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OKC Thunder: Making the case for Nick Collison to be in Basketball Hall of Fame

By Rylan Stiles

NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Nick Collison talks to the media after being selected by the Seattle Sonics during the 2003 NBA Draft at Paramount Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 26, 2003 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE (Photo by M. David Leeds/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Nick Collison talks to the media after being selected by the Seattle Sonics during the 2003 NBA Draft at Paramount Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 26, 2003 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE (Photo by M. David Leeds/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 27: Nick Collison #4 of the OKC Thunder looks on prior to Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Delving into a serious question – does OKC Thunder big man Nick Collison belong in the Basketball Hall of Fame?

Whoa wait, I know what you are thinking, but bear with me. This is not click-bait. Granted, it is a debate best suited for  August and most definitely worthy of our consideration. Does beloved Mr. Thunder belong in the NBA hall of fame? The immediate reactionary response is – well, no. But, it is important to remember when reading this: The NBA does not have a Hall of Fame. Rather,  Spring Field, Massachusetts houses the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The glorious basketball sanctuary plays host to all kinds of players and coaches. No matter if your hay-day comes in the college ranks, or at the NBA level. The Hall is littered with players who might catch the eye funny. The Mitch Richmond’s of the world, Calvin Murphy’s, and Ralph Sampson’s of the world

Ralph Sampson is a nice place to use as a comparison. Like Collison, Sampson dominated the college basketball hardwood before winning rookie of the year. Outside of that, Sampson posted 7,000 career points, with 4,000 total rebounds in his injury riddled career. Many believed Sampson could turn into an all-timer, but we have to just use the information in front of us.

Collison totaled 5,359-career points. He hauled in 4,701 career rebounds. His dominance came with the dirty work, which hurts his Hall of Fame effort. The big man set some of the nastiest screens in NBA History, building a brick wall for his star-studded teammates like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

So does Nick Collison deserve a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame? Let’s take a journey through his career, and decide together.

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