UPDATE 7:00PM EST: The Boston Globe is reporting that Dennis Johnson, who should have been inducted years ago, is also among the class. (via FanHouse)
The Newark Star Ledger is reporting that Bobby Hurley Sr., Scottie Pippen, and Karl Malone will be announced as inductees to the Basketball Hall of Fame Monday during the NCAA Championship game.
Hurley, as only the third high school coach to be enshrined in the Hall, is quite a story, but as this is an NBA blog, let’s turn our attention to the other two.
It’s only fitting that Pippen enter the Hall a year after Jordan, having been known as Jordan’s number two for his entire career (and the results without MJ were less than memorable). Pippen’s place in history may be as the sidekick, but his performance was vital to the Bulls’ three championships. He was a top five defender for much of his career, and versatile in a way that Jordan himself never was. Since retiring, though, Pippen has made his fair share of interesting and questionable comments. His induction speech may have the same flavor as Jordan’s debacle.
Malone? Zero championships. That’s the mark many people will remember outside of Utah. But Malone was thought by many to go down as the greatest power forward of all time. Of course, then Tim Duncan showed up, and the 50% of the people that think Duncan is a power forward obviously bump Malone right on down. But Malone is unquestionably Hall-worthy. He was a brutalizer in the block, great from range, and if John Stockton is in, then it only makes sense that his pick and roll partner is in.
With Jordan, Pippen, Malone, and Stockton in the hall, alongside previous 2008 inductee Hakeem Olajuwon, the mid-90’s will be well represented in the Hall of Fame. Getcha flannel and Pearl Jam records ready!
