Greatest NBA Player

[Cordelier]

Jamaal Wilkes had the same reputation. I watched much of the playoffs when Barry and Golden State won the NBA title around 1975 or so. Barry was the big star but Wilkes did lots of the little things that lead to a sweep IIRC

Exactly - I recall the late, great John Wooden saying pretty much the same thing about Wilkes when he was playing at the end of his epic run at UCLA - that he was pretty much the best all-round player he had ever seen. That's about the highest praise I can think of when it comes to basketball.

 

[Cordelier]

Very selfish player. I never have seen him pass the ball.

Well, that's because you don't typically pass the ball from the low post.... passing is what you do to get to the low post.

 

[TurtleDude]

Exactly - I recall the late, great John Wooden saying pretty much the same thing about Wilkes when he was playing at the end of his epic run at UCLA - that he was pretty much the best all-round player he had ever seen. That's about the highest praise I can think of when it comes to basketball.

James Worthy was similar but JW was bit smoother and more efficient IMHO. Wilkes did so many of the little things that average fans miss.

 

[Cordelier]

James Worthy was similar but JW was bit smoother and more efficient IMHO. Wilkes did so many of the little things that average fans miss.

I can't disagree with that... but I'd add that Worthy was a better baseline defender.

 

[Bucky]

By that criteria, John Stockton is the greatest NBA player of all time.

He is better than Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul.

 

[Cordelier]

He is better than Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul.

I'd agree with Payton and Kidd. Not on Paul, though. I think Stockton was a slightly better passer, but Paul is a far better scorer. You give a little, but get a lot picking Paul over Stockton.

 

[Bucky]

By that criteria, John Stockton is the greatest NBA player of all time.

Here's the difference.

Stockton played his ENTIRE career with another top-50 player in Karl Malone.

Jordan won 6 rings with another top-50 player in Scottie Pippen.

LeBron has NEVER played with a top-50 player. He won with players like Matthew Dellavedova, JR Smith, Chris "Birdman" Anderson, etc....He was a one-man show.

Imagine if LeBron James had played with Kevin Durant his entire career. We would be talking about 6-8 rings already.

 

[VanceMack]

Here's the difference.

Stockton played his ENTIRE career with another top-50 player in Karl Malone.

Jordan won 6 rings with another top-50 player in Scottie Pippen.

LeBron has NEVER played with a top-50 player. He won with players like Matthew Dellavedova, JR Smith, Chris "Birdman" Anderson, etc....He was a one-man show.

Imagine if LeBron James had played with Kevin Durant his entire career. We would be talking about 6-8 rings already.

:lamo

LeBron wasnt even the best player on his Championship team in Miami. He had D Wade and Chris Bosh to carry him. In Cleveland, he played well, but they wouldnt have come close to winning the championship without Kyrie and Love.

but is THAT your criteria then? Championships? Because if thats the case there are a whole lot of people that are ahead of him on that score.

This discussion remains not about the best TEAM player but the best NBA player...period. It aint LeBron.

 

[Bucky]

:lamo

LeBron wasnt even the best player on his Championship team in Miami. He had D Wade and Chris Bosh to carry him. In Cleveland, he played well, but they wouldnt have come close to winning the championship without Kyrie and Love.

but is THAT your criteria then? Championships? Because if thats the case there are a whole lot of people that are ahead of him on that score.

This discussion remains not about the best TEAM player but the best NBA player...period. It aint LeBron.

Claiming that Chris Bosh was the best player on the Miami Heat team?

:lamo

You are banned from talking about basketball, period.

Dwayne Wade has only made all-nba first team twice in his career. LeBron has done it 12 times, Chris Bosh Kyrie Irvin and Kevin Love combined? ZERO.

And LeBron nearly beat the Warriors by himself when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love got hurt. Kryie Irving has done nothing since leaving Cleveland.

 

[VanceMack]

Claiming that Chris Bosh was the best player on the Miami Heat team?

:lamo

You are banned from talking about basketball, period.

Dwayne Wade has only made all-nba first team twice in his career. LeBron has done it 12 times, Chris Bosh Kyrie Irvin and Kevin Love combined? ZERO.

And LeBron nearly beat the Warriors by himself when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love got hurt. Kryie Irving has done nothing since leaving Cleveland.

:lamo

Reading is fundamental. If you struggle with comprehension, get someone to help you with the big words.

You are on LeBrons jock like you were on Brady's...til he left you. Look at you now. Thats how little credibility you have on this or any other topic.

 

[Bucky]

:lamo

Reading is fundamental. If you struggle with comprehension, get someone to help you with the big words.

You are on LeBrons jock like you were on Brady's...til he left you. Look at you now. Thats how little credibility you have on this or any other topic.

You claimed Dwade and Chris Bosh carrying LeBron is laughable. In-Game 7 against the Spurs, Bosh, and Allen combined scored 0 points. So please tell me how a player that scored 0 points help carry the GOAT to the title?

 

[Bucky]

:lamo

Reading is fundamental. If you struggle with comprehension, get someone to help you with the big words.

You are on LeBrons jock like you were on Brady's...til he left you. Look at you now. Thats how little credibility you have on this or any other topic.

Credibility?

Credibility?

You have no credibility on the subject matter.

 

[Higgins86]

Here is what I find interesting.

In the Brady debate many posters say rings alone don't make you the best ( despite is large number of individual records as well) but then when its MJ vs LeBron you all say the exact opposite lol. Suddenly stats are not as important because once again nostalgia is the biggest factor in play.

 

[haymarket]

Of All-Time

(in order)


1. Michael Jordan
2. Magic Johnson
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4. Larry Bird
5. Bill Russel
6. Shaquille O'Neal
7. Kobe Bryant
8. LeBron James
9. Tim Duncan
10. Hakeem Olajuwan

Honorable Mentions:

(not in order)

Wilt Chamberlain
Oscar Robertson
Julius Erving
Moses Malone
Karl Malone
Scottie Pippen
Steph Curry
Jerry West
Isiah Thomas

Wilt Chamberlain was the single most dominant player I have ever seen. He revolutionized the game and changed the way the position of center is played. The only contemporary of his that came close was Bill Russell.

Larry Bird was the best team player I have ever seen. Just look at the Celtics record for two years without him and the next two years with him. He joined a far worse team that Magic did.

My five would be Wilt at center, Bird and Lebron at forwards and Magic and Dr. J at guard. I know he played small forward but I just cannot leave him off the team.

 

[VanceMack]

Credibility?

Credibility?

You have no credibility on the subject matter.

1...its an opinion. 2-I still maintain Wilt Chamberlain is the single greatest NBA player to ever play the game. 3-I dont switch allegiances and cry in my pillow and act like a jilted lover because a player signs with another team.

Credibility? ya gots none.

 

[Bodi]

Here is what I find interesting.

In the Brady debate many posters say rings alone don't make you the best ( despite is large number of individual records as well) but then when its MJ vs LeBron you all say the exact opposite lol. Suddenly stats are not as important because once again nostalgia is the biggest factor in play.

I argue the same in both... check out my Greatest QB List in the other thread. I have Brady at 6, or something... behind Rogers, Elway and Manning.

EDIT:

ALL-TIME

1. Joe Montana
2. John Elway
3. Aaron Rogers
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Tom Brady
7. Steve Young
8. Dan Marino
9. Drew Brees
10. Brett Favre

 

[Higgins86]

I argue the same in both... check out my Greatest QB List in the other thread. I have Brady at 6, or something... behind Rogers, Elway and Manning.

EDIT:

ALL-TIME

1. Joe Montana
2. John Elway
3. Aaron Rogers
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Tom Brady
7. Steve Young
8. Dan Marino
9. Drew Brees
10. Brett Favre

Putting Rodgers in front of Brady is actually mental.

But that aside why would Is Jordon your no 1 given your NFL QB list? Surely it should be LeBron given his numbers?

 

[armycowboy]

1...its an opinion. 2-I still maintain Wilt Chamberlain is the single greatest NBA player to ever play the game. 3-I dont switch allegiances and cry in my pillow and act like a jilted lover because a player signs with another team.

Credibility? ya gots none.

I dont hate that, but I would definitely put Jordan at the 2 over Dr J. Also one can argue Duncan over Bird at the 4.

 

[Bodi]

Putting Rodgers in front of Brady is actually mental.

But that aside why would Is Jordon your no 1 given your NFL QB list? Surely it should be LeBron given his numbers?

I actually go back and forth between Magic and Jordan being 1 because of that. LeBron just benefited from a seriously weak Eastern Conference and not as many great teams that they had to beat. The only Great Team that they beat was the one against Golden State when they didn't even really beat them.... Golden State lost it after that huge 73 win season. The other three years Golden State trounced LeBron. Magic went against and beat the Celtics, The Pistons and the 76ers. Jordan beat the Lakers, Pistons, Trailblazers and the Jazz... AND Barkley. Even when LeBron got to the finals many were against mediocre teams like the Mavericks and Oklahoma... and they barely beat the Spurs who came back and smoked them the next year. It is not just winning it is who you beat, in Basketball.

 

[ecofarm]

Alonzo Mourning

 

[Rexedgar]

Greatest ad......

 

[Bucky]

I actually go back and forth between Magic and Jordan being 1 because of that. LeBron just benefited from a seriously weak Eastern Conference and not as many great teams that they had to beat. The only Great Team that they beat was the one against Golden State when they didn't even really beat them.... Golden State lost it after that huge 73 win season. The other three years Golden State trounced LeBron. Magic went against and beat the Celtics, The Pistons and the 76ers. Jordan beat the Lakers, Pistons, Trailblazers and the Jazz... AND Barkley. Even when LeBron got to the finals many were against mediocre teams like the Mavericks and Oklahoma... and they barely beat the Spurs who came back and smoked them the next year. It is not just winning it is who you beat, in Basketball.

Jordan benefited from a weak Eastern Conference.

 

[Bodi]

Jordan benefited from a weak Eastern Conference.

The Pistons, Knicks and Indiana were not weak... Besides, he had to beat the Lakers, Trailblazers, Barkley and the Suns and Utah twice... utterly negating any semblance of an argument that you were trying to make... :lol:

 

[Bucky]

The Pistons, Knicks and Indiana were not weak... Besides, he had to beat the Lakers, Trailblazers, Barkley and the Suns and Utah twice... utterly negating any semblance of an argument that you were trying to make... :lol:

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

Beat the Lakers - when their dynasty ended
Beat the Pistons and Celtics - when they were past their prime.

Who who who did LeBron beat? Two dynasties in the Warriors and Spurs. He beat the OKC Thunder, a team with 3 Hall of famers.

 

[Bucky]

The Pistons, Knicks and Indiana were not weak... Besides, he had to beat the Lakers, Trailblazers, Barkley and the Suns and Utah twice... utterly negating any semblance of an argument that you were trying to make... :lol:

Can you really compare beating the Utah Jazz twice with beating a dynasty in the Warriors and another dynasty in the Spurs?

The Warriors won MORE GAMES THAN any other team in the history of the NBA.

The Spurs? Duncan, Leonard, Manu, Parker, that's 4 HOF'ers. Bron still beat em'