The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2025, featuring several high-profile first-time nominees like Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Dwight Howard, Doc Rivers, Billy Donovan, Sylvia Fowles, Chamique Holdsclaw, Mark Few, Lisa Bluder, Marc Gasol and Micky Arison. Other candidates include former Los Angeles Lakers players like Robert Horry.
Notably, four former Lakers headline this list, two of which won championships with the franchise in Howard and Horry, further cementing their legacy in the purple and gold.
Howard suited up and played 1,242 games in his 18-career, averaging 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 58.7% from the field. The one-time champion had three separate stints with L.A. in 2012-13, 2019-20 and 2021-22. Specifically during his second stint, he became a vital piece in winning a title after a sour departure in 2013.
Horry cashed in on seven championships, three with the Lakers, through his 16-year career. He played in 1,107 games, averaging seven points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 42.5% from the field and 34.1% from 3-point range. Notably, Horry was a part of the 3-peat in the early 2000s with the iconic duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Anthony sustained an impressive 19-year career, known for his time with the New York Knicks after being drafted No. 3 overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2003. While he did not win a championship, the 6’7″ forward averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 44.7% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point range through 1260 games.
The Brooklyn native played his final season in L.A. during the 2021-22 season. Unfortunately, that season did not go as planned although it was cool to see Anthony in purple and gold.
Similarly, Gasol, the younger brother to Lakers legend Pau Gasol, played for L.A. in 2020-21. The one-time champion and Defensive Player of the Year played for 13 seasons, averaging 14 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks on 48.1% from the field and 36% from distance.
Despite Marc not being able to join his older brother by winning a championship with the Lakers, he hopes to join him in the Hall of Fame. Notably, Pau got inducted as a player in 2023. If both are able to become Hall of Famers, it would certainly be a tremendous accomplishment for the Gasol’s.
Robert Horry implies he deserves to be in Hall of Fame
There have been many talented players that have walked through the NBA and many do not get a chance to be immortalized in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. However, Robert Horry implied that he deserved that opportunity and he is now inching closer to that goal.
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