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Which players are first-time eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022?

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Joe Johnson, Manu Ginobili among first-time eligible Hall of Famers in 2022.jpeg

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021 is set to be inducted on Saturday, Sept. 11, where first-ballot Hall of Famers like Paul Pierce and Chris Bosh will be recognized for their contributions to the game and NBA history.

It's never too early to get a look at the next potential Hall of Fame class, so which players will be first-time eligible for the Class of 2022?

MORE: Wallace, Pierce, Webber, Bosh headline Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Hall of Fame probability is based off of Basketball-Reference's tool.

Which players are first-time eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022?

Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson

Hall of Fame probability: 50.6%

Accolades: 7x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Third Team, All-Rookie Second Team

Johnson was a prolific scorer, averaging over 20.0 points per game for five consecutive seasons during his prime. He was a six-time All-Star with the Atlanta Hawks and a one-time All-Star with the Brooklyn Nets and finished his career as a top-50 scorer in NBA history, tallying 20,405 points over his 17-year career.

Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili 2013

Hall of Fame probability: 20.1%

Accolades: 4x NBA Champion, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 1x Sixth Man of the Year, All-Rookie Second Team

As a four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, Ginobili is the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers made and steals. He is one of the all-time great bench scorers in league history, but also earned All-Star bids in the two seasons where he consistently started. To add to his case, Ginobili led the Golden Era of Argentina basketball, winning a Gold Medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Basketball-Reference's Hall of Fame probability tool doesn't do Ginobili justice. 

David West

david-west-083018-ftr-getty.jpg

Hall of Fame probability: 1.4%

Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 2x All-Star

West was a monster in his prime, averaging 19.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for the New Orleans Hornets from 2005 to 2011. His two All-Star appearances came off of consecutive seasons in which he averaged over 20.0 points and 8.0 per game. He also played a key role off the bench for the Golden State Warriors championship teams in 2017 and 2018.

Zach Randolph

Zach Randolph and Kevin Garnett

Hall of Fame probability: 0.9%

Accolades: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Third Team, 1x Most Improved Player of the Year

Randolph was a force during his time in the league, averaging double figures scoring in all but two of his 17 years in the NBA. He averaged a double-double in points and rebounds in nine different seasons, five of which he averaged over 20.0 points per game. He finished his career as a top-50 rebounder of all-time, grabbing 10,208 boards. He also finished in the top-25 all-time in offensive rebounding with 3,279.

Jason Terry

Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki

Hall of Fame probability: 0.5%

Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 1x Sixth Man of the Year, All-Rookie Second Team

Terry is one of the great 3-point shooters in NBA history. He averaged over 15.0 points per game in 11 of the 19 years he spent in the league, converting over 2.0 3-pointers per game in six different seasons – an outlier for his era. He averaged 17.5 points off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks' 2011 title team and has the seventh-most made 3-pointers in NBA history with 2,282.

Richard Jefferson

carter-jefferson-051320-ftr-getty.jpg

Hall of Fame probability: 0.4%

Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, All-Rookie Second Team

Jefferson averaged over 22.0 points per game in two different seasons and posted 19.0 points per game during his prime from 2003 to 2009. In his first two years in the league, he played a significant role in helping the New Jersey Nets reach back-to-back NBA Finals. Although they lost both series, he would get back to that stage in 2016, winning an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Josh Smith

Josh Smith

Hall of Fame probability: 0.1%

Accolades: 1x Second Team All-Defence, All-Rookie Second Team

Smith was one of the most electric high-flyers of his time, winning the Slam Dunk Contest in 2005. He was a strong scorer and defender, averaging 16.0 points, 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game for the Atlanta Hawks during his prime from 2006 to 2013.

Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson

Hall of Fame probability: 0%

Accolades: 1x All-NBA Third Team, All-Rookie Second Team

Jefferson was as solid as can be in the middle, averaging a double-double of points and rebounds in four of his 14 years in the NBA. He had three seasons in which he averaged over 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

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