Jeff Van Gundy doubts Anthony Davis' eligibility for Hall of Fame: “Are you sure right now if he ended today, he’d be a Hall of Famer?”
Anthony Davis has had a rough couple of years due to a plethora of injuries that have caused him to miss a sizeable number of games. Former NBA coach and current in-game commentator Jeff Van Gundy shared why he thinks Davis shouldn't be considered a future Hall of Famer.
Jeff Van Gundy insinuates Anthony Davis shouldn’t be considered future Hall of Famer: lakersdaily.com/jeff-van-gundy…
In their 112-109 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, Van Gundy was with his usual commentary partner, Mark Jackson. Davis was shown on screen and Jackson commented on the big man's career, associating it with the Hall of Fame. But Van Gundy questioned his partner's comments and began questioning AD's credibility to make the Hall of Fame.
"Are you sure right now if he ended today, he’d be a Hall of Famer?" Van Gundy said. "I’m not sure because of the injuries. He’s just … been unavailable so often. I think it’s hard to say that."
If you missed it last night, Jeff Van Gundy isn't sold on Anthony Davis being a Hall of Famer... https://t.co/Fj7jAZH8fT
Davis has missed the last 10 games due to a foot injury he suffered against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Since then, the LA Lakers have struggled mightily to get their rhythm back to get some wins in AD's absence. Despite LeBron James' excellent games, the team has continued to struggle. They've gone 5-5 without AD. However, they are on a three-game winning streak.
But despite Van Gundy's comments on AD's Hall of Fame chances, there's no denying the fact that he's a beast on the court. While he was healthy and active for the Lakers, they won 11 of their 25 games. It wasn't overly impressive, but he was able to carry their subpar roster to slight relevancy.
Also read: Anthony Davis injury update: LA Lakers superstar to miss games following foot injury
Can Anthony Davis make it into the Hall of Fame?
Making it into the Hall of Fame is one of the most prestigious accomplishments an athlete can fulfill. Even players who haven't won championships get a chance to be immortalized after being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Anthony Davis could have a shot at making it, but there could be some mixed reception from fans of the game.
Davis has accomplished quite a lot of awards in his basketball career. He won an NCAA championship in his one season at Kentucky and won gold at the 2012 London Olympics as part of the Team USA. From there, he's been able to make the All-Star team eight times, an All-NBA player four times, an All-Defensive team four times and many more.
One aspect that most fans could hold against him is the fact that he hasn't won on his own. When he was with the New Orleans Pelicans, he struggled to lead the team to the playoffs. The reason behind it, injuries. This continued even as he became a member of the Lakers.
Despite what Van Gundy thinks about Davis and his lack of Hall of Fame credibility, he's still an accomplished star. He's also done incredible things on the court that separate him from other stars. Basketball-reference.com rates his HOF chances at 98.5%.
Also read: “Anthony Davis is the most SKILLED Power Forward to ever touch the damn basketball” - Kendrick Perkins lauds Anthony Davis as he continues good form