Breaking down the fringe Hall of Fame candidates for the class of 2018

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is set to announce its list of candidates for 2018 enshrinement Thursday afternoon under the newly revised eligibility requirements that shorten the waiting period for retired players from five years to three.

We can safely assume all-timers such as Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Ray Allen will get the call to the Hall. Among the candidates on the bubble for the class of 2018, several stand out for their intriguing resumes in the NBA, as well as at the collegiate and Olympic levels, respectively. Let's break down their chances.

Grant Hill

Years: 1994-2013
Teams: Pistons, Suns, Magic, Clippers

In his favor: Hill was a five-time All-NBA selection before ankle injuries derailed his career. After leaving the Pistons in 2000, he would make two All-Star appearances, bringing his career total to seven, though he played in just 47 regular-season games from 2000-2004. While Hill was not the same transcendent athlete who once garnered consideration as the heir apparent to Michael Jordan's throne, he was able to bolster his career counting stats as a role player with the Suns through his late 30s.

Hill's numbers - 16.7 points, six rebounds, 4.1 assists per game - are comparable to those of Hall of Fame forward Scottie Pippen, though the latter obviously enjoyed more team success as a member of the 1990s Chicago Bulls.

He never won that elusive title in the NBA, but Hill has two NCAA Championships (1991 and 1992) with the Duke Blue Devils and an Olympic gold medal from the 1996 Olympics with "Dream Team II."

Does he get in? Yes. Hill will join his 1995 co-Rookie of the Year, Kidd, in the Hall of Fame - likely in the class of 2018.

Shane Battier

Years: 2001-14
Teams: Grizzlies, Rockets, Heat

In his favor: Battier's case really hinges on how much stock voters put into his storied time at Duke. The Blue Devils standout capped his amateur career with an NCAA Championship, Final Four MOP, and just about every collegiate player of the year honor, including the Wooden Award, the Naismith College Player of the Year, the AP College Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and the Adolph Rupp Trophy.

He was largely a role player at the NBA level but still had his fair share of career highlights, including a significant role in the Rockets' 22-game winning streak during the 2007-08 season. At his peak as a defender, Battier was selected to back-to-back All-Defensive 2nd Teams in 2008 and 2009. He tacked on a pair of championships with the LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh's "Heatles" in 2012 and 2013.

Does he get in? Battier likely won't make the Basketball Hall of Fame, but he's a lock for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City.

Derek Fisher

Years: 1996-2014
Teams: Lakers, Warriors, Thunder, Jazz, Mavericks

In his favor: Fisher did win five championships with the Lakers - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010. However, some other players may have been involved in those successes as well.

Fisher averaged just 8.3 points and three assists for his career, filling his role as a weak-side supporting cast member in Phil Jackson's star-studded Triangle offense.

Does he get in? Nope, but his five rings are a nice consolation prize.

Jermaine O'Neal

Years: 1996-2014
Teams: Pacers, Trail Blazers, Heat, Suns, Celtics, Warriors, Raptors

In his favor: O'Neal was often in the right place at the wrong time, joining the Pacers the year after they lost in the Finals, getting traded to the Heat just as the last remnants of the 2006 Finals team were departing, joining an aging Celtics team in 2010, and playing his final season with Golden State right before the Warriors won their first of two titles in three seasons.

In his six-season peak from 2002-07, O'Neal averaged 20.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game, being selected to the All-Star Game in each campaign. While O'Neal's Pacers teams crossed paths with many colorful players, including Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose, Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace), Danny Granger, Stephen Jackson, Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller, and Al Harrington, they never really had a signature team or moment - unless you count the ill-fated 2004-05 team that was involved in "The Malice at the Palace."

Does he get in? O'Neal had a long, successful career, dotted by big personalities and a cruel sense of timeliness. It's unlikely he gets in, especially in an age when traditional big men have faded out of fashion.

Juwan Howard

Years: 1994-2013
Teams: Bullets/Wizards, Rockets, Mavericks, Nuggets, Heat, Magic, Trail Blazers, Bobcats

In his favor: Howard was a force through the first decade of his NBA career, averaging 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and three assists per game. He captured his lone All-Star selection and an All-NBA 3rd Team selection in the 1995-96 season. While a deep bench member of the 2011-12 Heat, he won his only NBA title, though his impact on the team's victory was minimal.

Howard's three-year run with Michigan, where he was an All-Region selection in the NCAA Tournament in 1993 and 1994, closes some ground, though he didn't really break out in college until his final season after Chris Webber had left to the NBA.

Does he get in? If Webber hasn't gotten the call by now, it would require some immense revisionist history for Howard to get in. Maybe the Hall of Fame will someday recognize the 1992-93 Fab Five team - Howard, Webber, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, and Jimmy King - and their impact on modern basketball, but that day is still far away.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)