SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Despite the speculation led by one member, Shaquille O’Neal, it should be said definitively that, no, basketball’s Hall of Fame Class of 2016 is not the greatest class ever to enter the hall as a group. It’s among the top five, for sure, but not quite ahead of 1980 (Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas), 1987 (Rick Barry, Pete Maravich, Walt Frazier) and arguably not ahead of some others, too (2006, '08 and '09).
But what this incoming group has that others were lacking is an unprecedented level of controversy — even disdain and dislike — both in and out of their careers.