Ready for a fun thought experiment that’ll make you feel old? While this weekend’s Basketball Hall of Fame class gets their well-deserved flowers in Springfield, we can’t help but wonder which current NBA superstars will be walking across that stage in the 2030s and 2040s. Spoiler alert: it’s going to be absolutely loaded.

Here’s a mind-blowing stat to set the stage: between 1955 and 2005, an average of 34 players per season eventually became Hall of Famers. That means if you’re watching your favorite team right now, there’s probably at least one future Springfield legend suiting up every single night. Maybe more if you’re lucky enough to root for a stacked franchise.



The no-brainer legends who are already locked in

Let’s start with the obvious choices that make you wonder why we’re even having this conversation. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo—these guys could retire tomorrow and waltz into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot without breaking a sweat.

This group includes everyone from the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team who’s still lacing up sneakers: James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Damian Lillard. If you’re good enough to be considered one of the 75 greatest players in basketball history, your Hall of Fame plaque is basically already engraved.

But here’s where it gets interesting: there are plenty of current superstars who somehow didn’t make that 75th anniversary list but are absolutely guaranteed Springfield spots anyway. Nikola Jokic is the most obvious example—the three-time MVP and Finals MVP would’ve definitely cracked that list if the voting happened a year later.

The modern legends rewriting record books

Kyrie Irving might be polarizing, but nine All-Star appearances and that legendary championship shot over the Warriors seals his Hall of Fame fate. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green rode those Golden State dynasties straight to Springfield, and honestly, watching that core dominate for years was appointment television.

Paul George and Jimmy Butler represent that elite tier of stars who might not have the flashy accolades but absolutely dominated their eras. Joel Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both have MVPs in their trophy cases, which historically is a golden ticket to the Hall of Fame.

Then there’s Rudy Gobert with four Defensive Player of the Year awards tied for the most ever. If Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace are Hall of Famers with the same hardware, Gobert’s getting his plaque too.

The young superstars already destined for greatness

This is where things get really fun. Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are still in their mid-20s but already have Hall of Fame-level résumés. Doncic has five first-team All-NBA selections while Tatum has four plus a third-team nod. These aren’t promising young players—these are generational talents who’ve already accomplished more than most players do in entire careers.

Anthony Edwards is fifth all-time in career points through age 23, trailing only LeBron, Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Doncic. That’s absolutely ridiculous company for someone who’s barely scratched the surface of his potential.

Victor Wembanyama might seem like a reach with only 117 career games, but let’s be real—barring injury, everyone in basketball sees him as a future Hall of Famer. The skill set is too unique and the early dominance too obvious to ignore.

The bubble cases that could go either way

DeMar DeRozan sits at over 25,000 career points, and historically, almost everyone who reaches that milestone gets enshrined. Kyle Lowry and Jrue Holiday don’t have eye-popping stats, but their championship pedigree and all-around excellence could push them over the line.

Kevin Love and Al Horford represent interesting cases as championship contributors with solid individual accolades. Love’s peak was higher but shorter, while Horford’s been consistently excellent for longer. Both have compelling arguments.

Karl-Anthony Towns might be the most intriguing bubble case. He’s one of only 22 players in league history averaging 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds for his career, and the other 21 are either in the Hall, still active, or banned for point-shaving scandals. That’s pretty exclusive company.

The 29-year-old crew making their final push

Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Domantas Sabonis, and Jaylen Brown all turn 29 this season, which means they’re entering their prime earning years for Hall of Fame credentials. Brunson’s late-bloomer story is incredible, Mitchell needs that elusive deep playoff run, and Booker’s point total could carry him to Springfield regardless of team success.

Brown already has a Finals MVP trophy, which historically almost guarantees enshrinement. Sabonis is quietly putting up monster numbers that could compile into a Hall-worthy résumé over time.

The future stars who could surprise everyone

The young talent pool is absolutely stacked. Players like Tyrese Haliburton, Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, and Paolo Banchero are already showing Hall of Fame flashes in their early careers. Even Cooper Flagg, who hasn’t played a single NBA game yet, has nearly 50% Hall of Fame odds based on his draft projection alone.

The Oklahoma City Thunder might have the most intriguing collection of potential future Hall of Famers with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Holmgren all developing together. Watching young superstars grow into legends while playing alongside each other is basketball at its absolute finest.

The next decade of Hall of Fame classes is going to be absolutely bonkers, and we get to watch it all unfold in real time.