The Worm to the Hall?

 On Tuesday the National Basketball Association released their list of nominees for the Naismith Hall of Fame class of 2011. The class is highlighted by Reggie Miller, but also includes Chris Mullin , Mark Jackson, Bernard King, Dennis Rodman, Maurice Lucas, Jamaal Wilkes, Rudy Tomjanovich, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Tex Winter, Spencer Haywood, Maurice Cheeks, Ralph Sampson, Bill Fitch, referee Dick Bavetta, Rick Pitino,Chet Walker, Don Nelson, Arvydas Sabonis and Sarunas Marciulionis.


Looking over this list, it is pretty easy to see who stands the best chance at getting in and who might struggle to make it.

 For example, Reggie Miller is almost assured a spot, seeing as he took and made more three pointers than anyone in NBA history, he had an 18 year career playing for the Indiana Pacers, was a five-time All-Star, and won Olympic gold in 1996.

 Rudy Tomjanovich had great success as a collegiate and professional player, as well as coaching the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles.

Don Nelson had a successful career as both a player and coach. He is first place on the all-time NBA wins list with 1,333 wins and his up-tempo style of play can still be seen in the game today.


It is obvious that there is a lot of talent in this class that is deserving of being recognized as a Hall of Famer. So what about Dennis Rodman? Is he deserving of a spot in the hallowed halls? Does he deserve to be looked upon as one of the best ever to play the game? The Hall of Fame is for the best players, not just for the good or the average. Does "Worm" qualify?

I say yes.


Looking past the tattoos, bizarre hair and even more bizarre behavior, we see that Rodman was a standout defensive player and one of the best rebounders ever to step foot on the court. He was NBA All-Defensive first team seven times, All-Defensive second team once, and NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice. He was a ferocious rebounder, is ranked #22 all time in NBA rebounding and led the NBA in rebounding for seven straight seasons. Pretty impressive accolades. And that isn't taking into account his five championships, two All NBA third team nods, or two All-Star appearances.  

Of course, Rodman certainly has his detractors as well. His career scoring average of 7.3 PPG could be used as a reason to keep him out. That scoring average would rank him second to last for all players currently inducted. But voters would have to realize his best contributions weren't on the offensive side of the floor. There was never a doubt that Rodman was a defensive force and a rebounding machine. Each year he was almost a guarantee to make the All-Defensive team. And it’s hard to think of him not pulling down double-digit rebounds on a nightly basis while frustrating his defensive assignment.

Probably the biggest thing that is potentially damaging to his Hall of Fame candidacy is himself.

Rodman was plagued by strange behavior including but not limited to ever changing hair color, tattoos, piercings, wearing a dress, marrying himself, and threatening to come out for his final game nude.  He was also involved in some ugly on-court incidents, including kneeing an opponent, head butting a referee and kicking a cameraman.

There were off-court issues as well, including arrests for DUI and domestic violence. But as shown with players in other sports such as Michael Irvin, and Lawrence Taylor, off-field incidents don't always cast a negative light on a candidates eligibility.

So with everything taken into account, did Dennis "the worm" Rodman do enough during his career to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame? The answer has to be yes. The Hall of Fame is for the best, and honestly Rodman was the best at what he did. He is possibly the greatest rebounder to ever play in the NBA, or anywhere for that matter. He was a unique player, a  sometimes volatile combination of personality and showmanship that attracted fans whenever he was on the court. His contributions to the game of basketball cannot be denied and his spot in the Hall is well deserved.