Philadelphia 76ers: Chris Webber should be in 2019 Hall of Fame class

The Philadelphia 76ers have one former player that has the resume to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Fans of the Philadelphia 76ers should be excited to see former point guard Maurice Cheeks being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Cheeks’ induction into the Hall is well deserved, but as he enters into basketball immortality the question becomes, which former Sixers player should be in next year’s Hall of Fame class? While there are several good options to choose from, Chris Webber is the most deserving former 76ers player that should be in the 2019 Hall of Fame class.

Chris Frosberg of ESPN believes Webber has the credentials to enter the Hall soon. Don’t misunderstand, former Sixers like Larry Costello and Doug Collins should definitely be inducted into the Hall at some point in the near future. While Webber should get the nod over both Collins and Costello, both have impressive resumes.

Costello was named a six time All-Star and All-NBA second team. He holds a career averaged of 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Costello also had a solid career in college and won a NBA Championship two separate occasions as a player and coach.

More from The Sixer Sense

Collins had a successful playing career earning four All-Star berths and holding a career average of 17.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Collins was a Consensus first team All-American during his college days where he put up impressive averages. Collins also went on to have successful careers in coaching, front office work and broadcasting. It should be noted that Collins participated in the 1972 Olympics.

While both Collins and Costello deserve to be in the Hall, they don’t have the resume that Webber does. In his two seasons in college, Webber averaged a double-double with 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds while also averaging 2.5 blocks. He also gained multiple accolades including: NCAA All-Tournament in 1992 and 1993, USBWA Freshman of the Year for the 1991-1992 season, Consensus first team All-American in the 1992-1993 season and NCAA Tournament All-Region in 1992 and 1993.

Webber built on his resume once he became a pro where he was selected first overall. He holds a career average of 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 blocks. The highest point of Webber’s career was when he was with the Sacramento Kings where he averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 blocks. Webber was the force that lead the Kings to several deep playoff runs, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in the 2002 playoffs.

The Sixers acquired Webber in a trade from the Kings in 2005, which gave Allen Iverson much needed help. During his stint in Philadelphia, Webber still put up productive numbers despite being on the downward part of his career. He averaged 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.8 blocks.

At the end of his career, Webber had been named to: five All-Star teams, first team All-NBA once, second team All-NBA three times and third team All-NBA once. He was also on the first team All-Rookie and was named Rookie of the Year in the 1993-94 season, when he averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.2 blocks.

Next. Sixers: 5 reasons Simmons will have better career than Mitchell, Tatum. dark

Webber’s career stats and accolades speak to the pedigree of player he was. While the Philadelphia 76ers may not have had him in his prime, he was still a valued member of the team while he was on the roster. Webber’s resume should earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame’s 2019 class of inductees.