Top 5 NBA teams with most Hall of Famers
Being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is the most prestigious post-retirement distinction that is awarded to a professional basketball player. Not only successful NBA players, but superstars and personalities with influence on the game from across the globe can be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
5 NBA teams with the most Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members
As is the case with most NBA records, the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics are the dominant franchises, as they have been immensely successful since the 1940s. In this list, we take a look at the five NBA franchises with the highest number of Hall of Famers.
#1 Boston Celtics - 40 Hall of Famers
The Boston Celtics had the most NBA Championship wins in history before the LA Lakers won their 17th title in the 2020 NBA Finals. With the enormous success the team has seen throughout the franchise's history, it is not a coincidence to see Boston leading this list.
A total of 40 Hall of Famers have been a part of the Boston Celtics during their history. Out of those 40 members, 36 were players while four were head coaches who guided the Celtics across different eras.
The most iconic Celtics players in the Basketball Hall of Fame are Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish. The most recent Boston Celtics big name to enter the Hall of Fame is Kevin Garnett (a member of the 2020 class).
Some Hall of Famers who had brief participation with the Celtics were Shaquille O'Neal and Dominique Wilkins, but they are more commonly associated with other franchises.
Red Auerbach, Tommy Heinsohn, and Bill Fitch won titles with Boston as coaches, and they were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The other coach enshrined in the Hall of Fame, who guided the Celtics at some point, is Rick Pitino.
#2 LA Lakers - 31 Hall of Famers
The LA Lakers won their record-equalling 17th NBA Championship in 2020, and continued to dominate the history of The Association.
Even before last year's title, the Lakers were the most iconic and recognizable franchise in the NBA due to their success in the 21st century and the many superstars who have represented the team.
The Lakers boast the second-most Hall of Famers among NBA franchises with 31 (27 players and four coaches). The most recent Hall of Famer in the LA Lakers' history was also their most iconic and beloved player, the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Bryant was a part of the 2020 class and is the most recognizable Hall of Famer from the LA Lakers. Other Lakers legends in the HOF include Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and George Mikan.
Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and even Dennis Rodman are among the LA Lakers' Hall of Fame members, even though they had short stints with the organization.
John Kundla, Bill Sharman, Pat Riley, and Phil Jackson are the four Lakers' coaches inducted to the Hall of Fame, and they all won titles with the organization.