There needs to be a certain level of insane talent that one must have to reach the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Oftentimes, an Olympic medal and some All-NBA selections are never enough. The Larry O'Brien trophies are what matters most in these conversations and some bigger accolades in grade school to the big leagues. Stephon Marbury has not been considered for a ballot yet but Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson think that he should be in conversations.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame does not just credit NBA accolades. A lot of guys with very short careers who often fell short of the trophy got the nod in the latter parts of their lives. One of Shaquille O'Neal's greatest rival-turned-friends, Yao Ming, is a big example of this. While the dominant Chinese legend in the paint netted a Hall of Fame induction, Stephon Marbury did not get that same honor yet.
However, Shaquille O'Neal posits that the legend who played for a lot of teams in the league should be given a shot. This is despite Basketball Reference only giving a 7% shot at actually getting in, via The Big Podcast with Shaq.
“Despite all the BS, they put us through. You don’t have a championship, you don’t have a ring over here, forget all that. You were a great high school player, you were a great college player, you were a great NBA player, and I think you’re a Hall of Famer and worthy. That’s coming from the heart, not just because you’re on the podcast,” the legendary big man said.
Will Stephon Marbury get into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame?
Stephon Marbury had a long career in the NBA. He played from 1996 to 2009. His acumen in getting buckets and lending his services with all-around work netted him 19.3 points per game on an elite 43.3% clip from all three levels of the field. This was good enough to help notch NBA All-Star nods during his time with the New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns. He was also named to the All-NBA teams in both of those years.
It was not just O'Neal who had love for Coney Island's Finest. Allen Iverson also showed some love to the Marbury on the same level. When asked, who they feared seeing on the court? The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member did not stutter with his answers.
“I always thought right that right, and I’ve never said that. The reason I’m saying it now is because I had A.I. (Allen Iverson) on my podcast. And I asked him, you know I kind of went viral one day. Because, I said I was scared of Michael Jordan. It’s not that I was scared but I couldn’t believe I was there. Like 300 days earlier he was on the wall, so I was kind of nervous. We asked A.I., if was he nervous about anybody, and with no hesitation, he said you,” Shaq added.
There is only a very slim chance that he makes it but Starbury's accolades often speak for himself. Hopefully, the voters see it and get him a nod for an illustrious career.
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