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Milwaukee Bucks: 4 greatest Bucks not yet in the Hall of Fame

By Jordan Treske

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - FEBRUARY 7: Former Arkansas Razorback Sidney Moncrief speaks during a banner unveiling the during halftime of a game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena on February 7, 2015 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs 61-41. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - FEBRUARY 7: Former Arkansas Razorback Sidney Moncrief speaks during a banner unveiling the during halftime of a game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena on February 7, 2015 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs 61-41. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – 1981: (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON – 1981: (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Marques Johnson

From one renowned Bucks swingman to another, Marques Johnson is still waiting on his call to the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Johnson’s Hall of Fame bid draws similarities to Moncrief in the sense that his peak as a player wasn’t as extended as some of the elite level players playing at that time. However, Johnson’s pinnacle, all of which came during his seven seasons with the Bucks, is indisputable in terms of how the Louisiana native made his mark on the league during his 11-year career.

The various honors that Johnson racked up during his stay in the league include being named an All-Star five times, earning All-NBA honors on three separate occasions and coming in at sixth in MVP voting for the 1980-81 season.

Beyond that, though, the innovative role Johnson played in and mastered set a blueprint for how current stars are utilized, including Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, as my co-site expert Adam McGee touched on in his piece regarding Johnson’s lasting legacy last year.

The swing factor in evaluating Johnson’s Hall of Fame case is taking into account what he accomplished in college at UCLA, where he won a national championship in 1975, won the inaugural John Wooden award in 1977, and was later inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Johnson’s long awaited entry into the Naismith Hall of Fame isn’t the only thread hanging over potential celebrations of his career, considering his No. 8 jersey has yet to be retired by the Bucks’ organization.

While Johnson asserted the latter may be coming soon as he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier this summer, it’s unclear whether his entry into the Hall of Fame could meet the same happy ending.

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