Which Cal Athletes Will Join Jeff Kent as Hall of Famers?

Who’s next?

Jeff Kent became Cal’s first member of the baseball Hall of Fame when he was inducted during ceremonies at Cooperstown, NY on Sunday.

Kent is part of a select group of Golden Bears who have found their way into the major sports halls of fame.

Cal has just two representatives each in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Will that change in the foreseeable future? Let’s look at the possible candidates:

Marcus Semien | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Baseball Hall of Fame

Current Cal member(s): Jeff Kent

Potential inductee(s):

MARCUS SEMIEN

Argument in favor: The 35-year-old second baseman/shortstop is playing for the New York Mets in his 14th MLB season. He was three times a third-place finisher in the AL MVP voting, including in 2021 when he had 45 home runs, 102 RBIs and a league-leading 122 runs scored for the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2023, he led the Texas Rangers to their first World Series title. He has 264 career home runs and has been a durable player who four times led the AL in plate appearance.

Argument against: Semien has not sustained his peak seasons, and carries a pedestrian .251 career batting average. He has assembled a very nice career, but the Hall of Fame is a high standard.

Hall chances: 10 percent

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Current Cal members: Tony Gonzalez, Les Richter

Potential inductees:

MARSHAWN LYNCH

Argument in favor: Rushed for 10,413 yards and 85 touchdowns in his career while earning five Pro Bowl nods. He topped 1,000 yards in six different seasons, including 2013 when he helped the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl crown. Lynch was chosen to the NFL 2010’s All-Decade Team.

Argument against: On the Hall of Fame ballot the past two years, Lynch did not make the cut to be among 25 finalists either time. He remains eligible for the 2027 voting, when perhaps he will garner more support.

Hall chances: 40 percent

AARON RODGERS

Argument in favor: A four-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowl selection, Rodgers is set to begin his 22nd NFL season, his second with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rodgers is tied for first in league history in passer rating (102.2), fourth in touchdown passes (527) and fifth in passing yards (66.274).

Argument against: Not much to quibble about here. Critics may point to the fact that he “only” won a single Super Bowl. Dan Marino would happily accept that fate.

Hall chances: 100 percent

KEENAN ALLEN

Argument in favor: The wide receiver ranks 13th all-time with 1,055 career receptions, a resume that includes five seasons of at least 100 catches. The 34-year-old, who played last season with the L.A. Chargers, is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and has scored 70 career touchdowns.

Argument against: A skilled possession receiver, Allen has never been a game-breaker and has never made a first- or second-team All Pro list. He has made minimal postseason impact, with just 23 catches in six playoff games.

Hall chances: 30 percent

CAMERON JORDAN

Argument in favor: The 37-year-old defensive end will begin his 16th NFL season this fall, all of them with the New Orleans Saints. An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, he ranked 22nd in NFL history with 132 career sacks. He was first-team All-Pro in 2017, second-team two other times.

Argument against: Jordan has not gotten to play on the NFL’s biggest stage, still waiting for his first Super Bowl appearance.

Hall chances: 50 percent

JARED GOFF

Argument in favor: The 31-year-old will begin his 11th NFL season poised to move ahead of the likes of Johnny Unitas and Joe Montana on the career passing yardage list. Goff has thrown for 39,622 yards with 256 touchdowns and has topped 4,000 yards six times.

Argument against: Goff has not always delivered in the post season. He and the Los Angeles Rams lost 13-3 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII following the 2018 regular season, and he was intercepted three times last season in a first-round playoff loss to Washington.

Hall chances: 50 percent

Jaylen Brown | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Current Cal members: Pete Newell, Jason Kidd

Potential inductee(s):

JAYLEN BROWN

Argument in favor: The 29-year-old wing is coming off his finest season, with career-best numbers of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while earning second-team All-NBA honors for the second time and finishing sixth in MVP voting. He is a five-time All-Star who won MVP honors for his performances in the Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals in 2024 when the Boston Celtics won the championship.

Argument against: Questions remain about what factors led the Celtics trading him this offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers. That will be forgotten if Brown and newly acquired LeBron James help power Philly to an NBA title.

Hall chances: 65 percent

Alex Morgan | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

National Soccer Hall of Fame

Current Cal members: Joy Fawcett, Brandi Chastain, Mary Harvey

Potential inductee(s):

ALEX MORGAN

Argument in favor: The 37-year-old was a dynamo strikers who helped the U.S. women’s national team to World Cup crowns in 2015 and 2019. A three-time Olympian, she score 123 goals with 53 assists in 224 national-team appearances. She also played 14 years professionally in the U.S. and overseas.

Argument against: None, although she is not yet eligible based on having just retired in September 2024.

Hall chances: 100 percent

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