The eligible nominees for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 were announced on Thursday. 17 former NBA players were nominated by the North American committee.

Here are each of those 17 players and why they should be considered for induction. Of course, not all of them will get inducted but all had established NBA careers.

(Note: Only former NBA players nominated by the North American committee are listed.)

Mark Aguirre

Aguirre averaged 20 points for his career spanning 13 seasons. He averaged at least 22.6 for six straight seasons and finished in the top-10 in scoring average five times (was second in 1983-84).

He was a member of both Detroit Pistons teams that won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990.

Ray Allen

Allen was named to 10 All-Star Games and is the all-time leader in three-pointers made (2,973). His 24,505 career points rank 24th in NBA history. He won two championships later in his career: in 2008 with the Boston Celtics and 2013 with the Miami Heat.

Chauncey Billups

Billups was named the Finals MVP after the Pistons dispatched of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. He made five All-Star teams, finished top-12 in MVP voting four times, and made three All-NBA and two All-Defensive teams.

Muggsy Bogues

Despite being the shortest player in NBA history at 5-3, Bogues still was able to carve out a career that spanned 15 seasons.

He twice averaged double figures in assists, finished in the top-5 in Assists Per Game five times, and dished out 6,726 dimes in his career (20th all-time).

Maurice Cheeks

Cheeks was an outstanding defender during his career and he was named to the All-Defensive First Team four times. He also was named to four All-Star teams and was the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers championship team in 1983.

He is fifth all-time with 2,310 career steals and 13th with 7,392 assists.

Richard Hamilton

Hamilton played in three straight All-Star Games from 2006-08 and was the starting shooting guard for the 2004 Pistons championship team. He twice averaged over 20 Points Per Game and averaged at least 17.3 for 10 straight seasons.

Tim Hardaway

Hardaway made five All-NBA teams (one All-NBA First Team) and five All-Star appearances over his 13-year career. He posted career per game averages of 17.7 points, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. He is 16th in league history with 7,095 career assists.

Grant Hill

Very few were better than Hill in his prime as from his second to sixth NBA seasons he put up averages of 21.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. All five of those seasons he was named All-NBA (four Second Team, one First Team) and finished top-10 in MVP voting. He overcame a few major injuries to play until he was 41 years old.

Kevin Johnson

Johnson played the majority of his 13 seasons with the Suns and finished his career with per game averages of 17.9 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.5 steals.

He was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times and the Third Team once. His 6,711 career assists are 21st-most in NBA history.

Marques Johnson

While Johnson’s NBA career wasn’t all that lengthy (10 seasons), it was productive. He was named to five All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams (one First Team, two Second Teams). He averaged 20.1 points per game for his career along with seven rebounds.

Bobby Jones

Jones’ first two years were in the ABA, but he spent the next ten in the NBA. He won a championship with the 76ers in 1983 and was named to four NBA All-Star Games. He shot 55 percent from the floor in the NBA and averaged well over a block per game.

Jason Kidd

Kidd is second in NBA history with 2,684 steals and 12,091 assists, ninth with 1,988 threes made, 54th with 8,725 rebounds, and 80th with 17,529 points.

He was a 10-time All-Star who led the league is assists per game five times. He was an All-NBA First Team member five times and All-Defensive First Team four times.

Sidney Moncrief

Moncrief was widely seen as the best backcourt defender during his playing career as he was named Defensive Player of the Year twice and All-Defensive First Team four times. In five of his 11 NBA seasons, he finished in the top-8 in MVP voting.

Steve Nash

Named the MVP in both 2005 and 2006, Nash is third in NBA history with 10,335 assists. He led the league in assists per game five times, was named to eight All-Star teams, and was an All-NBA member seven times. Also a marksman during his career, the 18-year pro ended with a 42.8 three-point percentage and 90.4 free throw percentage.

Jack Sikma

Sikma won an NBA championship with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. That season also was his first of seven straight years named to the All-Star team. He currently ranks 30th in NBA history in rebounds (10,816), 82nd in blocks (1,048), 85th in points (17,287), and 94th in steals (1,162).

Ben Wallace

Wallace was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. He led the NBA in rebounds per game twice and blocks once. In 2004, his Pistons won the NBA title. He is 13th in league history with 2,137 blocks, 33rd with 10,482 rebounds, and 58th with 1,369 steals.

Chris Webber

Webber’s 15 seasons in the NBA saw him named to five All-Star teams, be named as an All-NBA member five times, and also finish top-10 in MVP voting five times.

He finished his career with averages of 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.

Paul Westphal

Westphal won a championship with the Celtics in 1974 and was named to five straight All-Star Games from 1977-81. He averaged at least 20.5 points and 5.1 assists in each of those All-Star seasons. He was an All-NBA First Team member three times.
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