Don't do it @Hall! Don't take the bait!!
Bird is of course an all time great... just the weakest first round pick... and it doesn't help that he passed on BETTER basketball options...
Moss or Woodson my 2 choices for weakest 1st rounders. I love both but too soon when Rice is going deep 2nd and Deion in the 3rd. At least LeBron went right after Bird. But I get it everyone has their favorites and there are a million variables that go into making a decision, replacement value amongst the most important of themBird is of course an all time great... just the weakest first round pick... and it doesn't help that he passed on BETTER basketball options...
With Randy Moss there - he ain't the weakest.
Even when you factor in SportsHoopla's over infatuation for Wide Receivers.
Traditionally I would of gone Lebron and then Shaq or Duncan, but wanted to mix it up a little bit plus I didn't know UK thinks Basketball is for the devil.
We definitely do inflate WRs... But lots of that is because the position hits a wall earlier than any other position...
Name the top 10 WRs, the top 10 RBs, the top 10 QBs, the top 10 whatever... you will see the wall hits early...
Moss or Woodson my 2 choices for weakest 1st rounders. I love both but too soon when Rice is going deep 2nd and Deion in the 3rd. At least LeBron went right after Bird. But I get it everyone has their favorites and there are a million variables that go into making a decision, replacement value amongst the most important of them
I hear you but it also depends on where you rank him and what the replacement value is for his position imo. I'd personally have him in my top 5 or 6 all time, but you see him ranked as low as 10 or so. There were 3 NBA players off the board when he went, and I think Hall would (or just did) admit that LBJ is the best SF of all time, but there are certain ways you can build a team with Larry vs how you would with LeBron and vice versa, so that selection came down to matter of taste. I don't argue that from a straight value perspective, LeBron or a guy like Wilt or Shaq could have been a stronger pick, but when it's said and done I don't think the pick hurts his NBA team at all vs taking one of those other players, because of how he built around it - it all fits really nicely. That said there are some LOADED NBA squads in thisI actually think any NON basketball picks were bad first round picks... My biggest problem with the bird pick wasn't that he was taken in the first round, but he was taken over too many better players...
Thats fair
I just don't think there is much difference in the Bird/Duncan/Shaq argument other then LEbron who I could see being put in a tier above. But taking Lebron means you need to get a shooter that's not the case with Bird. So they are all really close.
Yea I would rank Lebron above for sure. Probably Shaq and Wilt too. But then Id feel I really needed a guy like Ray Allen...who I was able to get anyway. Where Bird opens things up for Drexler or Allen Iverson at the 2 guard more comfortably.
Mine..MJ and Lebron could be in there own tier when all said and done.
Right now though this imo...
Tier 1
MJ
Tier 2
Lebron (will most definitely enter Tier 1 by the end of his career)
Magic
Kareem
Hakeem (subjective)
Tier 3
Wilt
Bird
Oscar
Duncan
Shaq
Kobe
Tier 4
KG
Karl
Moses
Steph (will probably be in Tier 3 but who knows)
KD (same as Curry but maybe Tier 2)
and so on....
I was saying that to Shane and Sushi the other night...that's pretty f'n nuts lol. Plus a top 20 player and top 4 or 5 all time SG to boot.I like having arguably three of the top 5 players all time in LeBron, Magic and Wilt...
Mine..
Tier 1 MJ
Tier 2 Kareem LeBron
Tier 3 Wilt Shaq Magic Bird Duncan Hakeem Kobe
Tier 4 Russell Oscar Jerry KG KD Admiral Dirk Mailman Dr. J Moses Steph
I think the order of my entire tier 3 is really subjective. I know Magic and Larry played different positions and Magic is the goat at his whereas Larry is 2nd best of his, but separating them into different tiers feels weird. They are forever linked in almost every way, moreso than any 2 players in NBA history, Magic having the edge in head to head and rings, but overall accomplishments and accolades pretty damn close
Honestly, not just saying this but Kareem needs to be in tier 1 as well. The reason being is that there is, IMO, a clear cut 1-2 in any all time draft and it should always been MJ and then Kareem (open format obviously without restrictions). After that the argument gets wider on who to draft and where. Just like in baseball tier 1 should be Ruth and Bonds, but you can designate an order.
For me this is how I view the tiers:
Tier 1:
MJ - Clear A
Kareem - Clear B
Tier 2:
Magic
Lebron
Wilt
Hakeem
Shaq
Bird
Tier 3:
Duncan
Oscar
West
Kobe
Tier 4:
Karl Malone
Moses Malone
Robinson
Dirk
KD
Steph
Dr. J
Barkley
Tiers 2-4 aren't in any particular order either. Those are subjective and wouldn't have a problem with anyone taking those guys in a particular order