Shaquille O’Neal Gives Stephon Marbury HOF Support

There’s a certain level of insane talent that you have to have to get into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Oftentimes, an Olympic medal and a couple of All-NBA selections are never enough. The Larry O’Brien Trophies are the ones that come into play in these conversations, and a couple of bigger awards in the primary school for the major leagues. Stephon Marbury hasn’t made the ballot yet, but Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson think he should be in the conversation.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame isn’t just about NBA honors. Many guys with short careers who often didn’t get the trophy were given the honor in the final stages of their lives. One of Shaquille O’Neal’s biggest rivals-turned-friends, Yao Ming, is a prime example of this. While the dominant Chinese legend in the paint has received a Hall of Fame induction, Stephon Marbury has yet to receive the same honor.

However, Shaquille O’Neal argues that the legend who played for many teams in the league should be given a chance, despite Basketball Reference only giving him a 7% chance of actually being accepted, via The Big Podcast with Shaq.

“Despite all the bullshit, they got us through it. You don’t have a championship, you don’t have a ring here, forget about it. You were a great high school player, you were a great college player, you were a great NBA player and I think you’re a Hall of Famer and worthy. That comes from the heart, not just because you’re on the podcast,” the legendary big man said.

Will Stephon Marbury Be Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame?

Stephon Marbury had a long career in the NBA. He played from 1996 to 2009. His acumen in scoring points and providing his services with all-around work earned him 19.3 points per game on an elite 43.3% clip from all three levels of the court. This was good enough to earn NBA All-Star nominations during his time with the New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns. He was also named to the All-NBA teams in both of those years.

It wasn’t just O’Neal who loved Coney Island’s Finest. Allen Iverson showed some love for the Marburys on the same level. When asked who they most feared seeing on the court? The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer didn’t stutter with his answers.

“I always thought it was true, and I never said it. The reason I say it now is because I had AI (Allen Iverson) on my podcast. And I asked him, you know, I went kind of viral one day. Because I said I was scared of Michael Jordan. It’s not that I was scared, but I couldn’t believe I was there. Like 300 days before, he was on the wall, so I was a little nervous. We asked AI if he was nervous of anybody, and without hesitation he said you,” Shaq added.

There’s a slim chance he’ll make it, but Starbury’s accolades often speak for themselves. Hopefully voters will see it and give him a nod for an illustrious career.