Perhaps more than any other professional sport, the NBA is a league that revolves around its stars.  It's also a league in which stardom can be acheived from the moment of inception.  There's no double or triple A to ascend, no learning the system.  One need look no further than the season's of Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose to see how brighly young stars can shine in the National Basketball Association.  But that's not to say that they've quite earned their place among the greats of the game just yet.  To be sure, there are stars, and then there are supernovas.  Let's take a look at the NBA's current Hall of Fame hopefuls, and who has some left to prove. 

Locks:

Fringe:

On Pace:

On the Waiting List:

Reggie Miller
Gary Payton
Chris Mullen
Kevin Johnson
Bernard King
Jo Jo White
Chris Webber
Anfernee Hardaway
Alonzo Mourning
Mitch Richmond

1. UCLA- Established: 1920.  11 championships (10 in 12 years) and 18 Final Four appearances. Wins: 1731.  Winning Percentage: .691.  Defining Coach: John Wooden Illustrious alumni:
   1. 1. Kareem Abdul-jabbar
      2. Bill Walton
      3. Gail Goodrich
      4. Reggie Miller
      5. Marques Johnson
      6. Jamaal Wilkes
      7. Baron Davis
      8. Sidney Wicks
      9. Willie Naulls
      10. Swen Nater
   2. Kentucky- Established: 1903.  8 championships and 15 Final Four appearances.  Wins: 2092.  Winning Percentage: .763  Defining Coach: Adolph Rupp.  Illustrious alumni: 
      1. Dan Issel
      2. Cliff Hagan
      3. Frank Ramsey
      4. Antoine Walker
      5. Rajon Rondo
      *also Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley
   3. UNC- Established: 1911.  5 championships and 18 Final Four appearances. Wins: 2065.  Winning Percentage: .738  Defining Coach: Dean Smith.  Illustrious alumni:
      1. Michael Jordan
      2. Bob McAdoo
      3. James Worthy
      4. Larry Brown
      5. Billy Cunningham
      6. Vince Carter
      7. Walter Davis
      8. Rasheed Wallace
      9. Jerry Stackhouse
      10. Sam Perkins/Antawn Jamison/Brad Daugherty
   4. Indiana- Established: 1901.  5 championships and 8 Final Four appearances.  Wins: 1687.  Winning Percentage: .637  Defining Coach: Bob Knight.  Illustrious alumni:
      1. Isiah Thomas
      2. Walt Bellamy
      3. George McGinnis
      4. Dick Van Ardsdale
      5. Tom Van Ardsdale
   5. Duke- Eastablished: 1906.  4 championships and 15 Final Four appearances. Wins: 1791.  Winning Percentage: .703  Defining Coach: Mike Krzyzewski.  Illustrious alumni: 
      1. Grant Hill
      2. Elton Brand
      3. Jeff Mullins
      4. Carlos Boozer
      5. Shane Battier
      6. Corey Maggette
      7. Luol Deng
      8. Mike Gminski
      9. Mike Dunleavy
      10. Christian Laettner
   6. Kansas- Established: 1899.  3 championships and 14 Final Four appearances.  Wins: 2070  Winning Percentage: .720  Defining Coach: Phog Allen.  Illustrious alumni:
      1. Wilt Chamberlain
      2. Clyde Lovellette
      3. Paul Pierce
      4. Danny Manning
      5. Jojo White
   7. Connecticut- Establised: 1901.  3 championships and 4 Final Four appearances.  Wins: 1513.  Winning Percentage: .637.  Defining Coach: Jim Calhoun.  Illustrious alumni:
      1. Ray Allen
      2. Richard Hamilton
      3. Clifford Robinson
      4. Caron Butler
      5. Rudy Gay
   8. Michigan St- Established: 1899.  2 championships and 8 Final Four appearances.  Wins: 1523.  Winning Percentage: .597.  Defining Coach: Tom Izzo.  Illustrious alumni:
      1. Magic Johnson
      2. Kevin Willis
      3. Zach Randolph
      4. Jason Richardson
      5. Steve Smith
   9. Louisville- Established: 1912.  2 championships and 9 Final Four appearances. Wins: 1662  Winning Percentage: .658.  Defining Coach: Rick Pitino. Illustrious alumni:
      1. Wes Unseld
      2. Junior Bridgeman
      3. Jack Coleman
      4. Rodney McCray
      5. Butch Beard
   10. Florida- Established: 1921 2 championships and 4 Final Four appearances. Wins: 1035.  Winning Percentage: .549  Defining Coach: Billy Donovan.  Illustrious alumni:
       1. Mike Miller
       2. Al Horford
       3. Jason Williams
       4. David Lee
       5. Vernon Maxwell
   *The tournament to determine a national champion began with 8 teams in 1939, expanded to 16 in 1951, 32 in 1975, and 64 in 1985.
   * Alumni are ranked according to eventual success on the professional level.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock like those guys from those obnoxious Geico commercials, you know that the Knicks recently traded their entire roster for Chauncey Billups and superstar Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster trade, giving both parties what they ultimately wanted. It felt like the first night of Chanukah for most Knick fans the night Carmelo made his debut at Madison Square Garden alongside Amar’e Stoudemire. The place was electric, and even against a team like the lowly Milwaukee Bucks, a playoff atmosphere swept through the arena that hadn’t been felt since the days when Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley were Knickerbockers. On paper, the Knicks seemingly had their own “big three”, with veteran point guard Chauncey Billups as lead maestro orchestrating the Knicks high-powered offense. But it has not exactly been a Garden party since ‘Melo has donned his sold out #7 Knicks jersey. The Knicks have been a mediocre 7-8, losing twice to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and losing last weekend to the awful Milwaukee Bucks, after being down 32-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Even the most optimistic of Knicks fans knew that there would be growing pains, bad losses and hiccups while this team transitioned into a formidable opponent, and no one was certain that this team would be a championship contender here in 2011, but nobody with a casual basketball IQ thought that this Knick team would be this unwatchable to start the Carmelo Anthony era. The Knicks have been as up and down as a see-saw, beating Miami one night, and losing to Indiana the next; so up and down, I am beginning to get motion sick. They play zero defense, which is to be expected in Coach Mike “No D” Antoni’s “shoot-first” system, but they simply cannot stop the opposing team in a big spot to save their lives. And now more than ever, they rely heavily on Carmelo Anthony to save the day, which is not exactly his forte. The Knicks are beyond predictable on offense. Carmelo takes 30 shots a game, and the Knicks supplement that with average three-point shooting, which ultimately dooms them down the stretch when they should be attacking the cup or feeding the ball to Amar’e, trying to draw fouls and get to the charity stripe.

I know, it’s only been 16 games since the Carmelo trade, but already I can see a problem with these new-look Knicks. Defense is a mindset and mentality, and the Knicks do not play to stop their opponents. They allow teams beneath them to run up and down the floor, ultimately putting the pressure on themselves to make the big shots, which they proved they cannot do all the time. After surrendering the 6th seed to the Sixers, and with 7th seed Indiana Pacers creeping up slowly behind them, time is running out to get themselves in gear for playoff time, assuming they can even remain in the hunt at this point. I am sure that the Knicks will sneak into the playoffs, get blasted by Boston or Orlando in the first round, thus verifying the extreme hike in season ticket prices next season to watch Carmelo take 30 shots and play no defense. But if the Knicks want to get us fans really excited, they need to install a mindset of defense first, and do it fast. Whether that means changing the coach or the philosophy, I do not care. But I think I speak for every Knick fan when I say that the Carmelo honeymoon is over, and we are getting quite tired of saying “there’s always next year” when it comes to our boys in blue & orange.

Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU

-The Jimmer should be an inspiration to us all. Hailing from Glen Falls, NY, the 6’2’’ guard is offensive juggernaut, leading his BYU Mormons to a 3 seed in this years NCAA tournament. Jimmer has dazzled this season, averaging 28.5 points and 4.2 dimes per contest, shoots 40% from downtown and is a no-brainer for Mountain West player of the year. As if his numbers weren’t impressive enough, he dropped a stunning 52-points against New Mexico in the Mountain West Tournament last week, which is nearly unheard of for a college basketball player. While it is a mystery of how Jimmer’s skills will translate to the NBA game, there is no doubt that he is a favorite to take POY honors back to upstate New York.

-Kemba Walker took over Madison Square Garden last week, from game-winning shots to clutch plays as the Huskies won themselves a Big East Crown. Kemba Walker did it all this season for UConn, averaging 23.5 points, 5.3 boards and 4.3 dimes per contest, while shooting a sparkling 43% from the field. The New York City native felt right at home as he propelled his team to Big East glory this week, but it is important to ask this question: Is there any one player more important to their team than Kemba Walker? He makes everyone around him better with his ability to dish, and has become extremely difficult to guard one-on-one because of his quickness. If the Huskies advance deep into March, it’ll be because of Kemba Walker.

-Nolan Smith should win ACC POY in a landslide this season, but it is his basketball IQ that has him in the running for NCAA POY. Nolan Smith has solid numbers this season, averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 boards per game, while shooting about 35% from three-point range. Nolan Smith started off this season playing second fiddle to super-stud Kyrie Irving, who went down with a season-ending injury early on. But Smith has done nothing but maximize his opportunity, leading Duke to an ACC tournament title, and paving the way for a number one seed, something that this Duke team needed desperately. Much like the Kemba Walker-Uconn relationship, Duke will go as far as Nolan Smith allows them to this March.

It’s official ladies and gentlemen. At 10:30PM Madison Square Garden time, The New York Knickerbockers finally landed their man, superstar baller Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. There is a lot to break down from this trade, from the move itself, to the players, to the Knicks and their new lease on life in the Eastern Conference. This is a very detailed and complicated trade, which is to be expected when a mega-star is dealt in the middle of a season, along with many haters criticizing and crushing the Knicks for giving up too much. But what’s done is done. Carmelo is a Knick. And Eastern Conference foes, beware.

From the very beginning, it was no secret that Carmelo Anthony wanted to come home. The man is a New York native, playing his college ball at Syracuse University to much fame. ‘Melo was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, where he became an immediate superstar. Carmelo can do it all on the offensive end of the court. He can shoot the basketball, drive and create opportunities for his teammates unlike many others, which is what makes him a top ten talent in the Association.

Over the past ten years, Madison Square Garden was a wasteland of sorts. A dumping ground for awful contracts, mind-boggling trades and pitiful draft picks which kept the Knicks in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. And I refuse to discuss Isiah Thomas, who ran the Knicks into the ground like a railroad spike with his ear-to-ear smile as he spent James Dolan’s money on disgraceful players for the better part of the decade. Let’s also not forget the Lebron debacle, which left Knick fans yearning for another superstar (no offense to Amar’e) to call the Garden home.

When you break this trade down, it was really a no-brainer. Carmelo Anthony is a top-ten NBA talent, talent that does not grow on trees. The Knicks did give up a lot, and there is no disputing that statement. But when you look at the bare parameters of the trade, what exactly did the Knicks give up that broke the camels back? Think of it like this: At the end of the season, The Knicks would’ve likely given up Wilson Chandler for cap relief in order to land a Carmelo Anthony or another big-name free agent, so Chandler is a wash. Raymond Felton was a nice surprise this season, but his numbers were certainly inflated because of Mike D’Antoni’s system and the acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire. So basically, the Knicks traded Felton for Billups straight up. Billups also has experience, a championship ring, a nickname of “Mr. Big shot” and now TWO mega-stars to feed to the ball to. I’m not losing any sleep over the loss of Raymond Felton, but thank you for the wonderful half-season in blue and orange. So then, you boil the trade down to sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari, who was streakier than Will Ferrell in Old School. Gallo was a fan favorite, but if you ask me who I’d rather have, him or Carmelo Anthony, it’s a joke. As for Mozgov, Curry and Randolph, I’ll take my chances with Shelden Williams, Balkman and Anthony Carter, who are all role-players by nature. And any GM knows that you can always add role players via the draft, free agency or even a point guard such as Deron Williams or Chris Paul, who may find it very attractive to come play in New York City with two mega-stars.

So now the Knick haters will unite, say that the Knicks gave up way too much, that Carmelo may not fit in the system, and blah blah blah you’re just jealous. Because in one half of a season, basketball has been restored to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks now have Amar’e, Carmelo and Billups running the floor in the World’s Most Famous Arena. I can only imagine the electricity come playoff time when the Garden is rocking, when the city is united. Met & Yankee Fans, Jet & Giant Fans, Ranger & Devil fans hugging and kissing in the streets because Carmelo and Stoudemire just made it rain the postseason. This is a dream come true for Knick fans of all ages. After years of embarrassment, the Knicks are back and raring to go. And it may not be this year, but Eastern Conference foes, beware of the Knickerbockers, and Carmelo Anthony.

1. UConn (Big East) Key Players: Kemba Walker, Alex Oriakhi
2. Butler (Horizon) Key Players: Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack
3. Kentucky (SEC) Key Players: Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones
4. Kansas (Big 12) Key Players: Marcus Morris, Markifeff Morris, Tyshawn Taylor
5. Ohio St (Big Ten) Key Players: Jared Sullinger, David Lighty
6. UNC (ACC) Key Players: Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, John Henson
7. Duke (ACC) Key Players: Kyle Singler, Kyrie Irving, Nolan Smith
8. VCU (CAA) Key Players: Jamie Skeen, Bradford Burgess
9. Florida (SEC) Key Players: Chandler Parsons, Erving Walker, Kenny Boyton
10. San Diego St (Mountain West) Key Players: Kawhi Leonard, Malcolm Thomas
11. Arizona (Pac-10) Key Players: Derrick Williams
12. Pitt (Big East) Key Players: Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee
13. Brigham Young (Mountain West) Key Players: Jimmer Fredette
14. Notre Dame (Big East) Key Players: Ben Hansborough, Tim Abromaitis
15. Purdue (Big Ten) Key Players: JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore
16. Wisconsin (Big Ten) Key Players: Jon Leuer, Jordan Taylor
17. Texas (Big 12) Key Players: Tristan Thompson, Jordan Hamilton
18. Syracuse (Big East) Key Players: Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, Fab Melo
19. Kansas St (Big East) Key Players: Jacob Pullen, Wally Judge
20. St. Johns (Big East) Key Players: Dwight Hardy, Justin Brownlee
21. Georgetown (Big East) Key Players: Austin Freemon, Chris Wright, Jordan Vaughn
22. West Virginia (Big East) Key Players: Casey Mitche, Kevin Jones
23. Louisville (Big East) Key Players: Preston Knowles
24. Florida St (ACC) Key Players: Chris Singleton
25. Washington (Pac-10) Key Players: Isaiah Thomas, Matthew Bryan-Amaning
26. Richmond (A10) Key Players: Justin Harper
27. Temple (A10) Key Players: Ramone Moore, Juan Fernandezll, Lavoy Allen
28. Xavier (A10) Key Players: Tu Holloway
29. Cincinnati (Big East) Key Players: Yancy Gates
30. Utah St (WAC) Key Players: Tai Wesley
31. Texas A&M (Big 12) Key Players: Khris Middleton
32. Marquette (Big East) Key Players: Jimmy Butler
33. Missouri (Big 12) Key Players: Marcus Denmon, Laurence Bowers, Kim English
34. Vanderbilt (SEC) Key Players: Jeffrey Taylor
35. UCLA (Pac-10) Key Players: Reeves Nelson
36. Illinois (Big Ten) Key Players: Demitri McCamey, Mike Davis
37. Wichita St (MVC)  NIT Champs
38. UNLV (Mountain West) Key Players: Chace Stanback, Chace Stanback
39. George Mason (CAA) Key Players: Ryan Pearson, Cam Long
40. Michigan (Big Ten) Key Players: Tim Hardaway Jr, Darius Morris
41. Villanova (Big East) Key Players: Corey Fisher, Mouphtaou Yarou
42. Michigan St (Big Ten) Key Players: Draymond Green, Kalin Lucas
43. Gonzaga (West Coast) Key Players: Steven Gray, Robert Sacre
44. Tennessee (SEC) Key Players: Tobias Harris, Scotty Hobson
45. Old Dominion (CAA) Key Players: Frank Hassell
46. Clemson (ACC) Key Players: Demontez Stitt, Jerai Grant
47. Penn St (Big Ten) Key Players: Talor Battle, Jeff Brooks
48. Belmont (A Sun) Key Players: Mick Hedgepeth
49. Georgia (SEC) Key Players: Trey Thompkins
50. Morehead St (Ohio Valley) Key Players: Kenneth Faried, Demonte Harper

I don’t want to mince words, so I’m just going to come right out and say it: The New York Knickerbockers are an awful disgrace and an even bigger disaster, and getting worse. As if the last decade of miserable play, inexplicably poor contracts, trades, coaching hires and front office shuffling wasn’t enough, the 2010 Knicks have already managed to usurp even the Isiah Thomas regime with their 3-8 start, in the midst of a 6 game losing skid. It is nearly impossible to point out the exact moment when the wheels fell off the Knicks train, but it has been god-awful for quite some time now. A once proud franchise is now in the bowels of the NBA, despite being one of the largest markets in the country. It seemed that this year might be different, with a new superstar and seemingly improved supporting cast in a run-and-gun offense. A season of hope perhaps, where New Yorkers could share a common interest, if nothing else – The Knicks are playing well again. Ask any New Yorker with a sports IQ, we have simply come to expect the worse from the Knicks every year. The Garden faithful hasn’t seen a championship since the early 1970’s, and so much as a watchable or competitive team since the 1999 fluke, which took the underdog Knicks to the NBA Finals against the Spurs in a lockout year. Since then, the Knicks have fallen from a perennial powerhouse to a 3rd-rate circus.

There was a brief glimmer of hope earlier this summer, when Lebron James duped us all into thinking he might take his talents to Manhattan and restore some credibility to a franchise that has not been relevant since Jeff Van Gundy and Latrell Sprewell were in the Garden spotlight. Knick fans hoped and dreamed of playoff hoops again, even if it was in the form of an 8th seed and a quick first round exit. The stars seemed to be lining up quite nicely too. Knicks' president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni got the Knicks under the salary cap, and sold us on the idea that the Knicks might land some big fish in the offseason. With a couple of superstars and some decent role players, the Knicks could’ve been in the upper crust of the softer eastern conference with a few strokes of the pen, thrusting themselves back into relevancy much like the Boston Celtics did when they signed their big three. But even with a blank check and the allure of New York City, the Knicks managed only one “mega star” in the form of power forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who has failed to live up to the hype of his $100 million contract thus far.

As I watched the Knicks get booed off the court in last week's loss to the pitiful Houston Rockets, it occurred to me that this team IS different than previous years. This season, there is zero light at the end of the tunnel. Zip. The team the Knicks trot on to the Garden floor will likely be their team for some time, with zero draft picks, Raymond Felton running the point, Danilo Gallinari hoisting up 3’s, a coach who doesn’t believe in defense, a clueless owner in the form of one James Dolan, and Isiah Thomas lurking in the background. What did Knicks fans do to deserve this? All we did was cheer our hearts out year after year and dream of watchable basketball at the World’s Most Famous Arena. We’re not asking very much here. Take me back to 1994, when the Knicks were in the NBA Finals with Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks and Anthony Mase-in-your-face with Pat Riley calling the shots. They played with tenacity, swagger and purpose. Now, Knicks fans know the season is over before it even starts.  Now, the Knicks are lucky to win 35 games. We are only eleven games into the 2010 season, and the Knicks have already drawn boos from the home crowd. I think Knick fans can all agree at this point, we just want to be competitive. All I want to do is be able to sit through a Knicks game without swearing at the TV and burying my head in my lap by halftime. Is that really so much to ask? So gear up Knicks fans, it’s going to be a long, cold winter at the World’s Most Famous arena. My only question is, how low can they go?