Editor’s note: Though the Naismith Hall of Fame considers a player’s entire career, including their accomplishments in the NCAA, FIBA, Euroleague, etc., our list only takes into account a player’s NBA and ABA career. Therefore, this is not a list of of who we consider the most likely Hall of Fame inductees based on the Naismith criteria. Instead, this is a list of who had the best NBA/ABA career of all players not yet inducted.

This is an update from a list originally published in 2019. Gone from the list since then: Jack Sikma (#17), Paul Westphal (#16), Bobby Jones (#11), Bob Dandridge (#8), Ben Wallace (#7), Sidney Moncrief (#2), and Chris Webber (#1) were inducted into the Hall of Fame (along with the newly eligible Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, and Paul Pierce).

27) Robert Horry, eligible since 2014 (previously: #31)

He was never named to an All-Star team, never earned any accolades other than 2nd-Team All-Rookie, and averaged just 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his career. But Horry was a flat-out winner and stands as the only player to win seven NBA championships that wasn’t Bill Russell or one of his Celtics teammates. In addition to his incredible highlight reel of clutch shots in playoff games, he also holds the record for steals in an NBA Finals game with seven in game two in 1995, and for years held the mark for most career NBA Finals three-pointers (he’s now sixth). Despite all that, Horry has never made the list of Hall of Fame finalists.

26) Sam Cassell, eligible since 2014 (previously: #30)

Cassell started his career earning back-to-back championships with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995 and then later capped it off by winning a third ring with the Celtics in 2008. In between, he never rose to the level of superstar but had some solid years, almost always with contenders, averaging 17+ points and six-plus assists per game in six different seasons. His peak came with the Timberwolves in ’03-’04, when he was named 2nd-Team All-NBA and an All-Star. He also garnered a reputation as a clutch performer but that was somewhat unfounded, as his postseason stats were actually typically a decrease from his regular season ones. Ultimately, Cassell played in at least the Conference Finals with four different franchises (Rockets, Celtics, Timberwolves, and Bucks) but was never more than the third best player on any of those teams.

25) Rudy LaRusso, eligible since 1975 (previously: #29)

A victim of circumstance in some ways, LaRusso was one of the best defenders of the ’60s but this was in the era before steals and blocks were tracked or the All-Defensive team existed. It’s also undeniable LaRusso would have been a Hall of Fame inductee years ago if he had played for the Celtics instead of the Lakers. As it stands, he spent his first eight seasons with the Lakers and reached the NBA Finals four times but never won a title. Typically the third leading scorer behind Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, LaRusso was also a defensive lynchpin while averaging 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for his career. He was an All-Star five times and reached at least the Conference Finals in seven of his 10 seasons.

24) Terry Porter, eligible since 2008 (previously: #28)

Always the underdog, Porter was lightly recruited out of high school, wound up at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point, was one of the final cuts from the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, and fell to the last pick of the first round of the 1985 Draft. At no point in his career was he considered one of the top point guards in the NBA but Porter was quietly consistent over his prime, averaging 17.3 points and 8.0 assists per game in a six-year stretch starting in ’88-’89. He also made All-Star appearances in 1991 and 1993 and was the assists leader and second-leading scorer on the Blazers teams that reached the 1990 and 1992 NBA Finals.

23) Latrell Sprewell, eligible since 2011 (previously: #27)

Out of everyone on this list, Sprewell is arguably the least likely to ever get enshrined in Springfield, unless it’s as some sort of cautionary tale. His choking attack on coach P.J. Carlesimo in a practice during the ’97-’98 season is the first thing most fans think of regarding his career. Before the incident, Sprewell was rounding into one of the league’s best scorers, averaging 24.2 points per game in ’96-’97 and after serving his one-year suspension he was the leading playoffs scorer on the ’98-’99 Knicks team that reached the NBA Finals. He was also 1st-Team All-NBA in ’93-’94 and an All-Star four times. A relatively nondescript college career at Alabama is another strike against Sprewell’s already long shot induction chances.

22) Lou Hudson, eligible since 1985 (previously: #26)

Nicknamed “Sweet Lou” for his shooting touch, Hudson was one of the better scoring wing players of his era but suffered from never playing for a legitimate contender. Drafted fourth overall by the then St. Louis Hawks in 1966, he joined a roster that was a solid playoff staple but never able to advance past the Lakers or Warriors to reach the NBA Finals. During that time he averaged 24+ points per game for five straight seasons, played in six All-Star Games, and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA for ’69-’70. Traded late in his career to the Lakers, Hudson unfortunately retired in 1979, just as the team was drafting Magic Johnson and about to win their first of five titles in the ’80s.

21) Glen Rice, eligible since 2010 (previously: #25)

One asset in Rice’s induction resume that many players on this list lack is a legendary NCAA career. In his four seasons at Michigan, he became the school’s all-time leading scorer, was an All-American, and won Big 10 Player of the Year for ’88-’89. Even more impressive, Rice was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, where he set the tourney record for most total points while leading the Wolverines to the national title. His NBA career never quite lived up to those lofty standards, but he was a three-time All-Star and his ’96-’97 season was exemplary, averaging 26.8 points per game (third in the NBA), winning All-Star MVP, getting named 2nd-Team All-NBA, and finishing fifth in MVP voting. Rice also won a championship late in his career, as the third-leading scorer on the ’99-’00 Lakers, and retired as third all-time in career three-point field goals.

20) Bill Laimbeer, eligible since 1999 (previously: #24)

This is always going to be a tough sell, maybe the toughest on this list besides Latrell Sprewell, as the prickly and arguably dirty Laimbeer was never a popular player outside of Detroit. He’s also typically overlooked for his contributions to the Detroit titles in 1989 and 1990 in favor of his Hall of Fame teammates Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman. But Laimbeer was named to four All-Star teams, averaged 10+ rebounds per game for seven straight seasons (including a league-leading 13.1 per game in ’86-’87), and his case has been boosted even further in recent years by the advent of advanced statistics. Many analysts and fans have been re-evaluating Laimbeer based on his impressive win share and usage stats that are revealing just how crucial he was to those Pistons teams. He has also rehabbed his image in recent years with his successful WNBA coaching career.

19) Mark Price, eligible since 2004 (previously: #22)

It’s a race against time at this point for Price to beat out LeBron James as the first player whose prime came with the Cleveland Cavaliers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was one of the premier point guards of the ’90s, a four-time All-Star, 1st-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, and finished in the top 10 in assists per game five times. Price was also one of the greatest free throw shooters ever, leading the league in free throw percentage three times, including the sixth (94.8% in ’92-’93) and seventh (94.7% in ’91-’92) best single-season totals in league history. His 90.39% career free throw shooting mark was the all-time record for almost two decades, and still sits second behind only Steve Nash. Perhaps most impressive is that Price is one of just five retired members of the 50-40-90 club, meaning he’s shot 50% from the field, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% from the free throw line in a season, and all four other members (Nash, Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, and Dirk Nowitzki) are in the Hall of Fame already.

18) Larry Foust, eligible since 1968 (previously: #23)

Though many players from the NBA’s early years have made it in without real Hall worthy numbers, such as Jack Twyman, Harry Gallatin, Tom Gola, and Bobby Wanzer, there are several who still stand at the precipice of induction, chief amongst them Foust. His eight All-Star appearances is the record amongst non-inductees, and the longtime Pistons center averaged 14.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in his first 10 seasons, which is impressive for his era. Though he never won a title, Foust played in five NBA Finals, two with the Pistons (1955 and 1956), one with the Lakers (1959), and two with the Hawks (1960 and 1961). He also retired in 1962 as the second all-time leading rebounder, behind only Dolph Schayes. If/when Foust ever gets inducted into Springfield, it will be posthumous, as he passed away at age 56 in 1984.

17) Horace Grant, eligible since 2010 (previously: #20)

Perceived as mercurial and avaricious, Grant was never particularly popular with sportswriters, which is obviously a major requisite of having any chance of induction. A star player could certainly get away with it but Grant was an All-Star just once in his career, in 1994, and never better than the third-best player on any team for which he played. Granted, he played for some great teams, starting with the Bulls, with whom he won three consecutive titles, then making an NBA Finals appearance with the Magic in 1995 before capping his career winning a fourth ring with the Lakers in 2001. Though he was overshadowed by his star teammates Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Grant was also a great defender in his own right, and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive for four straight years as a result. He also averaged 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game over a consistent 10-year prime. It’s the kind of resume that’s gotten many of Bill Russell’s teammates into the Hall, so things could eventually work out for Grant if voters start to assess Jordan’s best teammates.

16) Shawn Marion, eligible since 2019 (previously: #21)

Though his overall resume doesn’t stack up against most of the players ahead of him on this list, there’s something to be said for the singularity of Marion that could win over Hall of Fame voters. Nicknamed “The Matrix” for his ability to stuff stat sheets, he was a crucial component of the Suns teams that reached the 2005 and 2006 Conference Finals, and the ’10-’11 championship Mavericks squad. Never a truly elite scorer (though he did average 20+ points per game twice in his career), Marion did a little bit of everything else on the floor, especially rebounding and defense. He lacks non-NBA bonafides, as his collegiate career at UNLV wasn’t especially distinguished and his only experience with the national team came as part of the disastrous 2004 U.S. Olympic squad that settled for bronze. But Marion has been included on the nominees list every year he’s been eligible, though not yet the finalists. No one else from his Hall class is likely to get inducted in the near future, with the next best players being Carlos Boozer, Kenyon Martin, and Jason Richardson.

15) Richard Hamilton, eligible since 2018 (previously: #19)

For the third straight year, Hamilton made the nominees list in 2022 but not the finalists. While one longtime Pistons teammate, Ben Wallace, was inducted in 2021, another one, Chauncey Billups is likely hurting Hamilton’s chances with his own eligibility. Hamilton was the highest scorer on those Pistons teams, averaging 17+ points per game for 10 straight seasons and setting the franchise record for playoff points. But his career was otherwise devoid of any individual achievements, save for three All-Star appearances. An All-American at Connecticut and Most Outstanding Player of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, Hamilton seems a safe bet to at least eventually make it into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

14) Buck Williams, eligible since 2004 (previously: #18)

Williams has a similar resume to his longtime Blazers teammate and fellow Hall aspirant, Terry Porter. He was overlooked throughout his career compared to power forward peers like Karl Malone and Charles Barkley but did have some real highlights. Williams was Rookie of the Year in ’81-’82 (ahead of Isiah Thomas), an All-Star three times, and 1st-Team All-Defensive twice. Williams was also one of the top rebounders of the ’80s and led the league in field goal percentage twice. 16 players have totaled over 13,000 rebounds in their careers and Williams is one of two who’s not in the Hall of Fame (the other is definite future Hall of Famer Dwight Howard). One unfortunate shortcoming for Williams is that he was named to the 1980 Olympic team that wound up scuttled by the U.S. boycott. He made it back onto the list of nominees in 2022 but missed the cut for the next round as a finalist.

13) Deron Williams, eligible since 2021 (previously: n/a)

Drafted one spot ahead of Chris Paul in 2005, Williams spent his entire career compared to that surefire first ballot Hall of Fame inductee. It was somewhat favorable at first but Williams’ case eventually petered out, due in large part to injuries and clashes with head coaches (most notably Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Sloan). He was an All-Star in three consecutive seasons, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and finished in the top five in the league in assists seven times. In just his second season, Williams led the Jazz to the 2007 Western Conference Finals but wouldn’t make it that far in the postseason again until 2017, when he came off the bench in the NBA Finals for the Cavaliers. Though he’s top 15 by our metrics, his name has not yet appeared on the list of Hall of Fame nominees.

12) Terry Cummings, eligible since 2006 (previously: #15)

Like Buck Williams, Cummings is overshadowed by the glut of power forward talent that took the NBA by storm in the late ’80s. He’s also hampered by his reputation as a selfish gunner who racked up stats but never improved his teams. It’s true that Cummings never played in the NBA Finals but he was also Milwaukee’s leading scorer and rebounder in ’85-’86, when they lost to Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. His best years statistically did come early on with a terrible Clippers team, with whom he also earned Rookie of the Year honors in ’82-’83. Cummings was 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bucks in ’84-’85 and an All-Star twice. With almost 20,000 points in his career, Cummings has a decent Hall of Fame case just based on pure statistics but he can’t even make the nominations list due to his notoriety and lack of signature achievements.

11) Tom Chambers, eligible since 2005 (previously: #14)

Surprise winner of the 1987 All-Star MVP trophy, beating out an all-timer lineup, Chambers eventually made four All-Star appearances in his career. He also finished with over 20,000 career points, putting him in a category with Antawn Jamison as the only eligible players to reach that mark and not yet be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Chambers was 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, finished as high as fourth in the NBA in scoring, and was part of the ’92-’93 Suns team that reached the NBA Finals. In 1988, he also made NBA history as the first major signing of the unrestricted free agency era, leaving the Sonics for the Suns. One knock against him is his lack of accolades at the amateur level, as his NCAA career with Utah was relatively undistinguished. Chambers was included on the nominations list for the first time in 2022 but his name did not appear as a finalist. 

10) Walter Davis, eligible since 1998 (previously: #13)

Not only did Davis’ 15-year pro career include a Rookie of the Year award, six All-Star appearances, two times as 2nd-Team All-NBA, a fifth-place finish in MVP voting, and over 19,000 career points, he was also a decorated amateur star. Playing under Dean Smith at North Carolina and for the U.S. national team, Davis was 1st-Team All-ACC in ’76-’77 for a UNC team that reached the Final Four, and was a key member of the gold medal winning U.S. team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. So what’s the catch? Like so many of his peers, Davis had an unfortunate cocaine addiction that led to rehab and suspensions, tarnished his image forever, and in retrospect obviously hampered his late career output. He would later repair his relationship and image with the Suns, who retired his jersey in 1994, but Naismith voters still seem hesitant. One of the best pure scorers of his era, Davis averaged 20+ points per game in six different seasons and his 19,521 career points trails only Tom Chambers, Antawn Jamison, and Clifford Robinson as the most for an eligible player not yet in the Hall.

9) Marques Johnson, eligible since 1996 (previously: #12)

A rare case of a player with serious accolades at the collegiate and pro levels on this list but Johnson’s wait is likely ending soon. He’s a finalist in 2022, which marks the third time in the last four years that his name has been on that list. The last great star of the John Wooden era at UCLA, Johnson earned a different honor with the name Naismith attached in 1977, as the NCAA Player of the Year. Drafted third overall by the Bucks, he was 1st-Team All-NBA once, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star five times, and averaged as many as 25.6 points per game in a season. He was also one of the earliest “point forwards,” revolutionizing the position with his play making ability before an unfortunate neck injury suffered during the ’86-’87 season left him nearly paralyzed and effectively ended his career at age 29. Though he’s ninth on this list in an objective matter, Johnson has arguably the second strongest subjective case of anyone besides Manu Ginobili.

8) Gus Williams, eligible since 1993 (previously: #10)

Just a few scant years before there was “Magic” Johnson we had “The Wizard” Williams, a master play maker who was arguably robbed of the 1979 Finals MVP trophy. Williams teamed in the back court with Dennis Johnson (a player inducted in the Hall of Fame much too late) on the Sonics teams that reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 1978 and 1979, winning in the latter. Williams was absolutely dominant in the 1979 Finals victory over Washington, averaging 28.9 points per game while leading Seattle in scoring in all five contests, but watching the Finals MVP trophy handed to the more well-rounded Johnson. Though the Sonics crumbled in the early ’80s, he was twice an All-Star and 1st-Team All-NBA for the ’81-’82 season, over fellow point guards Magic Johnson, Sidney Moncrief, and Tiny Archibald. His Hall case is obviously hurt by having missed the entire ’80-’81 season due to a contract holdout.

7) Penny Hardaway, eligible since 2014 (previously: #9)

The man with the unique nickname “Penny” and the even more unique style of play looked to be on the cusp of greatness in the summer of 1996. His Orlando Magic were almost undoubtedly the league’s second best team, and had as good a chance as anyone of slowing down the Chicago Bulls juggernaut. Hardaway was 1st-Team All-NBA in ’95-’96, third in MVP voting, and was named to the U.S. Olympic team in Atlanta. Then Shaquille O’Neal was traded from Orlando to the Lakers, and Hardaway started to struggle with knee injuries that would eventually define his career as much as anything. He was never the same player and his attitude would always be called into question after he led a coup against Orlando head coach Brian Hill during the ’96-’97 season. Still, Hardaway finished his 14-year career with four All-Star appearances, was 1st-Team All-NBA twice, and starred in the 1995 NBA Finals for the Magic. One of just three players enshrined in the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, along with O’Neal and Nick Anderson, Hardaway’s Naismith resume has not yet led to him even making the list of eligible players since his eligibility started in 2014.

6) Manu Ginobili, eligible since 2022 (previously: n/a)

Not only is Ginobili likely to be the only member of the newly eligible class of 2022 to make into the Hall of Fame in his first year, he’s probably the only one who will ever make it in at all. Nothing against Joe Johnson, Zach Randolph, Jason Terry, and David West, who were all fine players, but their cases for Hall induction are weak ones. Ginobili is borderline by our metrics but will undoubtedly be inducted soon, if not now, thanks to his unique style, championship pedigree, and international appeal. Not only was he a four-time champion with the Spurs, Sixth Man of the Year in ’07-’08, and 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, Ginobili is also a FIBA legend, leader of the “Golden Generation” of Argentine players. As the star of his national team, Ginobili has earned a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics (the only gold won by a non-U.S. team since 1992), a bronze in 2008, a silver at the 2002 FIBA World Cup, and two FIBA AmeriCup titles. He’ll be first Argentinian inducted in Springfield and just the second South American, along with Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt.

5) Shawn Kemp, eligible since 2009 (previously: #5)

He was unleashed on the NBA straight out of high school like a wrecking ball in the early ’90s, but even after his inevitable burnout, Kemp compiled a career worthy of Hall consideration. He played just 14 seasons in the NBA, but totaled over 15,000 points and 8,000 rebounds, and during a too-brief prime, Kemp averaged 18+ points and 10+ rebounds per for four straight seasons. The most notable of those campaigns was ’95-’96, when a still only 26-year-old Kemp was unstoppable in the NBA Finals, arguably outplaying Scottie Pippen as the Sonics put up a fight against the Bulls. But less than three years later he had basically eaten and smoked his way out of the league, disgruntled by Sonics management’s contract offers, then giving lackadaisical (but still, at times, spectacular) performances for the Cavaliers and Blazers. Named 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, Kemp was also an All-Star six times, and twice led all players in postseason rebounds per game. Though his numbers and accomplishments merit serious consideration, his lack of amateur experience and seeming disdain for the sport is unlikely to win over Naismith committee members. Kemp was once again not included on the list of nominees in 2022.

4) Chauncey Billups, eligible since 2018 (previously: #6)

Now that his longtime Pistons teammate Ben Wallace has been inducted, Billups must view it as only a matter of time before he’s penning his own induction speech. One of just two eligible NBA Finals MVPs not yet enshrined (along with Cedric Maxwell), Billups also averaged 16+ points and five-plus assists per game for eight consecutive seasons, led the Pistons to six straight Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and one title, and was 2nd-Team All-NBA once, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star five times. But he’s never been a finalist, missing the cut again in 2022 for the fifth straight year. You can’t say he’s hurt by a lack of amateur achievements, as Billups was an All-American at Colorado and a key part of the 2010 FIBA World Cup U.S. championship team. Probably the biggest argument against him is that in his otherwise consistent and impressive 17-year career, there was never truly a point where one could argue that Billups was one of the best players in the league.

3) Tim Hardaway, eligible since 2009 (previously: #4)

The last of the Run-T.M.C. member to not yet be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Hardaway actually clocks in far ahead of enshrined Warriors teammates Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin on our overall list. One of the premier point guards and play makers of the ’90s, Hardaway is one of just 16 players to compile 7,000 career assists, and one of just 17 retired players to record 1,500 three-point field goals. He was also 1st-Team All-NBA once, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star five times, and averaged 20+ points per game in five seasons. One accolade that Hardaway never added to his resume was playoff success, as his teams reached the Conference Finals just once, in 1997 with Miami. It’s understandable why Mullin, as an NCAA star and member of the 1992 Dream Team (Hardaway also won Olympic gold, but on the much less renowned 2000 team), made it in ahead of him, but we’re not sure why Richmond got the nod before him. Hardaway has been a finalist four times now, including 2022, and will assuredly make it into Springfield eventually.

2) Kevin Johnson, eligible since 2006 (previously: #3)

Only six players in NBA history have averaged nine-plus assists per game in their career, and five of them are not just Hall of Famers (or surefire future ones) but all-time legends: Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas, and Chris Paul. The sixth is Johnson, who is also third all-time amongst non-inducted eligible players in career PER (20.7) and sixth in career total assists (6,711), Perhaps his lack of induction is due to his resume missing a signature moment of greatness, as his one NBA Finals appearance in 1993 was a lackluster one, struggling with a sports hernia and deferring offensively to Charles Barkley as the Suns were defeated by the Bulls. Johnson averaged 19+ points and 10+ assists per game four times in his career, was 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star three times, and missed the postseason just once, in his rookie season. But he didn’t even make the ballot in 2022 (he was a finalist most recently in 2014) and it’s possible his tumultuous political career is playing a factor, as his tenure as mayor of Sacramento included multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

1) Amare Stoudemire, eligible since 2020 (previously: n/a)

Though he’s #1 on our list of eligible players, Stoudemire wasn’t even part of the ballot for 2022. 16 other NBA players were nominated ahead of him, including his longtime Suns teammate, Shawn Marion, who comes in much lower on our list. Rookie of the Year at age 19, Stoudemire eventually added six All-Star appearances, one 1st-Team All-NBA nod, and four 2nd-Team All-NBA honors to his resume but also struggled throughout his career with the fallout from tearing cartilage in his knee during the ’05-’06 season. A lack of amateur accomplishments hurts his case, as Stoudemire joined the NBA straight out of prep school in 2002 and his only major national team experience came with the infamous 2004 U.S. Olympic squad that settled for bronze. His career PER of 21.8 is the highest all-time amongst eligible players not yet inducted but advanced stats are still not a metric heavily considered by Hall voters.