I would have posted this in the NBA forum, but I figured this would get a better response. Mods feel free to move. My biggest complaints are Reggie Miller, Chet Walker, and Ralph Sampson. The way I look at it, Miller was inducted based on his image and name, Walker was inducted based on being a part of great teams, and Sampson was inducted because of his collegiate career (which I can understand, but it bugged me that the emphasis throughout the ceremony was on his 'great' NBA career that rivals Rik Smits'.) Are any of these players Hall of Fame worthy though? I didn't grow up watching Sampson or Walker, but I definitely grew up watching Reggie Miller, and nothing about his career said "Hall of Fame." If he's a Hall of Famer, then McGrady, Penny, and Richmond should be shoe-in's. Arguments can be made, but I don't think that someone who never made the All-NBA 1st Team, never won a title, and was only a five-time All-Star deserves Hall of Fame status. They'd definitely deserve recognition, but they wouldn't deserve Hall of Fame status. I think the NBA lowered their standards for this year's class, considerably. Let's not even talk about the women's basketball team from the peach basket era, the ref, or the corporate executive; even the actual NBA players inducted were a joke.
Reggie is way up there on career points scored and was one of the best shooters of all time. He's a no brainer inductee, imo.
Sampson and Ewing were the most dominant collegiate players of the '80s. Hakeem was still very raw at Houston, but in the early 80s, Virginia was a national power solely because they had Ralph Sampson. Based on his college career, I too think he's a HoFer. I didn't he his induction, but emphasizing his NBA career, which was diminished because of chronic knee issues, seems odd, simply because his college career was so noteworthy.
Chet Walker used to get good reviews as a Bull along with teammates Bob Love and Jerry Sloan. But the one who stood out was the least talented, Norm van Lier, a favorite of mine. I guess I agree that Walker shouldn't be HOF, but I'm not 100%. Their coach Dick Motta should be. Sampson and Miller have in common their speaking abilities. Sampson was all class in the Virginia landowner tradition. Miller was jocular and California informal. Neither is a minimalist grunter like a LaMarcus Aldridge. That created goodwill from whites and helped sail them into the HOF.
