This article in yesterday's Free Press talks about Joe D. choosing Isiah to introduce him at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony next month. Only existing members can introduce new members, so Isiah is the obvious choice. Joe is now eligible to introduce the next Piston who can make it all the way to Springfield.

So who will it be? If Grant Hill had stayed healthy, he would definitely have made it, though perhaps not as a Piston. Big Ben might have had a shot if the Pistons had won in 2005 or 2006, and he still has a chance if he can lead Chicago to a title (but again, perhaps not as a Piston). And after that...

This situation is somewhat odd. After all, the Pistons won one title just two years ago, almost won another, and some here think the window is still open for the current team.

I wanted to find out how unusual it is to win a title with no Hall of Famers on your team. I've made a list of NBA champions in the last 30 years, along with their Finals MVP, and enshrined or probable Hall of Famers.

Each Finals MVP is listed first and appears in bold. Players in red are already in the Hall, and players in blue are not yet eligible for induction, but are headed for the Hall in my judgment. Enshrined or prospective players who made minimal contributions that year are labeled as ghosts. Players who won the Finals MVP but do not appear to be headed for the Hall of Fame appear in black.

2006 Heat Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal (ghost of Gary Payton)
2005 Spurs Tim Duncan
2004 Pistons Chauncey Billups
2003 Spurs Tim Duncan, David Robinson
2002 Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
2001 Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
2000 Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
1999 Spurs Tim Duncan, David Robinson
1998 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1997 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1996 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1995 Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler
1994 Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1993 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1992 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1991 Bulls Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen
1990 Pistons Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars
1989 Pistons Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas
1988 Lakers James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1987 Lakers Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1986 Celtics Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale (ghost of Bill Walton)
1985 Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy
1984 Celtics Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale
1983 76ers Moses Malone, Julius Erving
1982 Lakers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo
1981 Celtics Cedric Maxwell, Larry Bird, Tiny Archibald, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale
1980 Lakers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1979 Sonics Dennis Johnson
1978 Bullets Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes
1977 Blazers Bill Walton


I'm being very conservative in my Hall of Fame predictions (I consulted basketball-reference.com). The only reach is Dwayne Wade, who probably needs to play a couple more years to be a lock for the Hall. Some others might get in eventually, including Dennis Johnson (1979, 1981, 1984, and 1986), Maurice Cheeks (1983), and the ghost of Alonzo Mourning (2006).

So where's the next Hall of Famer for the Pistons? Do we have to wait for Unko Debunkalogo?

What about AD (as a Jazzman though)?

If Ben makes it, it has to be as a Piston, surely.

As an aside, who was it that inducted Isiah? I can't remember....

[EDIT] And I know it's unlikely, but I do think Rodman should be there too. [/EDIT]

Ben said that he'd go in as a Piston if he ever got in and if Ben is anything, he's a man of his word....

Of course, he also said he wasn't going anywhere this offseason....

Then once he did go somewhere, he said that he'd retire his #3 and wear a different # in Chicago...that is until his press conference introducing him with his smiling face and his #3 Bulls jersey, but other than that...

Well Jammer, you make a good point. Well, not a good one exactly, but it's a point. Well, it's not exactly a point because you never really came to a conclusion. Well, I guess there was a conclusion if you consider "..." a conclusion. So I guess it's a good conclusion. Well, good in the sense that it's actually a conclusion but not good in the sense that the point is good. Not that the point isn't good...

(Is anyone else thinking about Mr. Kimball on Green Acres or is it just me...well, just me meaning I was thinking of him, not that it's just me meaning I am him...)

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"Quite simply captain, I examined the problem from all angles, and it was plainly hopeless. Logic informed me that under the circumstances, the only logical action would have to be one of desperation. Logical decision, logically arrived at." -- Spock

UHOF CLUB

Definitely Unko Debunkalogo. He's going to be the first African Caucasian European big man to play PG enroute to a Hall of Fame career.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

According to this column, it was Chuck Daly, who was himself inducted in 1994.

Ben Wallace will be in. One more DPOY will surely seal the deal, and I don't see much competition for it in the next couple of years. Maybe Ron if he doesn't flip his wig, or Andre if he could stay healthy for the majority of a season.

Darth: Mr. Kimbal? Green Acres? You must be pretty old to remember that cornpone gem. Or maybe it's still on in prime time over there in Idaho!

He's my neighbor. In fact...he's ALL my neighbors!

That sounds pretty cool. As long as you don't have to buy your supplies from Mr. Haney!

Of course, you could just spend some time hanging out with Mrs. Douglass. Oooh La La!

Bowen needs to get the award at some point. But I imagine that this year, Ben will be a bit keen on bumping up his stats. He'll have a good statistical year and that could propel him to the, IIRC, one more DPOY award he needs to set the record for most DPOYs.