City's top 15 of all time (each position)

[CitySushi]

Here goes nothing....

Point Guard

1. Magic Johnson
2. Oscar Robertson
3. Jerry West
4. Steph Curry
5. John Stockton
6. Isiah Thomas
7. Gary Payton
8. Steve Nash
9. Jason Kidd
10. Chris Paul
11. Walt Frazier
12. Russell Westbrook
13. Bob Cousy
14. Tiny Archibald
15. Dennis Johnson

Shooting Guard

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Dwyane Wade
4. Clyde Drexler
5. Allen Iverson
6. George Gervin
7. Tracy McGrady
8. Ray Allen
9. Vince Carter
10. Reggie Miller
11. Pete Marivich
12. Mitch Richmond
13. Manu Ginobili
14. Earl Monroe
15. Joe Dumars

Small Forward

1. Lebron James
2. Larry Bird
3. Kevin Durant
4. Julius Erving
5. Scottie Pippen
6. John Havlicek
7. Elgin Baylor
8. Rick Barry
9. Dominique Wilkins
10. Paul Pierce
11. Adrian Dantley
12. Alex English
13. Kawhi Leonard
14. James Worthy
15. Bernard King

Power Forward

1. Tim Duncan
2. Karl Malone
3. Kevin Garnett
4. Charles Barkley
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Bob Pettit
7. Elvin Hayes
8. Kevin McHale
9. Dolph Schayes
10. Jerry Lucas
11. Tommy Heinsohn
12. Pau Gasol
13. Dennis Rodman
14. Chris Webber
15. Dave DeBusschere

Centers

1. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar
2. Shaq O'Neal
3. Hakeem Olajuwon
4. Wilt Chamberlain
5. David Robinson
6. Moses Malone
7. George Mikan
8. Bill Russell
9. Patrick Ewing
10. Artis Gilmore
11. Walt Bellamy
12. Dave Cowens
13. Yao Ming
14. Bill Walton
15. Alonzo Mourning

 

[Mecca]

Here goes nothing....

Point Guard

1. Magic Johnson
2. Oscar Robertson
3. Jerry West
4. Steph Curry
5. John Stockton
6. Isiah Thomas
7. Gary Payton
8. Steve Nash
9. Jason Kidd
10. Chris Paul
11. Walt Frazier
12. Russell Westbrook
13. Bob Cousy
14. Tiny Archibald
15. Dennis Johnson

Shooting Guard

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Dwyane Wade
4. Clyde Drexler
5. Allen Iverson
6. George Gervin
7. Tracy McGrady
8. Ray Allen
9. Vince Carter
10. Reggie Miller
11. Pete Marivich
12. Mitch Richmond
13. Manu Ginobili
14. Earl Monroe
15. Joe Dumars

Small Forward

1. Lebron James
2. Larry Bird
3. Kevin Durant
4. Julius Erving
5. Scottie Pippen
6. John Havlicek
7. Elgin Baylor
8. Rick Barry
9. Dominique Wilkins
10. Paul Pierce
11. Adrian Dantley
12. Alex English
13. Kawhi Leonard
14. James Worthy
15. Bernard King

Power Forward

1. Tim Duncan
2. Karl Malone
3. Kevin Garnett
4. Charles Barkley
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Bob Pettit
7. Elvin Hayes
8. Kevin McHale
9. Dolph Schayes
10. Jerry Lucas
11. Tommy Heinsohn
12. Pau Gasol
13. Dennis Rodman
14. Chris Webber
15. Dave DeBusschere

Centers

1. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar
2. Shaq O'Neal
3. Hakeem Olajuwon
4. Wilt Chamberlain
5. David Robinson
6. Moses Malone
7. George Mikan
8. Bill Russell
9. Patrick Ewing
10. Artis Gilmore
11. Walt Bellamy
12. Dave Cowens
13. Yao Ming
14. Bill Walton
15. Alonzo Mourning

Yeesh.

I.........

I really want to say that Kidd was better than Nash.

But, it doesn't feel right.

Kawhi better than Worthy?

Yikes, I don't know.

Better defender, obviously.

Hasn't been caught with prostitutes, always a plus.

But, I have always thought Worthy could have done more if we was the go to guy.

We don't penalize Pippen for playing next to Jordan.

Webber is to low.

Fight me.

 

[CitySushi]

Yeesh.

I.........

I really want to say that Kidd was better than Nash.

But, it doesn't feel right.

Kawhi better than Worthy?

Yikes, I don't know.

Better defender, obviously.

Hasn't been caught with prostitutes, always a plus.

But, I have always thought Worthy could have done more if we was the go to guy.

We don't penalize Pippen for playing next to Jordan.

Webber is to low.

Fight me.

Kawhi was the single hardest person for me to place on this list. I felt he needed to be top 15, given what he's accomplished already, but I don't know where he goes. He could end up much higher on this list.

Nash/Kidd was incredibly difficult.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Pippen way too high, but A for effort...

 

[CitySushi]

Pippen way too high, but A for effort...

Yeah looking at it again, I'd probably move him closer to 8. Think Baylor, Barry and Hondo all better likely.

 

[Mecca]

Kawhi was the single hardest person for me to place on this list. I felt he needed to be top 15, given what he's accomplished already, but I don't know where he goes. He could end up much higher on this list.

Nash/Kidd was incredibly difficult.

Kawhi is my * fun * guy.

But, he can't be that High as a part-time player.

Hopefully.....that changes for him.

But, guys don't usually get healthier in their 30's.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Pippen way too high, but A for effort...

Also admittedly biased against Wade given how spoiled he's been by officials and other surroundings over the course of his career - I would have Drexler over him.

That said, I understand this ranking given Wade's three titles to Drexler's one.

 

[Mecca]

Yeah looking at it again, I'd probably move him closer to 8. Think Baylor, Barry and Hondo all better likely.

It's tough to compare eras.

I am terrible at it.

 

[Mecca]

Also admittedly biased against Wade given how spoiled he's been by officials and other surroundings over the course of his career - I would have Drexler over him.

That said, I understand this ranking given Wade's three titles to Drexler's one.

Wade is absolutely #3....imo

Drexler was awesome.

You couldn't be accused of Craziness if he was your preference.

When it's that close, I do use titles as my tie breaker.

But, in this case, I went Wade because he was the catalyst for that 1st Heat title and Drexler was the Dreams wingman.

I get that others might see it different..

Clyde was older and also had that obstacle by the name of Air Jordan.

 

[CitySushi]

Also admittedly biased against Wade given how spoiled he's been by officials and other surroundings over the course of his career - I would have Drexler over him.

That said, I understand this ranking given Wade's three titles to Drexler's one.

Yeah a lot of these come down to preferences because the margins were so small.

Nash/Kidd
Wade/Drexler
Malone/Garnett/Barkley
Shaq/Hakeem/Wilt

All those were difficult for me.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Yeah a lot of these come down to preferences because the margins were so small.

Nash/Kidd
Wade/Drexler
Malone/Garnett/Barkley
Shaq/Hakeem/Wilt

All those were difficult for me.

Honestly I would probably have Dirk over Garnett. Google search the 2002 playoffs for my reasoning, plus the fact that Dirk was a franchise icon for 21 years and probably still is even after retirement. And Barkley should be over both those two.

Gervin over Iverson as well, but that one my be a flip of a coin as I'm a bit biased toward the hard core old school stuff.

 

[jontaejones]

Here goes nothing....

Point Guard

1. Magic Johnson
2. Oscar Robertson
3. Jerry West
4. Steph Curry
5. John Stockton
6. Isiah Thomas
7. Gary Payton
8. Steve Nash
9. Jason Kidd
10. Chris Paul
11. Walt Frazier
12. Russell Westbrook
13. Bob Cousy
14. Tiny Archibald
15. Dennis Johnson

I'll just comment on one position so this doesn't take me hours.

West is not a PG to me.

6 through 9 is almost a tie I'd say. You could argue for each one at the top or the bottom of that range, but I'd go with Kidd at the top. At his peak, he just propelled you to wins. Granted, it was in a weak Eastern Conference, but he did. Payton definitely gets the least credit, people who weren't of his era probably barely know who he is.

I think if you polled NBA players, they'd go with Isiah. Just debating amongst those 4 could be a topic within itself.

Nice list though, pretty solid.

 

[dtgold88]

It's tough to compare eras.

I am terrible at it.

since I haven't given my own list I wont criticize....but agree tough to compare eras, and when I do make lists like this especially tough to include those I never saw play.

 

[dtgold88]

Yeah a lot of these come down to preferences because the margins were so small.

Nash/Kidd
Wade/Drexler
Malone/Garnett/Barkley
Shaq/Hakeem/Wilt

All those were difficult for me.

I'd probably have them in the exact order you listed (Wilt last in his only because I never saw him play).

edit - check that, I'd go Hakeem over Shaq, I think. But really close.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Yeah a lot of these come down to preferences because the margins were so small.

Nash/Kidd
Wade/Drexler
Malone/Garnett/Barkley
Shaq/Hakeem/Wilt

All those were difficult for me.

Nash
Wade
Garnett/Mailman - can't go wrong
Hakeem

Those are easy for me.

 

[CitySushi]

Honestly I would probably have Dirk over Garnett. Google search the 2002 playoffs for my reasoning, plus the fact that Dirk was a franchise icon for 21 years and probably still is even after retirement. And Barkley should be over both those two.

Gervin over Iverson as well, but that one my be a flip of a coin as I'm a bit biased toward the hard core old school stuff.

Not at all unreasonable. For me I have Garnett ahead of Dirk because of overall impact as a player. Dirk revolutionized the position from an offensive stand point. But Garnett was also dominant on the defensive end and a catalyst on offense as well.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Most of it looks good.

I agree, Pippen is too high.

Centers
1a. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar
1b. Hakeem Olajuwon
3. Shaq O'Neal
4. Wilt Chamberlain

 

[Shanemansj13]

Honestly I would probably have Dirk over Garnett. Google search the 2002 playoffs for my reasoning, plus the fact that Dirk was a franchise icon for 21 years and probably still is even after retirement. And Barkley should be over both those two.

Gervin over Iverson as well, but that one my be a flip of a coin as I'm a bit biased toward the hard core old school stuff.

Dirk wasn't a two-way player...deciding factor for me. Not saying it isn't close...it's very close but KG gets the nod for that reason.

 

[CitySushi]

I'll just comment on one position so this doesn't take me hours.

West is not a PG to me.

6 through 9 is almost a tie I'd say. You could argue for each one at the top or the bottom of that range, but I'd go with Kidd at the top. At his peak, he just propelled you to wins. Granted, it was in a weak Eastern Conference, but he did. Payton definitely gets the least credit, people who weren't of his era probably barely know who he is.

I think if you polled NBA players, they'd go with Isiah. Just debating amongst those 4 could be a topic within itself.

Nice list though, pretty solid.

Yeah, I was almost going to rank Jerry as a SG, but I listed him as PG because it's what basketball reference has as his most played position.

I like Payton more because of his defensive ability and he because he was a pretty great scorer as well. Career 46.6% FG and 7 seasons averaging over 20 points a game. He was pretty amazing. But agree with you 6-9 is tough.

 

[tducey]

Good work Sushi. I still think I'd have Stockton ahead of Curry on my PG list but it's close between the 2.