The 7 Wonders of Basketball

[WiggyRuss]

Got this idea from a Cowherd segment. Who are your 7 wonders of basketball.

Guideline...they have to have different skillsets. So, for example, if you have MJ, you wouldn't have Kobe because he's MJ Lite.

Kareem - Brought true athleticism to the 5 spot and had the greatest shot in basketball history which has never been duplicated.

Magic - A 6'9" point guard? How is that fair?

Bird - Became the leagues best passer and shooter from the forward spot.

MJ - Arguably the GOAT and definitely the most relentless player ever.

Shaq - 7'0" over 300 lbs and could run the floor like a guard.

Steph - He takes shots that have gotten players benched and makes them....a lot of them.

A.I. - Smallest player to make his mark by attacking the monsters in the key. And it was back when those monsters were allowed to clobber you.

Tristan Thompson

for owning a Kardashian and Whiteside.

 

[WiggyRuss]

To make the list I think you have to answer the following questions yes:

1. Did the player have a unique skill set that changed the game?
2. Was that player the best at what he does best?

A couple givens:

MJ - the greatest SG ever. Did everything great. Future Ex: Kobe
Kareem - athletic big man that was great at both ends and he had the patented hook shot Future Ex: Maybe Hakeem
Magic - 6'9" point forward that could outrun everyone and throw dimes then he play and defend the block - Future Ex: Lebron
Steph - not only the greatest shooter ever but took range to another level - Prior Ex: Reggie or Ray but they didn't have the range
Shaq - athletic, massive center that could overpower you but nimble on his feet and had great hands Ex: None yet

Bird and A.I. are the only questionable players on the list imo but I think A.I. definitely belongs.

A.I. - we never saw a short guy be so dominant offensively and just score at will despite his size. Ex: None yet

Bird - Trojan pretty much said it. I'm just not positive he belongs, definitive makes more of a case than any player I can think of though other than Dirk who Sushi mentioned. I think Dirk was very unique

 

[BigFin]

Stockton was good at what he did but he wasn't revolutionary, IMO. Also didn't hurt that he played with the 3rd leading scorer in NBA history. Stockton and Malone are both beneficiaries of each other, but he wasn't doing anything different. He was just doing it at a higher efficiency.

Popular opinion but let me blow your nuts off for a second.

Stockton played 8 games without Malone. Still double digit assists in 6 of the games, including a 20-assist game. And when he didn't get double digit assists, he played under 30 minutes.

11-2-1985: 12 points, 7 Assists (27 min)
4-21-1989: 19 points, 20 Assists (42 min)
4-22-1989: 10 points, 10 assists (24 min)
12-17-1991: 13 points, 13 assists (35 min)
4-12-1999: 12 points, 11 assists (23 min)
3-15-2002: 14 points, 10 assists (34 min)
4-5-2002: 20 points, 10 assists (35min)
11-6-2002: 10 points, 6 assists (28 min)

10.8 career assists per game without Malone. 10.5 career assists per game.

 

[Black Adam]

Tony Snell
Brian Scalabrine
Adam Morrison
Jimmer Fredette

Add Dan Dickau, Kwame Brown, and Michael Olowakandi to the non list...

Honorable mention to my fellow ex-Morningside Monarch Elden Campbell...

 

[jontaejones]

Ok…

Just trying to be different

1: Wilt- 100 point game. Dominated like no other before or since.

2: Dr. J- MJ came before Kobe. Well, Dr. J came before MJ

3: LeBron- Magic 2.0. Bigger and better

4: Steph- can’t make this list without Steph. Nobody more skilled and he has changed the game as much as anyone

5: Pete Maravich- relatively disappointing NBA career, but he was an icon with his flashy play well before that style was a thing at higher levels.

6: Muggsy Bogues- listed at 5’3” 136 and probably not even that tall. Dude was a freak of nature to make it in a league of giants.

7: alright, I give up. I am reaching big time now. My real list looks more like the others, but worth a shot.

I've always thought Muggsy Bogues tearing normal people apart at a YMCA would be like one of the most amazing things to see.

I mean, totally different than watching Alonzo Mourning do the same.

 

[Black Adam]

Tristan Thompson

for owning a Kardashian and Whiteside.

Still carrying that grudge, I see...

 

[logic]

Wilt-pretty unfair how athletic and how big.
Magic-just amazing PG plus his size
MJ-no need to explain
Steph-just simply best shooter
LeBron-does everything
Dirk-revolutionized the big man
Hopefully Wembayama-could be all of the above in a body that can’t stand up straight in a regular house.

 

[Mecca]

1. Jordan- Because he’s the GOAT.
2. Dream- Because I’m a hopeless fan girl and have never seen a guy his size with that kinda footwork.
3. Larry Legend- Best trash talker in NBA History, could back it up with his play
4. Steph Curry- Best shooter in History
5. Magic- Unmatched charisma, 6’9 pg, marvel to watch and could play all 5 positions.
6. Spud Webb- The fucking HOPS, got Dudes like Nate Robinson drafted.
7. Lebron James- exceeded the hype by a large margin, never been in trouble a single time and he lived his life under a microscope since age 15.