20 Points to the Best List/Analysis of top 5 players in NBA HISTORY

[Goat Milk]

most of these lists don't even have magic! do you guys realize that kareem was the 2nd best player for all 5 rings!

[Goat Milk]

Larry Bird after losing the finals.

"Magic Johnson is amazing. He's the best player I've ever seen."

[FindTheLock]

most of these lists don't even have magic! do you guys realize that kareem was the 2nd best player for all 5 rings!

It's tough to weed the cream out when you can only pick 5. I personally rank bird over magic, but it's a close one. Kobe is in the top 10 even though I don't like him.

[rm18]

Larry Bird after losing the finals.

"Magic Johnson is amazing. He's the best player I've ever seen."

Michael Jordan after returning from baseball.

" This is Scottie's team now"

[convick]

1)Jordan - 6-0 in the Finals. One of the best scorers ever, obviously. Very good, if not great defender who finished with 2nd most steals ever.

2)Magic - Best PG of all-time. Carried the Lakers to three championships while Kareem wound down his career in LA.

3) Kareem - Best scoring center of all-time. Long, durable career allowed him to score an insane amount of points.

4) Bird - one of best shooters ever. underrated defensively. At the peak of career good for 6-8 assists a night.

5) Wilt - 100 points in a game. Jaw dropping stats any way you spin it.

Honorable mention

6) Kobe - 5 rings. Jordan 2.0 in every sense.
7) Shaq - 4 rings. Dominant. Unstoppable (when not on the FT line)
8) Russell - without a doubt best defensive player of all time. 11 rings. I have him this low because he was fairly average offensively.

[GOIRISH]

1.Michael Jordan
2.Michael Jordan
3.Michael Jordan
4.Michael Jordan
5.Michael Jordan

No ones even close

[Chi_archie]

listened to a radio show the other day and the hosts were laughing at callers saying Bird was in top 20 and that he was better than lebron.

I almost drove down there to ring their necks

[FindTheLock]

listened to a radio show the other day and the hosts were laughing at callers saying Bird was in top 20 and that he was better than lebron.

I almost drove down there to ring their necks

Some people just go by athleticism. Bird may not be a top 20 athlete, but he was definitely a top 20 basketball player in my opinion. I put him in my top 5 actually.

[Chi_archie]

he's in my top 5-ish. can't think through a list now

I know Oscar Robertson would be 5-ish too

Jerry West is another name that the younger generation doesn't venerate enough

Moses Malone? top 10?

[greenhippo]

Honorable Mentions: Shorter writeups, no order

John Havlicek: Guy was an accolades monster; 13 time All-Star, 8 time Champion, 11 time first or second team All-NBA, 8 time first or second team All-Defensive. All of this for a guy who never won the league MVP, but is 12th all-time in scoring. His 70-71 season is what Lebron James strives for.

Kobe Bryant: The quintessential best player still in the game, he's done it all. A 5 time champion, MVP, 14 time All-star, 12 time first or second All-defensive teams, 2 time scoring champ. He plays lockdown defense on one end of the court and will make you look silly hitting a fadeaway on the other end. A 12 time first or second All-NBA player, he's shown he's the go to guy to look at for the future generation of players.

Jerry West: Mr Laker, Mr NBA Logo. Man was so good he won Finals MVP when the other team won. With a career line of 27/6/7 he put up the numbers over a career reserved for all time great seasons. A 14 time All-star and 12 time first or second team All-NBA the number that sticks out the most is his steals, first taken record of in this last season, he put up 2.6 per game. Needless to say if steals were an accredited stat for his entire career Stockton would still today be looking up at the man.

[Goat Milk]

he's in my top 5-ish. can't think through a list now

I know Oscar Robertson would be 5-ish too

Jerry West is another name that the younger generation doesn't venerate enough

Moses Malone? top 10?

settle down. jerry west himself said bryant was the best laker ever.

[Chi_archie]

didn't say he was better than Kobe.... and athletes say shit all the time they don't mean

was Jordan really saying the Bulls were "scottie's team"?

I'm saying West was a great player, that no one under 45 thinks about for the most part. he deserves MORE recognition and to be part of conversations.

[No coincidences]

1> Michael Jordan: You can look at his scoring titles (10) or his highest season scoring average all-time (30.12) and his MVPs (5) but that only takes into account one aspect of the greatest basketball player ever. Three times he lead the league in steals, he was nominated to the All Defensive first team a record tying 9 times. Add to that his Defensive player of the year award in 1988 and his 10 first team all NBA and his list of accolades dwarfs anyone in comparison. A 3 time All-Star MVP, he showed that even against the best players in the world he was still head and shoulders above the rest.

2> Larry Bird: A player in today's game that averages Bird's career stats of 24/6/10 is considered an elite talent, Lebron James type numbers, if you will. Now imagine averaging that over the course of 13 years. A 3 time MVP and 3 time NBA Champion, Bird spearheaded the Celtics of the 80s in their yearly rivalry with Magic Johnson and Lakers. A model of consistency you could argue his worst season (19/8.5/7) would be in line with starting All-stars of today. Bird has taken his basketball talents and become the only person to win an NBA title, Coach of the Year and executive of the year. If you want to learn and understand the game of basketball, no man will teach as well as Mr Bird.

3> Hakeem Olajuwon: By my estimation the top center in the history of the game. You don't hear mention of Olajuwon's domination like you would Chamberlain or Oneal, but there is an 8-9 year stretch where The Dream was THE big man amongst the greatest generation of big men. He twice lead the league in rebounds and 3 times in blocked shots, during the 90-91 seasons he averaged 4.6 and 3.9 blocks per game respectively. Imagine a player now who averaged over 4 blocks a game, it seems unfathomable. DHoward who seems the be the consensus top center of today has a career high season average of 2.9 bpg, Olajuwon has that beat in 9 different seasons. 2 time Defensive player of the year, MVP, 6 All NBA first team and 9 time first or second team All Defensive. I will go on the line as saying if the Rockets of 1995 met with MJ's Bulls (Jordan did play and lost to the Magic) it would have been Jordan's biggest defeat of his career and the Rockets would have won the series in no less than 5 games.

4> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Follow the best center of all time with second best. Kareem's accolades will outshadow Olajuwon's but given timing of careers and level of opponents, gave the nudge to The Dream. A 6 time MVP and 6 time NBA Champion, Abdul-Jabbar rewrote the record books, 19 times he was selected to the All-star game, most players are lucky to be good for half that many years. 15 times selected to the first or second team All-NBA, 11 times to the first or second All-Defensive team, the guy could do anything and everything. As good as Kareem was on the defensive end, he equaled it on the offensive side, a stark contrast to a player like Russell who exceeded on one end but lacked on the other. The all-time scoring leader, Kareem shot 56% for his career and twice lead the league in scoring with a personal best 34.8 ppg early in his career.

5> Oscar Roberston: This place was for The Big O or Magic, went with my gut on this last choice. Career averages of 25.7/7.5/9.5, the guy was a walking triple double. When we get Sports Center coverage over Rondo or James getting a triple double during the regular season we need to be reminded that Roberston averaged one over the course of an entire season and has an unbreakable record of 181. Not only that but look closely, in his rookie year he put up 30/10/9.7 and his 4th year 31/9.9/11 he essentially averaged a triple double over the course of his first FIVE years. Over the course of his 14 years he was an All-star 12 times, 11 time first or second team All-NBA and league MVP. His career wasn't aided with stat pounding like those who play 17-20 years, he is 10th all time in scoring playing less games than anyone in the top 15 besides West.


Honorable mentions coming in just a minute.

Good list here, though I'd personally do a little shuffling and move Magic in for Olajuwon:

1) Jordan
2) Magic
3) Bird
4) Big O
5) Russell

Honorable: Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, and yes, LeBron. There have been five "freak" NBA players for their time re: what they could do physically: Wilt, Russell, Magic, Shaq and now LeBron. Given the era -- where athletes are at their virtual peak -- you have to include LBJ in the Top-10 in terms of what he can do. Physically speaking, he's off the charts and pound for pound one of the best the NBA has seen ever -- and I'm no LeBron fan by any stretch of the imagination.

[No coincidences]

listened to a radio show the other day and the hosts were laughing at callers saying Bird was in top 20 and that he was better than lebron.

I almost drove down there to ring their necks

From a pure basketball standpoint, we'd never seen anything like Bird and Magic when they entered the league some 30 years ago. To this day, we still haven't. They were the "bridge" players between great fundamental skills of yesteryear and freakish "new school" ability that made the NBA hit its peak in the 80's.

[Chi_archie]

you don't think Dr. J, Moses Malone, Dawkins, Gervin, david thompson had freakish ability?

[Goat Milk]

^ don't understand how a guy like russel that played no offense is top 5 all time. the greatest champion and defender yes but basketball is 60% offense. you don't see dennis rodman in any top 10 or even 20 discussions even though he put up outrageous rebounding numbers in modern basketball and def player awards and 5 rings.

[greenhippo]

you don't think Dr. J, Moses Malone, Dawkins, Gervin, david thompson had freakish ability?

I wish people talked about, or even knew, about The Iceman.

[2daBank]

Surprised no one is mentioning Karl Malone

If we are talking about players on their own merit, not champions, he has to be up there

Name a player who was more consistent than he was

And don't give me the "he was only good because of John Stockton" bull either

cant believe anyone had the balls to put Karl Malone in their top 5, ahead of Duncan no less...

id be embarassed to wright such a thing..

[No coincidences]

you don't think Dr. J, Moses Malone, Dawkins, Gervin, david thompson had freakish ability?

I meant the league as a whole. Yes, the number of athletes emerging in the 70's obviously increased, but they were much more hit and miss on league rosters before the Bird/Magic era. It's really hard to look back and judge the "lost" decade of the NBA in the 70's. A lot of bad/weird shit went down before Bird and Magic arrived.

[No coincidences]

^ don't understand how a guy like russel that played no offense is top 5 all time. the greatest champion and defender yes but basketball is 60% offense. you don't see dennis rodman in any top 10 or even 20 discussions even though he put up outrageous rebounding numbers in modern basketball and def player awards and 5 rings.

How can you compare Russell to Rodman? Wow Goat.

[Chi_archie]

also

dave corzine

[No coincidences]

cant believe anyone had the balls to put Karl Malone in their top 5, ahead of Duncan no less...

id be embarassed to wright such a thing..

Personally, Malone wouldn't even be in my Top 25.

[Sport_Fish]

Lol @ all the Russell hate.

What this league has evolved into, shows the importance of defense, which includes the ability to rebound. Good defense can create good offense, but not vice versa.

[No coincidences]

I wish people talked about, or even knew, about The Iceman.

I wasn't old enough to see Gervin play, but my dad told me stories about the Big O, Iceman and Tiny.

[No coincidences]

Lol @ all the Russell hate.

What this league has evolved into, shows the importance of defense, which includes the ability to rebound. Good defense can create good offense, but not vice versa.

Just ask yourself this re: Russell -- how many of the ELEVEN titles would the C's have won without him?

For Goat to question Russell and then throw some bullshit in about Rodman is absurd. I loved Rodman and I think he was an underrated component of championship teams, but in no way, shape or form can you say his game was comparable to Russell.

[Goat Milk]

How can you compare Russell to Rodman? Wow Goat.

I didn't compare them. Russel is in my top 15, rodman in my top 100. I'm just giving an example that while Russel is respected as a top 5 player ever, by those same standards, Rodman should be a top 25 30 player ever. Am I wrong?

[bruins35]

1 jordan
2 kobe
3majic
4bird
5lebron

[No coincidences]

I didn't compare them. Russel is in my top 15, rodman in my top 100. I'm just giving an example that while Russel is respected as a top 5 player ever, by those same standards, Rodman should be a top 25 30 player ever. Am I wrong?

That doesn't make sense. So if Russell is in your top 15 and Rodman is in your top 100, and I have Russell in my top 5, why would that automatically qualify Rodman as top 25-30? I don't even understand what you're saying there.

I'd love to see the 14 or so guys you personally have ahead of Russell -- the greatest defender, rebounder and champion the NBA has ever seen (or will ever see).

[jeffdane]

1. jordan
2. magic
3. kobe
4. lebron
5. oscar

hm: bird, wilt, kareem

[Goat Milk]

1. Jordan
2. Kobe (People will see why he's here when he's gone)
3. Magic
4. Bird
5. Kareem
6. Hakeem
7. Elgin Baylor
8. Duncan
9. Lebron James
10. Wilt
11. Big 0
12. Havilcic
13. Shaq
14. Bill Russell
15. Jerry West (he lost in the finals like 7 or 8 times otherwise he'd be hire)
16. Pistol Pete
17. Dr. J
18. David Robinson
19. Dirk
20. Isiah Thomas
21. Malone, Karl
22. Scottie Pippen

Some of these guys will eventually be replaced by players like Dwayne Wade and Kevin Durant.

[paco]

U mothefuckers better give Zeke his credit! Toughest pg to EVER play. Broke more bones than any player. Had more heart than any player.

[Le_Donk]

1) MJ
2) Lebron James
3) Magic Johnson
4) Shaq
5) Bill Russel

notable mentions:
larry bird, kareem, hakeem

[Chi_archie]

U mothefuckers better give Zeke his credit! Toughest pg to EVER play. Broke more bones than any player. Had more heart than any player.

didn't even crack the dream team roster with his contemporaries let alone be considered greater than the greats.

[Chi_archie]

[QUOTE=Goat Milk;15174760]1. Jordan
2. Kobe (People will see why he's here when he's gone)
3. Magic
4. Bird
5. Kareem
6. Hakeem
7. Elgin Baylor
8. Duncan
9. Lebron James
10. Wilt
11. Big 0
12. Havilcic
13. Shaq
14. Bill Russell
15. Jerry West (he lost in the finals like 7 or 8 times otherwise he'd be hire)
16. Pistol Pete
17. Dr. J
18. David Robinson
19. Dirk
20. Isiah Thomas
21. Malone, Karl
22. Scottie Pippen

Some of these guys will eventually be replaced by players like Dwayne Wade and Kevin Durant.[/QUOTE

I love Pistol Pete, but how can he be THAT high... if you include college or name recognition I guess....

look homework basketball!!!

[frogsrangers]

How can you watch this video and still not include Hakeem on your top 5?