The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has had better classes, but it's not like Amar'e Stoudemire was the worst player ever to be inducted. Nearly 16k points, over 6.6k rebounds, and over 1k blocks are pretty fantastic numbers for a basketball player.
His accolades stand out pretty well too, as he made six All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams (one first-team, four second-teams), and won Rookie of the Year. Injuries ravaged Stoudemire throughout his career, but he still earned this.
But his induction also means one familiar Boston Celtics fan favorite deserves a spot there in due time: Blake Griffin.
Griffin had better days with the Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons, and by the time he got to the Celtics, everyone knew his career was in its last legs. Even so, Griffin endeared himself so well that the fanbase collectively hoped he would return to Boston for another go-round.Griffin opted to retire but is still held in high regard by fans almost three years after he last suited up in green.
Griffin's career is much like Stoudemire's
Stoudemire definitely had the talent to make it to the Hall of Fame, so it's not the biggest shock that he got in nor is it the biggest shock that he got in a decade after his last NBA game. Because Griffin absolutely did too, he too should be in the Hall of Fame, much like Stoudemire has.
It may not necessarily be right away (like Stoudemire), but Griffin had a pretty fantastic career when he was at the top of his game. In fact, his accolades are similar to Stoudemire's. Six All-Star Games, five All-NBA teams (three second teams, two third teams), and he too won Rookie of the Year.
As far as his traditional numbers go, Griffin finished with over 14.5k points, over 6.1k rebounds, and over 3k assists. Not as many as Stoudemire, but still, it's hard to argue against those numbers. It gets crazier to think about their similarities, as they both played similar positions and played at the top of their respective games with the best point guards the league has seen.
In fact, Griffin was a nominee get inducted this season and almost made it in his first year of eligibility. It's possible he may have to wait for a bit like Stoudemire did, but Griffin was one of the NBA's best players at his peak (finished third in MVP voting in 2014), and that should not be disregarded.
The closest Stoudemire got in that regard was sixth in 2008. Griffin was well on his way to having a first ballot Hall of Fame career before injuries got in his way from 2015 onward. The fact that injuries didn't stop Stoudemire from getting this recognition should confirm that Griffin will too.