Tell the story of the NBA with only 15 players

[CitySushi]

If someone completely new to the sport wanted to know about the history of the league (inception to today's game) and you could only explain to them by listing 15 players for them to research, who would they be? Again this isn't necessarily a list of all-time greats or 15 best players of all time, but transcendent talents that you would want them to know about and how they affected the game. Who would be on your list?

Mine would be (in no particular order):

Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West
Julius Erving
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Steph Curry
Kevin Durant

Just missed: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

 

[Gman]

My list:

- Kemba Walker
- Marcus Smart
- Brad Wanamaker
- Carsen Edwards
- Jaylen Brown
- Romeo Langford
- Gordon Hayward
- Semi Ojeleye
- Jayson Tatum
- Grant Williams
- Enes Kanter
- Robert Williams III
- Daniel Theis
- Vincent Poirier
- Tacko Fall

 

[msgkings322]

If someone completely new to the sport wanted to know about the history of the league (inception to today's game) and you could only explain to them by listing 15 players for them to research, who would they be? Again this isn't necessarily a list of all-time greats or 15 best players of all time, but transcendent talents that you would want them to know about and how they affected the game. Who would be on your list?

Mine would be (in no particular order):

Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West
Julius Erving
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Steph Curry
Kevin Durant

Just missed: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

I would sub Hakeem over Duncan. You need at least one foreigner, and he's far more interesting as a person and a little better as a player. And maybe Mikan over West, you need one old old school guy and he was the first league superstar

 

[CitySushi]

I would sub Hakeem over Duncan. You need at least one foreigner, and he's far more interesting as a person and a little better as a player

Shit I forgot about that aspect. Definitely need a foreign born player. I think I might go Dirk instead though. He's the best "foreign" player ever, IMO. Hakeem at least went to college in the states.

 

[tlance]

Shit I forgot about that aspect. Definitely need a foreign born player. I think I might go Dirk instead though. He's the best "foreign" player ever, IMO. Hakeem at least went to college in the states.

I would put Zion on my list to illustrate they power of hype, future upside and the allure of tanking.

I think these 9 would have to be on any list because of their impact on the way basketball is played:

MJ
LeBron
Wilt
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Russell
Shaq
Curry

I like Dirk for the international piece.

From there, the next 4 could be any number of great players throughout history. Maybe Mikan if you want to go further back in time.

 

[CitySushi]

I would put Zion on my list to illustrate they power of hype, future upside and the allure of tanking.

I think these 9 would have to be on any list because of their impact on the way basketball is played:

MJ
LeBron
Wilt
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Russell
Shaq
Curry

I like Dirk for the international piece.

From there, the next 4 could be any number of great players throughout history. Maybe Mikan if you want to go further back in time.

I put Dr. J for the ABA portion with the merger, etc. I had West there because he's the Logo after all. Oscar was the first guard to put together a triple double season, showing the value of well rounded players.

 

[Ojb81]

Bob Sura
Popeye Jones
Kyle Singler
Chris Childs
Nazr Mohammed
Olden Polynice
Clarence Weatherspoon
Tom Chambers
Smush Parker
Larry Hughes
Isaiah Rider
Harold Miner
Rony Seikaly
Vinnie Johnson
John Starks

 

[huskers1217]

Metta World Peace
Lew Alcindor
Lloyd B. Free
Akeem Olajuwon
Chris Jackson
Brian Williams
Maybyner Hilario
Jeff Pendergraph
Bill Walker

 

[Myles]

If someone completely new to the sport wanted to know about the history of the league (inception to today's game) and you could only explain to them by listing 15 players for them to research, who would they be? Again this isn't necessarily a list of all-time greats or 15 best players of all time, but transcendent talents that you would want them to know about and how they affected the game. Who would be on your list?

Mine would be (in no particular order):

Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West
Julius Erving
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Steph Curry
Kevin Durant

Just missed: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

I notice that you have a disproportionate amount of players from the past 20 years or so.

 

[Battlelyon]

Toni Kukoc
Yao Ming
Michael Sweetney
Andrew Bynum
Lamar Odom
Dwight Howard
Manute Bol
Muggsy Bogues
Chuck Cooper
Ossie Schectman
Chucky Brown

 

[CitySushi]

I notice that you have a disproportionate amount of players from the past 20 years or so.

How so?

Career start dates:
Russell - 1957
Wilt - 1959
West - 1960
Oscar - 1960
Kareem - 1970
Dr. J - 1972
Bird - 1979
Magic - 1979
Jordan - 1984
Shaq - 1992
Kobe - 1996
Duncan - 1998
Lebron - 2003
Durant - 2007
Curry - 2009


1979 was the real revolutionary year for the NBA because of the introduction of the 3 point line. Using that date, I had 6 players before that and 7 players after it.

Also if it's disproportionate, do you disagree with the impact these players have had in the games? Again it's not a list of who is the greatest players, but players who altered the way the NBA was played.

You can't tell the story of the NBA without Russell's championships, Wilt's 100 pt game, Oscar's first triple double season, Kareem and his skyhook, West being the Logo, Dr. J and the ABA, Bird/Magic rivalry, Jordan the GOAT, Shaq's dominance and hack a shaq, Kobe and the NBA trying to replicate the new Jordan, Duncan (probably should be substituted for Dirk tbh), Lebron and everything that's come along with him, Durant being a 6'11" player like we've never seen before showing the evolution of the game, and Curry with the revolutionizing the 3 point line.

That was my logic behind it. That's not saying that Curry or KD are better than Karl Malone, Stockton, Barkley, Hondo, Gervin, Hakeem, Elgin Baylor, etc, etc. but those guys didn't revolutionize the NBA. They were great players, but nothing they did was new or defining of their era.

 

[jontaejones]

If someone completely new to the sport wanted to know about the history of the league (inception to today's game) and you could only explain to them by listing 15 players for them to research, who would they be? Again this isn't necessarily a list of all-time greats or 15 best players of all time, but transcendent talents that you would want them to know about and how they affected the game. Who would be on your list?

Mine would be (in no particular order):

Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West
Julius Erving
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Steph Curry
Kevin Durant

Just missed: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

I tend to break the NBA into eras.

Bird/Magic
MJ
Curry/Durant

But to me, the era between MJ and Curry/Durant without a doubt, belonged to Allen Iverson.

He wasn't the best player, but his influence on the game and the next generation of players was huge.

And I see that you have three players from that era, and not him.

Not to mention I also believe AI exemplified a lot of the negative things about the NBA that were going on at that time, but again, proves my point.

 

[CitySushi]

I tend to break the NBA into eras.

Bird/Magic
MJ
Curry/Durant

But to me, the era between MJ and Curry/Durant without a doubt, belonged to Allen Iverson.

He wasn't the best player, but his influence on the game and the next generation of players was huge.

And I see that you have three players from that era, and not him.

Not to mention I also believe AI exemplified a lot of the negative things about the NBA that were going on at that time, but again, proves my point.

Iverson, another great one I missed. Might have to revisit my list and add in a few others and remove some.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I tend to break the NBA into eras.

Bird/Magic
MJ
Shaq/Kobe
Curry/Durant

.

FIFY

You going to ignore the team that was the last to threepeat?

 

[jontaejones]

FIFY

You going to ignore the team that was the last to threepeat?

Well I forgot about Lebron too, but you throw him in there.

Shaq and Kobe were popular, but I think Iverson affected the way people played the game.

He basically brought AND1 type highlights to the NBA. Jason Williams too, but he's not good enough to be on the list.

I would go like...

Magic/Bird
Jordan
Kobe/AI
LeBron
Curry/Durant

 

[Shanemansj13]

Mine would be pretty much a replica's of @CitySushi only added Hakeem and Yao and took out Shaq and KD...Shaq should be on the list but I couldn't really take anyone off this list though...

Michael Jordan - GOAT (for now)

Lebron James - maybe the most gifted athlete ever and just all-around best player we have ever seen. Up there will Bird and Magic for just court vision.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - the gold standard for longevity and winning. Played at a HOF level until he was practically 40.

Wilt Chamberlain - 100. Dominant big and physical freak in his team. Fucked as many chicks as he made baskets.

Bill Russell - I only include him bc he is just the standard for winning and nobody is ever topping it.

Jerry West - the logo

Larry Bird - first guy with just a sweet jumpshot, put fear in everyones' eyes with his trash talk.

Magic Johnson - Bird vs Magic. The best passer we have ever seen. Bird is right there too.

Oscar Robertson - oldie that was a triple double machine

Julius Erving - revolutionized the dunk and getting air

Hakeem Olajuwon - Foreigner, not too many of those before him. The shake. He had the best moves for a big of all-time. Most gifted big ever imo, not necessarily the best

Kobe Bryant - the closest player to MJ.

Tim Duncan - there have been guys before him that emphasized a team game but he made it work better than any big ever.

Steph Curry - 3's and 40 footers. Little guy, big shot

Yao Ming - what he did for the game was exceptional and expanded the game into Asia.

Just missed: Shaq, KD, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Mine would be pretty much a replica's of @CitySushi only added Hakeem and Yao and took out Shaq and KD...Shaq should be on the list but I couldn't really take anyone off this list though...

Michael Jordan - GOAT (for now)

Lebron James - maybe the most gifted athlete ever and just all-around best player we have ever seen. Up there will Bird and Magic for just court vision.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - the gold standard for longevity and winning. Played at a HOF level until he was practically 40.

Wilt Chamberlain - 100. Dominant big and physical freak in his team. Fucked as many chicks as he made baskets.

Bill Russell - I only include him bc he is just the standard for winning and nobody is ever topping it.

Jerry West - the logo

Larry Bird - first guy with just a sweet jumpshot, put fear in everyones' eyes with his trash talk.

Magic Johnson - Bird vs Magic. The best passer we have ever seen. Bird is right there too.

Oscar Robertson - oldie that was a triple double machine

Julius Erving - revolutionized the dunk and getting air

Hakeem Olajuwon - Foreigner, not too many of those before him. The shake. He had the best moves for a big of all-time. Most gifted big ever imo, not necessarily the best

Kobe Bryant - the closest player to MJ.

Tim Duncan - there have been guys before him that emphasized a team game but he made it work better than any big ever.

Steph Curry - 3's and 40 footers. Little guy, big shot

Yao Ming - what he did for the game was exceptional and expanded the game into Asia.

Just missed: Shaq, KD, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, George Mikan and Bob Pettit

Yao over Shaq?

I mean Yao was good and all but 2000 Shaq was probably the best player of all time

 

[Shanemansj13]

Yao over Shaq?

I mean Yao was good and all but 2000 Shaq was probably the best player of all time

Shaq was one of the greats, it wasn't about how great Yao was as a player...it's how he changed the game. I mean you had hundreds of millions of people watching the NBA that wouldn't have before he came into the league. That being said I would have put both on the list.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Yeah AI is another one that should definitely be on the list, this could easily be a 20 player list though.

 

[shopson67]

How so?

Career start dates:
Russell - 1957
Wilt - 1959
West - 1960
Oscar - 1960
Kareem - 1970
Dr. J - 1972
Bird - 1979
Magic - 1979
Jordan - 1984
Shaq - 1992
Kobe - 1996
Duncan - 1998
Lebron - 2003
Durant - 2007
Curry - 2009


1979 was the real revolutionary year for the NBA because of the introduction of the 3 point line. Using that date, I had 6 players before that and 7 players after it.

Also if it's disproportionate, do you disagree with the impact these players have had in the games? Again it's not a list of who is the greatest players, but players who altered the way the NBA was played.

You can't tell the story of the NBA without Russell's championships, Wilt's 100 pt game, Oscar's first triple double season, Kareem and his skyhook, West being the Logo, Dr. J and the ABA, Bird/Magic rivalry, Jordan the GOAT, Shaq's dominance and hack a shaq, Kobe and the NBA trying to replicate the new Jordan, Duncan (probably should be substituted for Dirk tbh), Lebron and everything that's come along with him, Durant being a 6'11" player like we've never seen before showing the evolution of the game, and Curry with the revolutionizing the 3 point line.

That was my logic behind it. That's not saying that Curry or KD are better than Karl Malone, Stockton, Barkley, Hondo, Gervin, Hakeem, Elgin Baylor, etc, etc. but those guys didn't revolutionize the NBA. They were great players, but nothing they did was new or defining of their era.

You're ignoring an entire decade of the league. George Mikan is probably the guy from that decade to include?