NBA: 5 active NBA players surprisingly close to the Hall of Fame

We all know some active NBA players who are locks for the Hall of Fame, but here are some unexpected ones who should perhaps be viewed as locks as well

If you watch the NBA on even the most casual level, you probably have a fairly good idea of the players playing today who are already locks for the Basketball Hall of Fame. These would be your Durants, your LeBrons, your Hardens, etc.

Just below them would be guys who, while they may not be quite as well-known and accomplished as those first-tier studs, are either locks or clearly on their way to being locks for the Hall. These guys range from well beyond their prime (Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, etc.) to guys just entering their prime (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, among others).

Today, however, I wanted to take a look at some guys who don’t fit into either of those categories but, upon further examination, may actually have a chance to earn induction into the Hall even if they never play another game.

Also, please note this is not an examination of whether or not they should be in the Hall of Fame; it’s simply an acknowledgment that they all have sneakily good cases to be there, given the standards by which the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has operated to this point.