City's 50 best players of all time

[Clayton]

Fight me....

1) Michael Jordan
2) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
3) Lebron James
4) Magic Johnson
5) Wilt Chamberlain
6) Shaq O'Neal
7) Larry Bird
8) Hakeem Olajuwon
9) Tim Duncan
10) Kobe Bryant
11) Oscar Robertson
12) Bill Russell
13) Jerry West
14) Kevin Durant
15) David Robinson
16) Karl Malone
17) Julius Erving
18) Moses Malone
19) Steph Curry
20) Charles Barkley
21) Elgin Baylor
22) Dirk Nowitzki
23) Kevin Garnett
24) John Havlicek
25) Dwyane Wade
26) Bob Pettit
27) John Stockton
28) Isiah Thomas
29) Clyde Drexler
30) Patrick Ewing
31) Rick Barry
32) Scottie Pippen
33) Elvin Hayes
34) Gary Payton
35) Allen Iverson
36) George Mikan
37) Kevin McHale
38) Steve Nash
39) Dominique Wilkins
40) Jason Kidd
41) George Gervin
42) Kawhi Leonard
43) Chris Paul
44) Walt Frazier
45) Willis Reed
46) Bob Cousy
47) Paul Pierce
48) Adrian Dantley
49) James Harden
50) Dolph Schayes

I have some issues with this here and there but for the most part its pretty good. (I think Shaq, Durant, David Robinson and Karl Malone could all move down a few spots)

I get the prime Shaq argument, though. I just think that watching the NBA at the time, the longevity of Duncan and the iconic nature of Kobe push him down to third between those players. imo

 

[tducey]

Some good lists here, I don't have a top 50 but here's a top 10:

1. Jordan
2. Kareem
3. Wilt
4. Magic
5. Bird
6. Lebron
7. Bryant
8. Shaq
9. Duncan
10. Hakeem

 

[CitySushi]

I have some issues with this here and there but for the most part its pretty good. (I think Shaq, Durant, David Robinson and Karl Malone could all move down a few spots)

I get the prime Shaq argument, though. I just think that watching the NBA at the time, the longevity of Duncan and the iconic nature of Kobe push him down to third between those players. imo

Yeah Shaq is always hard to figure out a landing spot for me. Sometimes I have him closer to 10. But this time around, I just was looking on it as an individual basis. I don't think there's any question though he was better than Duncan.

As for moving Durant, Robinson and Karl Malone down, who would you put ahead of them? I think for as great as Dr. J was, KD's surpassed him. Robinson is better than Moses. Only of one of those 3 I can see moving down is Malone, which would be understandable.

 

[logic]

Dirk was unstoppable...defense wasn't his forte but he could do everything else on the floor and his shot was unblockable. His post up fade was undefendable and he won a championship with a bunch of role players. Ole Billy was a role player on a team that 6 HOFrs...there is no comparison...Dirk is much better

he could score. He was one of the first 7footers to play outside, so he could shoot over everyone. He had mediocre to poor defense and was not a great rebounder for a 7 footer. He is basically Reggie Miller + a few inches.

 

[Mecca]

Move the Dream higher and ......yep.

 

[Mecca]

he could score. He was one of the first 7footers to play outside, so he could shoot over everyone. He had mediocre to poor defense and was not a great rebounder for a 7 footer. He is basically Reggie Miller + a few inches.

Sam Perkins says, Sup.....

He wasn't elite like Dirk.

But, Sam was.......smoooooth.

 

[tlance]

Russell was also a great shot blocker the the backbone of the greatest dynasty the league's ever seen. But he belongs in the top 50. Steve Nash but not Russell? You have George Mikan listed who's career FG% is .404. Now that's funny since you mentioned Russell's FG%.

Yeah.

Russell is definitely a top 50 player.

He is also very overrated.

Personally, I think the perfect spot for him is right next to wherever you rank Scottie Pippen. For me that would probably be somewhere around 25.

And no, I don’t think Russell would be an all time great if he played in the modern era. But he didn’t play in the modern era and you can’t argue his accomplishments.

 

[tlance]

I also think Kawhi has potential to really shoot up these lists in the next couple years.

 

[thunderc]

Your top 10 is pretty solid, really like Kareem at 2. He wrongly gets left out of the Goat conversation.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I also think Kawhi has potential to really shoot up these lists in the next couple years.

Wanted to put him in the top 50 and take Harden out tbh

 

[Shanemansj13]

he could score. He was one of the first 7footers to play outside, so he could shoot over everyone. He had mediocre to poor defense and was not a great rebounder for a 7 footer. He is basically Reggie Miller + a few inches.

A Reggie Miller comparison is not a good comparison and Reggie wasnt in my top 50

 

[tlance]

Wanted to put him in the top 50 and take Harden out tbh

I think there is absolutely no question that Kawhi is a better player. Both today and in term of all time great accomplishments.

If he gets an MVP and and another ring over the next 2 years, he will leap all the way to top 15.

 

[Wamu]

Yeah.

Russell is definitely a top 50 player.

He is also very overrated.

Personally, I think the perfect spot for him is right next to wherever you rank Scottie Pippen. For me that would probably be somewhere around 25.

And no, I don’t think Russell would be an all time great if he played in the modern era. But he didn’t play in the modern era and you can’t argue his accomplishments.

In todays game I think he'd be a damn good defensive player (rebounding/shot blocking). But that doesn't equal all time great status.

 

[Mecca]

Your top 10 is pretty solid, really like Kareem at 2. He wrongly gets left out of the Goat conversation.

I have him at #2.

6 NBA Chips.

6 MVP's.

3 NCAA Chips.

Leading Scorer....IN HISTORY.

LeBron is great.

I have him FIRMLY 3rd.

But....

Kareem > Recency Bias


....and you LeBron fan boys...

Please don't @me about High School.

KAJ won 71 consecutive High School basketball games.

So, just tap out on this one.

 

[trojanfan12]

he could score. He was one of the first 7footers to play outside, so he could shoot over everyone. He had mediocre to poor defense and was not a great rebounder for a 7 footer. He is basically Reggie Miller + a few inches.

Agree on the defense. In his prime, he was actually a solid rebounder averaging about 8-10 per game. Not too bad, especially considering that he spent a fair amount of time on the perimeter. But yeah, not great.

That 1 legged fall back shot of his was the most unblockable shot since Kareem's skyhook.

 

[ThereIsNoPlace]

1) Michael Jordan
2) Michael Jordan
3) Michael Jordan
5) Michael Jordan
6) Michael Jordan
7) Michael Jordan
8) Michael Jordan
9) Michael Jordan
10) Michael Jordan
11) Michael Jordan
12)Michael Jordan
13) Michael Jordan
14) Michael Jordan
15) David Robinson
16) Michael Jordan
17) Michael Jordan
18) Michael Jordan
19) Michael Jordan
20) Michael Jordan
21) Michael Jordan
22) Michael Jordan
23) Michael Jordan
24) Michael Jordan
25) Michael Jordan
26) Bob Pettit
27) Michael Jordan
28) Michael Jordan
29) Michael Jordan
30) Michael Jordan
31) Michael Jordan
32) Scottie Pippen
33) Michael Jordan
34) Michael Jordan
35) Michael Jordan
36) Michael Jordan
37) Michael Jordan
38) Michael Jordan
39) Michael Jordan
40) Michael Jordan
41) Michael Jordan
42) Michael Jordan
43) Michael Jordan
44) Michael Jordan
45) Michael Jordan
46) Michael Jordan
47) Michael Jordan
48) Michael Jordan
49) Michael Jordan
50) Lebron James

 

[tlance]

I have him at #2.

6 NBA Chips.

6 MVP's.

3 NCAA Chips.

Leading Scorer....IN HISTORY.

LeBron is great.

I have him FIRMLY 3rd.

But....

Kareem > Recency Bias


....and you LeBron fan boys...

Please don't @me about High School.

KAJ won 71 consecutive High School basketball games.

So, just tap out on this one.

Definitely a fair argument.

I have to take LeBron though, for 1 simple reason.

The talent pool is just so much deeper today. Both had equally long periods where they were hands down the best player in the NBA. Only time will tell if LBJ can approach Kareem’s longevity.

But I think it is a lot harder to be the best player in the league in the modern era than it was in the 70s and 80s.

 

[Mecca]

Definitely a fair argument.

I have to take LeBron though, for 1 simple reason.

The talent pool is just so much deeper today. Both had equally long periods where they were hands down the best player in the NBA. Only time will tell if LBJ can approach Kareem’s longevity.

But I think it is a lot harder to be the best player in the league in the modern era than it was in the 70s and 80s.

Well, my retort to this statement is pretty simple...

 

[logic]

A Reggie Miller comparison is not a good comparison and Reggie wasnt in my top 50

A scoring specialist, team leader with little defensive prowess and some other decent stats. Why is it a bad comparison.
And, of course I noticed he wasn't in your top 50; kind of the point.

 

[trojanfan12]

But I think it is a lot harder to be the best player in the league in the modern era than it was in the 70s and 80s.

Disagree. From at least the mid-70's on, it's always been hard to be the best player in the game.

I don't believe it's any harder now than it was then. To be the best player, you have to be an HoF, all time great level player.

You can make a case that pre-70's, when the league was mainly a bunch of white guys, that it's was easier to be the best player.

But since the league became fully integrated, I think it's basically equally difficult in each era.

It may have been slightly less difficult in an era where there was expansion which can temporarily dilute the talent pool. But even then, I think the difference is fairly negligible.