NBA Hall of Fame (Part 2 of 2)

As the NBA playoffs continue, it is a perfect time to consider who might be headed to the Hall of Fame someday.  This article will discuss the merits of seven players who are on track for enshrinement as well as a recommended rookie card for each player mentioned.

Before we get started, here are a couple of ground rules.  First, only active players are included on this list.  In addition, I focused on players with at least five years of professional experience.  As exceptional as Luka, Zion and Ja seem to be, we do not have enough of a sample size to project Hall of Fame careers for these players.  Therefore, you will not see some of the young stars here.

Finally, a word on the recommended cards.  These are not necessarily the most expensive or most popular rookie card for the projected Hall of Famer.  Rather, I tried to focus on cards that with a little luck, patience and budgeting can be aspired to by the average person.  For example, the Upper Deck Exquisite LeBron James Rookie Patch Autograph is highly sought after, but it is unlikely that anyone reading this article has an extra $1 million to spend on a piece of cardboard.  As a result, recommending a card of that type is not particularly useful.  With that said, away we go with part two of the list…

Kawhi Leonard

Age: 29

Recommended Card: 2012-13 Panini #216

In eight NBA seasons, Leonard has won 2 championships, is a 4-time All-Star, is a 5-time All-Defensive team selection and has made the All-NBA team twice.  These awards make him a lock for the Hall of Fame someday.  Although his on-court skills make Kawhi one of the best players in the NBA, there are a couple of additional considerations to make before heavily investing in his cards.  First, he is famous for his avoidance of social media and advertising opportunities.  Second, he has engaged in a couple of contentious contract negotiations, which have resulted in him moving to another team.  These factors could hold down the value of his cards.  

Also, some advice on the recommended card.  It has a black border, which will show flaws more readily than the average sports card.  Furthermore, it is easy to temporarily hide these flaws by altering the card with a black ball point pen or marker.  Be extremely careful if you purchase this card on the internet.