Does Shawn Kemp Have a Shot at Getting Into the Hall of Fame? (2024)

There shouldn't be any doubt about Shawn Kemp being a Hall of Fame caliber talent throughout his career. During his prime, he was a perennial All-Star who also became a key figure as a member of Dream Team II.

Kemp failed to live up to his potential and wasn't able to get the most out of his career due to some off-court issues. Even though his off-court troubles may have interfered with his ability to perform at a high level, Kemp was one of those players who truly defined the power forward position.

The position itself was barely defined until players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Dennis Rodman stepped in and dominated during the 90s era. In hindsight, Kemp was exactly what every team was looking for in the power forward position. For a player who was a six-time All-Star, who averaged at least nine-plus rebounds per game in eight seasons, and who averaged at least 17-plus points per game in eight seasons, he also went to the postseason eight times.

His most memorable playoff run came in 1996 when Kemp's Seattle Supersonics faced off against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Sonics lost the series in six games, but Kemp averaged 23 points per game in that series, and despite losing, Kemp showed that he was among the NBA's elite regardless of position. Kemp's peak may not have lasted long, but he became one of the most famous players of his era, and it would be an atrocity if he wasn't inducted soon.

The Case Against Kemp Being Inducted Into the Hall of Fame

There may be obvious reasons why Kemp hasn't been chosen just yet

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Perhaps if Kemp had put up scoring averages anywhere in the neighborhood of 25 to 30 points instead of hovering around 18 points per game during the golden years of his career, he possibly could have extended his greatness for a few more seasons, which could have given him the push and the consideration he needed to swing the votes his way.

If a player fails to win any championships and has mostly first and second-round playoff exits, they need to at least put up stellar numbers across the board, or at least have a stretch where they accumulated MVP-type numbers over numerous seasons. Another deciding factor that may have hurt Kemp's chances is his career points totals.

Voters look at all-time lists and use them as measuring sticks to determine who is deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame, but sometimes the numbers don't tell the entire story and don't truly show what kind of impact that player had. Kemp is currently 152nd on the all-time scoring list, and this is in part due to his career being cut short, but he was never a high-volume scorer in the first place. While his contemporaries, David Robinson and Malone, were averaging 25-plus points for multiple seasons, Kemp wasn't able to come close to that average. His second season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers happened to be his lone season where he averaged 20 points per game.

Even though he turned out to be a great all-around player, Kemp was overshadowed in every category he excelled in. He never led the league in points, rebounds, or blocks, and unfortunately, several other players during his era exceeded his totals. The first year of eligibility can be the year most heavily considered, or the voters could easily set a candidate back for years at a time. 2009 was just a bad year for any player who was eligible for the first time. Michael Jordan, John Stockton, and David Robinson are just a few names that were chosen, and if it had been any year before or after, Kemp may have had a decent shot.

But there is also the fact that Kemp's career did not flame out at the very end because he flamed out during his prime instead. He was a 6-time all-star and a 3-time All-NBA Second Team selection but never was able to reach an MVP-caliber level of play. Even though Kemp had had a nice peak during his career, longevity was lacking, and that's something the voters strongly consider.

Could Voters Have a Different Opinion Concerning Kemp's Eligibility?

Kemp still has a solid case for enshrinement

To make 3 All-NBA teams in an era with Malone and Barkley is quite impressive, and many believe that Kemp deserves to be in the Hall of Fame over some of the other players who have already been enshrined. Kemp was one of the most athletic big men the NBA has ever seen, and may have set a standard for the way power forwards are viewed today as far as athleticism goes. His versatility was able to set him apart, as he excelled at many aspects of the game.

Kemp had good handles for a power forward, could grab a rebound and go coast to coast, was great at finishing in traffic, could score facing up, or with his back to the basket, had a good midrange shot and could jump off one foot like a slashing two-guard. Even though he was equipped with all of those attributes, Kemp's most dangerous weapon wasn't a skill, but another player and that player was Gary Payton. The duo played together for the Supersonics for seven seasons as both led the team to multiple playoff appearances.

Kemp and Payton could put up a legitimate argument that they were the best lob combination of all time as they made the Sonics a fun team to watch. The duo had a knack for getting fans out of their seats with their highlight-worthy plays, and those ferocious dunks earned him the nickname, "Reign Man". From 1992 to 1998, Kemp was arguably the most dynamic power forward in the NBA. The biggest misconception about Kemp was that he was one-dimensional and only thrived as an athletic dunker.

Maybe not for those who were blessed to watch him play, but for the younger generation who only get to view his highlights. Kemp was maybe the most feared player in the league whenever he came into the lane on the fast break. Nobody wanted to become a victim of the Reign Man, as he was famous for putting opposing players on posters. Kemp has 6 all-star selections to his credit, but his other career numbers and accomplishments are a bit underwhelming.

But the impact and influence Kemp had on the game of basketball was enormous, and he is still very much involved with the Seattle community. Also, being a top two player on a Finals team is not really a Hall of Fame trump card, but it certainly doesn't hurt his chances either. Kemp was an electrifying player who was exciting to watch, and his personal life shouldn't have anything to do with what he has accomplished on the court.