Lou Williams Says Jamal Crawford Deserves The Hall Of Fame Before Him

Lou Williams has reacted to discussions of whether he, among other players, deserves a place in the Hall of Fame. "We both got 3. I hope my big brother gets in first!! He sets the stage for me and everybody else coming behind us. Much love homies," Williams wrote in response to a tweet from the The Tidal League. During the segment in question, Myles Turner said this of Crawford and Williams - “For what they’ve done culturally, yes. But in the business of this league for what they’ve done they never got the recognition they deserved.”

Williams retired earlier this year after 17 years in the NBA. He was drafted 45th overall in 2005 out of South Gwinnett High School in Snellville, Georgia. Furthermore, Williams was one of the last high school draftees to ever join the NBA, as the league prohibited teams from picking high school players from the 2006 draft onwards. Williams spent the first 7 seasons of his career with the Sixers. While Williams was a solid contributor, he was part of a Sixers team trying to find its identity after the departure of Allen Iverson. This was highlighted by Williams leading the Sixers in scoring during the 2011-12 season, despite starting 0 games for the team.

Does Lou Williams Deserve The Call From The Hall?

Williams' career was prolific. Becoming a free agent in 2012, Williams signed with the Atlanta Hawks but would be traded to Toronto in 2014. With the Raptors, Williams blossomed yet further into being a vital supporting player, picking up his first Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2015. Finding himself a free agent once again, the guard signed a three-year deal with the Lakers. However, he was traded once more in 2017, joining the Rockets. He was then flipped to the Clippers just a few months later, where he would spend the next four years. Finally, Williams was traded back to the Hawks in 2021.

How does one judge the career of a career bench player? Williams' impact was undeniable, as evidenced by his three Sixth Man Awards and his record of most bench points in NBA history. But is the Hall for bench players? That is a question that many experts have long debated. Williams won't be eligible for the Hall until 2028. Maybe the world will have a clearer view of the successful career bencher when he becomes eligible.

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