As a new class of basketball legends is inducted into the Hall of Fame, attention naturally turns to which active players are destined for this prestigious honor upon their retirement. Historically, a significant number of active players eventually earn a spot in the Hall. Between 1955 and 2005, an average of 34 players per season, ranging from 26 to 44, ultimately achieved Hall of Fame status.
Considering this trend, we will explore 50 players from the 2025-26 season who are strong contenders for the Hall of Fame. While not all will make it, these individuals are most likely to be celebrated at induction ceremonies in the 2030s and 2040s.
Group 1: NBA 75th Anniversary Team Locks
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Stephen Curry
- Anthony Davis
- Kevin Durant
- James Harden
- LeBron James
- Kawhi Leonard
- Damian Lillard (Lillard`s participation in 2025-26 is uncertain due to an Achilles tear.)
- Chris Paul
- Russell Westbrook (Westbrook is currently a free agent but is expected to play in 2025-26.)
This initial group consists of players who were named to the NBA`s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. Their inclusion among the 75 greatest players of all time virtually guarantees their first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. Their legendary status speaks for itself, requiring no further explanation.
Group 2: Non-Top-75 Locks
- Nikola Jokic
- Kyrie Irving
- Draymond Green
- Klay Thompson
- Paul George
- Jimmy Butler III
- Joel Embiid
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic, with three MVP awards, two runner-up finishes, and a Finals MVP, would undoubtedly have been on the 75th Anniversary Team if the voting had occurred a year later. He is an undeniable Hall of Fame lock.
Kyrie Irving, a nine-time All-Star on track for 20,000 career points and credited with a pivotal shot in NBA history, has a clear path to the Hall. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, key figures in a dynasty, are also strong candidates due to their defensive prowess (Green, arguably the greatest defender of his era) and shooting ability (Thompson, the second-greatest 3-point shooter ever).
Paul George, with nine All-Star selections and six All-NBA honors, is a definite Hall of Famer, as all retired players with six or more All-NBA selections have been inducted. Jimmy Butler, despite five All-NBA selections, is expected to join them, particularly due to his role as the leading player on two Finals teams.
Joel Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are virtual guarantees, both having earned MVP awards. Historically, Derrick Rose is the sole retired MVP not in the Hall, and he notably lacked subsequent All-NBA seasons, unlike Embiid and SGA, whose sustained elite performance assures their induction.
Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, shares the record for this achievement. Following the precedent set by other four-time winners like Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace, his Hall of Fame induction is highly probable.
Group 3: Young Stars Well on Their Way
- Luka Doncic
- Jayson Tatum (Tatum`s 2025-26 season is uncertain due to an Achilles tear.)
- Anthony Edwards
- Victor Wembanyama
Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum, both in their mid-20s, are already strong Hall of Fame candidates. Doncic boasts five First Team All-NBA selections, while Tatum has four, alongside a Third Team honor. However, a championship eludes Doncic, and Tatum faces uncertainty regarding his Achilles injury and his ability to return to an All-NBA level. While Basketball-Reference currently estimates their Hall of Fame odds (if retired today) at 45% and 59% respectively, these figures are expected to rise, though they aren`t yet considered absolute locks.
Anthony Edwards, though younger and with fewer accolades, stands out from other early-20s talents. By age 23, he ranks fifth in career points (behind LeBron, Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Doncic) and has earned consecutive Second Team All-NBA selections. Historically, few retired players with two All-NBA nods by age 23 (excluding those banned like Ralph Beard, or Blake Griffin, Kevin Johnson, Marques Johnson) are not in the Hall.
Including Victor Wembanyama might seem premature given his mere 117 career games. However, assuming good health, his exceptional skill set at such a young age leads nearly everyone in the NBA to foresee him as a future Hall of Famer.
Group 4: Veterans on the Bubble
- DeMar DeRozan
- Kyle Lowry
- Jrue Holiday
- Kevin Love
- Al Horford (Horford is currently a free agent but is expected to play in 2025-26.)
- Karl-Anthony Towns
Despite Basketball-Reference giving DeMar DeRozan a 48% Hall of Fame chance, his current resume positions him closer to a lock. Only four retired players with 20,000+ career points are not yet enshrined, all just slightly above the threshold (LaMarcus Aldridge, Joe Johnson, Tom Chambers, Antawn Jamison). Aldridge and Johnson, as recent retirees, could soon be inducted. DeRozan, with over 25,292 career points and still accumulating, should secure his Hall of Fame spot based on his impressive durability and statistical output, even without an extensive playoff resume.
Kyle Lowry and Jrue Holiday present similar Hall of Fame arguments. While their individual statistics might not immediately impress, their reputations as ultimate winners and highly respected all-around contributors should significantly bolster their cases. Both multiple-time All-Stars and Olympic gold medalists, they have amassed impressive career totals in minutes, points, assists, rebounds, and steals, coupled with their NBA championships.
Kevin Love, mirroring Lowry and Holiday`s profile, is a five-time All-Star, NBA champion, and Olympic gold medalist, with over 15,000 career points. However, his Hall of Fame chances could be impacted by a shorter period of peak production, as his seasonal scoring totals have not exceeded 1,007 points since 2017-18.
Al Horford, also a five-time All-Star and NBA champion, has maintained a high level of play as a championship contributor into his late 30s, despite a less dominant individual peak than Love. His unique asset is his back-to-back collegiate titles with Florida, a significant factor for the Hall of Fame, which considers all levels of basketball. In an era of `one-and-done` college players, Horford`s NCAA achievements could provide an exceptional boost to his candidacy.
Karl-Anthony Towns, though younger than others in this category, is a veteran entering his 30s with a decade of NBA experience. His impressive stats include a 40% career three-point percentage as a 7-footer. He is one of only 22 players with career averages of 20+ points and 10+ rebounds; the other 21 are either Hall of Famers, active, or banned (like 1950s star Alex Groza). However, Towns` accolades (Rookie of the Year, five All-Star selections, three Third Team All-NBA nods) currently fall short of Hall of Fame benchmarks, and his playoff history is underwhelming. He likely requires several more impactful seasons to solidify his candidacy, with a Finals appearance for the Knicks significantly enhancing his chances.
Group 5: 29-Year-Olds on the Edge
- Jalen Brunson
- Donovan Mitchell
- Devin Booker
- Domantas Sabonis
- Jaylen Brown
This interesting group comprises players turning 29 by October`s end, each with one or two All-NBA selections, whose Hall of Fame prospects hinge on their performance through their remaining prime years.
Jalen Brunson is the latest to emerge from this group, a late bloomer with recent All-Star selections and top-10 MVP finishes. While still under 10,000 career points, his upward trajectory and potential to lead the Knicks to the Finals in a less competitive Eastern Conference could significantly boost his Hall of Fame bid, similar to Towns.
Donovan Mitchell could also capitalize on the Eastern Conference`s openness, addressing the most notable gap in his resume: a Conference Finals appearance, despite remarkable regular-season performance and strong playoff stats. Nevertheless, with six straight All-Star selections and a First Team All-NBA nod last season, Mitchell remains a strong contender for the Hall of Fame.
In the Western Conference, Devin Booker, despite only two All-NBA selections and a challenging team environment, has consistently produced since his teenage debut. He ranks 10th in career points by age 28 (16,452), with Stephon Marbury being the only other player in the top 20 not in the Hall or a future lock. Booker is building a case similar to DeRozan`s, where sheer scoring volume could overcome other resume shortcomings.
Domantas Sabonis could emulate a `compiler` path, similar to DeRozan, potentially joining his father Arvydas in the Hall, who was recognized largely for his international career. The younger Sabonis, a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree, consistently accumulates points, rebounds, and assists. With 68 career triple-doubles (50 in Sacramento), he is on track to reach 100, a feat achieved by only six NBA players (though Doncic and Antetokounmpo are likely to get there first).
Jaylen Brown, the last player in this cohort, possesses a highly persuasive credential: a Finals MVP award, which almost guarantees eventual enshrinement. Historically, only Cedric Maxwell and Andre Iguodala (who is not yet eligible) are retired Finals MVPs not in the Hall. Nevertheless, most Finals MVPs boast more comprehensive resumes than Brown, who has only one All-NBA honor and has never been his team`s undisputed primary star. He, like others in this group, still needs to build his case, but will have a significant opportunity to impress as the Celtics` lead scorer this season with Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury.
Group 6: Circle Back in a Few Years
- Tyrese Haliburton (Haliburton`s 2025-26 season is uncertain due to an Achilles tear.)
- Jalen Williams
- Chet Holmgren
- Evan Mobley
- Cade Cunningham
- Paolo Banchero
- Zion Williamson
- Ja Morant
- Trae Young
- LaMelo Ball
- Scottie Barnes
- Alperen Sengun
- Tyrese Maxey
- Stephon Castle
- Amen Thompson
- Cooper Flagg
When considering young players with potential Hall of Fame trajectories, a broad approach is beneficial. It is often easier for these younger talents to elevate their status to Hall of Fame caliber than for more established players who, despite being further into their careers, haven`t yet reached that elite tier. For example, while a player like Stephon Castle might not currently outperform Pascal Siakam, Siakam is 31 with a 2% Hall of Fame probability according to Basketball-Reference, whereas 20-year-old Castle, as the reigning Rookie of the Year, has a much higher likelihood of achieving Hall of Fame status over his career.
This group includes all players who have debuted in the last five years and made an All-Star team, plus Amen Thompson, who is projected to be an All-Star soon. While we won`t detail every player, let`s examine some compelling cases.
Cooper Flagg, not yet debuted, carries immense potential as a highly hyped No. 1 pick, giving him nearly a 50% chance of future Hall of Fame induction. Historically, the number of future Hall of Famers selected first overall by decade is as follows:
- 1960s: 4
- 1970s: 4
- 1980s: 5
- 1990s: 4
- 2000s: 2 (plus LeBron, probably Blake Griffin and maybe Derrick Rose)
The 2010s draft class is unlikely to meet this historical average, with only Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving as locks, and Karl-Anthony Towns as a toss-up. Other No. 1 picks like Anthony Bennett, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz are unlikely to make the Hall, while Andrew Wiggins and Deandre Ayton lack All-NBA honors. Zion Williamson, at 25 with two All-Star selections, still holds long-term Hall of Fame potential if he can achieve sustained health and consistent dominance.
Subsequent No. 1 picks such as Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama have stronger cases. All-Stars Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero are also progressing well early in their careers, with significant potential as they approach their primes.
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren could form a formidable duo akin to Klay Thompson and Draymond Green for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander`s Stephen Curry, as the Oklahoma City Thunder pursue a new dynasty. Williams earned both All-NBA and All-Defensive honors in his third season, while Holmgren is poised to be a perennial All-Defensive team member if he maintains health and eligibility.
Given a historical average of 34 active Hall of Famers per season, an even distribution would mean roughly one Hall of Famer per team. However, the NBA`s talent isn`t evenly spread. A team like the Dallas Mavericks could hypothetically field four future Hall of Famers (Davis, Irving, Thompson, Flagg) next season. The Oklahoma City Thunder stand out, not only for having three potential future Hall of Famers simultaneously, but also because they are all young, developing together, and collectively striving for historical greatness.