in 2021 and has been an 11-time All-NBA Team selection, along with leading the league in assists five times and steals a record six times.

Paul is also top five in NBA career history for assists (No. 3) and steals (No. 4) with another two to three seasons probably still in the tank.

By the Numbers: Chris Paul

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Born: May 6, 1985 (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

Position: Point guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

High School: West Forsyth High School (Clemmons, North Carolina)

College: Wake Forest

NBA career: New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-present)

NBA highlights: Twelve-time NBA All-Star (2008-16, 2020-22), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), 10-time All-NBA Team (2008, 2009, 2011-16, 2020, 2021), nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2008, 2009, 2011-17), NBA Rookie of the Year (2006), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, AP All-American (2005), two-time All-ACC (2004, 2005), ACC Rookie of the Year (2004)

4. Absolute Lock: Russell Westbrook

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Whatever you think of the absolute dumpster fire that Russell Westbrook’s career has been the last two seasons, it’s worth pointing out that he was not only one of the most exciting players of his era but the first person to average a triple-double in the NBA since Oscar Robertson in 1962 — and then somehow did it three more times.

Westbrook is a stats monster the Hall of Fame can’t avoid — despite never having won an NBA title. He was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2017, has been a nine-time All-NBA pick, two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP and led the league in scoring twice and in assists, three times.

Has Westbrook’s career taken a hit in recent years by being now on his fifth team in five years with the Los Angeles Clippers? Sure. Doesn’t mean he’s not a lock to be a Hall of Famer.

By the Numbers: Russell Westbrook

Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook

José Luis Villegas / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 12, 1988 (Long Beach, California)

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

High School: Leuzinger High School (Lawndale, California)

College: UCLA

NBA career: Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20), Washington Wizards (2020-21), Los Angeles Lakers (2021-23), Los Angeles Clippers (2023-present)

Career highlights: NBA Most Valuable Player (2017), nine-time NBA All-Star (2011-13, 2015-20), two-time NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016), nine-time All-NBA TEam (2011-13, 2015, 2018-20), NBA All-Rookie Team (2009), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, All-Pac-10 (2008), Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (2008)

3. Absolute Lock: Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors Guard Stephen Curry

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

Stephen Curry isn’t just the greatest shooter in NBA history — he’s also already a four-time NBA champion and a global superstar who has already cemented his status as one of the most popular basketball players of all time. In 2022, he also added one of the few things missing on his career resume when he was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

Curry and the Golden State Warriors established their dynasty when they played in the NBA Finals five consecutive seasons from 2015 to 2019 — a stretch in which Curry won two NBA Most Valuable Player awards.

By the Numbers: Stephen Curry

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Born: March 14, 1988 (Akron, Ohio)

Position: Point guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds

High School: Charlotte Christian School (Charlotte, North Carolina)

College: Davidson

NBA career: Golden State Warriors (2009-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (2022), two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016), nine-time NBA All-Star (2014-19, 2021-23), NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2022), eight-time All-NBA Team (2014-19, 2021, 2022), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2015), NBA Sportsmanship Award (2011), NBA All-Rookie Team (2010), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, two-time AP All-American (2008, 2009), two-time SoCon Player of the Year (2008, 2009), three-time All-SoCon (2007-09)

2. Absolute Lock: Kevin Durant

Chris Carlson / AP Photo

The debate with Kevin Durant isn’t really whether he’ll be in the Hall of Fame but where he ranks among the greatest players of all time — is he top five? Top 10?

If the only two NBA championships of his career came with the Golden State Warriors alongside Stephen Curry, another absolute lock to be in the Hall of Fame, will history be more kind than it’s been in recent years? Despite Durant winning NBA Finals MVP in back-to-back years, those are still looked at as Curry’s teams.

If Durant can guide his current team, the Phoenix Suns, to an NBA title he will have done it as the team’s de facto best player, which would burgeon his resume quite a bit.

By the Numbers: Kevin Durant

Gareth Patterson / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 29, 1988 (Washington, D.C.)

Position: Forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-10, 240 pounds

High School: Montrose Christian School (Rockville, Maryland)

College: Texas

NBA career: Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-23), Phoenix Suns (2023-present)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (2017, 2018), two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (2017, 2018), NBA Most Valuable Player (2014), 13-time NBA All-Star (2010-19, 2021-23), two-time NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2012, 2019), 10-time All-NBA Team (2010-14, 2016-19, 2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2008), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, Big 12 Player of the Year (2007), National College Player of the Year (2007), AP All-American (2007)

1. Absolute Lock: LeBron James

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

LeBron James became the NBA’s career leading scorer in 2023 and is a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, four-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time NBA champion — the lock of all Hall of Fame locks.

The more interesting debate with LeBron — not unlike with NFL legend Tom Brady — is if you split his career into two parts, would each stretch be in the Hall of Fame on its own?

The 2022-23 is LeBron’s 20th, and because you can split his accomplishments down the middle — two titles in the first 10 years and two titles in the last 10 years — the answer is probably “yes.”

By the Numbers: LeBron James

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

Position: Guard/forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, Ohio)

College: None

NBA career: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010, 2014-2018), Miami Heat (2010-2014), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 19-time NBA All-Star (2005-23), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018), 18-time All-NBA Team (2005-22), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2009-14), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)