Gary Payton: Shawn Kemp deserves a place in the Hall of Fame
The former SuperSonics guard says Kemp's 20 and 10 averages, an NBA Finals run and seven seasons of 55-plus wins make him a Naismith Hall of Fame candidate.
Kemp has technically been eligible since 2006.
He pointed to what the pair did together.
"Look at his numbers. Look at his record. You have to pay attention to what he achieved. 20 and 10 a game, that is his basketball. We reached the NBA Finals. We won 55 or more games every season. We played like that together for seven seasons. Why shouldn't he be there? People get in who don't deserve it, and Shawn simply tore them apart on the court. Opponents discussed Kemp separately in their scouting sessions. It wasn't only Gary Payton who worried them. They racked their brains over how to stop Shawn Kemp and how to keep the two of us from doing what we did. And when you become such a problem for an opponent that they have to look for ways to stop you separately, how do you think that should be judged?" Payton said.
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