Top 5 All-Time According to Position

[Clayton]

Nostalgia is a heavy cloud, btw. Today's players would school yesterday's players

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Today's players would school yesterday's players

So who would guard Hakeem? Shaq? Ewing? David Robinson? Karl Malone? Charles Barkley?

And that's just the 90s

 

[Crotchrocker]

C) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon

PF) Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale, Dennis Rodman

SF) Larry Bird, Lebron James, Julius Erving, John Havlicek, Scottie Pippen

SG) Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Clyde Drexler, Ray Allen

PG) Earvin Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas, Walt Frazier, Jason Kidd

Coach) Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Gregg Poppovich, Chuck Daly, Lenny Wilkens

 

[hockey878]

So who would guard Hakeem? Shaq? Ewing? David Robinson? Karl Malone? Charles Barkley?

And that's just the 90s

and who from the 90's is gonna guard LeBron, Dirk, Kobe, Durant, Duncan, McGrady?


pretty much any superstar wasn't "guardable" on defense in their prime. So your point makes little sense. That doesn't even begin to talk about the athletes we have at PG now that would destroy most 90's point guards.

 

[HizzleRocker]

Points:

1) Magic the Goat
2) Stockton
3) Oscar
4) Isaiah Thomas
5) Bob Cousey (gotta be on the list)

Shooter G's:

1) Air Jordan
2) The Black Mamba
3) Clyde Drexler
4) Reggie Miller
5) Pistol Pete (short career but revolutionized the game and has to be top 5)

** HM - And yes, I am aware I left Wade off. That was a tough call.

Small Forwards:

1) Bird
2) Dr. J
3) Elgin Baylor
4) Lebron (can still move up, but too early)
5) Pippen

Big Forwards:

1) Malone
2) Duncan
3) Barkley
4) Garnett
5) Bob Pettit (the dude averaged 27 and 16 for his career)

Centers:

1) Kareem
2) Wilt
3) Russell
4) Shaq
5) Hakeem

 

[HizzleRocker]

C) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon

PF) Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale, Dennis Rodman

SF) Larry Bird, Lebron James, Julius Erving, John Havlicek, Scottie Pippen

SG) Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Clyde Drexler, Ray Allen

PG) Earvin Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas, Walt Frazier, Jason Kidd

Coach) Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Gregg Poppovich, Chuck Daly, Lenny Wilkens

This was actually not a horrible list, until I saw that you don't even have Carl Malone in your top 5 (who should be 1 or 2 at worst). I have to believe that was an oversight???

 

[Logicallylethal]

GP was a sub par FT shooter and a sub par 3pt shooter. If he is a top 5 PG then youre over valuing defense, imo

See that's the problem with today's game. No one values good defense.

But let's not pretend like GP was all defense and only defense. So what if he doesn't have Steph Curry range. The man was 20-24 ppg 8-9 ast almost every year in his prime.

 

[Logicallylethal]

and who from the 90's is gonna guard LeBron, Dirk, Kobe, Durant, Duncan, McGrady?


pretty much any superstar wasn't "guardable" on defense in their prime. So your point makes little sense. That doesn't even begin to talk about the athletes we have at PG now that would destroy most 90's point guards.

Pippen and Jordan on any small forward and shooting guard you throw out there. GP on any pg you wanna throw out there. I like their chances better than the soft big men of today's game "trying" to guard the likes of Hakeem, Shaq in his prime, David Robinson, etc.

Who is gonna guard Magic?

 

[trojanfan12]

See that's the problem with today's game. No one values good defense.

But let's not pretend like GP was all defense and only defense. So what if he doesn't have Steph Curry range. The man was 20-24 ppg 8-9 ast almost every year in his prime.

For me, the Glove is one of those "on the bubble" top 5 players. When making my version of the list, I could come up with strong arguments for him to be top 5, but just couldn't make one strong to bump someone else. I see him as 6 or 7 all-time.

Now, as far as all-time trash talking point guards, he's #1 all-time and it's not close!! The guy was pure gold.

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

One change Lebron should be 2nd on the SF, SG, and PG lists and 1st on the PF list.

 

[Crotchrocker]

This was actually not a horrible list, until I saw that you don't even have Carl Malone in your top 5 (who should be 1 or 2 at worst). I have to believe that was an oversight???



Bows Malone was the dirtiest, most overrated player that never delivered on Sunday. He belongs on the list of players that never delivered a title with maximum talent surrounding them. Give me LOTS of forwards over Bows.

 

[Black Adam]

Pippen and Jordan on any small forward and shooting guard you throw out there. GP on any pg you wanna throw out there. I like their chances better than the soft big men of today's game "trying" to guard the likes of Hakeem, Shaq in his prime, David Robinson, etc.

Who is gonna guard Magic?

now here's a Heat fan with a BRAIN. nicely done, sir...

 

[hockey878]

Pippen and Jordan on any small forward and shooting guard you throw out there. GP on any pg you wanna throw out there. I like their chances better than the soft big men of today's game "trying" to guard the likes of Hakeem, Shaq in his prime, David Robinson, etc.

Who is gonna guard Magic?

LeBron could guard Magic, im sure i will get flamed for that, but he could easily. KG and Duncan could do as good as well as anyone on Hakeem and David Robinson. Pippen and Jordan are probably the greatest defensive wing combo in history, but lets not pretend they shut everyone down every single night, prime dwade and lebron defensively are also a pretty nasty wing defender combination.

hibbert and dwight could maybe have a shot at shaq, but lets face it prime shaq was being stopped by NO ONE in any era.

fact of that matter is it is IMPOSSIBLE to compare ALL TIME greats to guys who haven't even finished their careers yet.

and if you think pippen or MJ is gonna shut durant and lebron down on a consistent basis you are kidding yourself. Maybe they would have more success than others, but "shut them down" nope. not happening.

players are just as good or better today than they were 20 years ago. thinking otherwise is just crazy

 

[hockey878]

i know its hard because most of us grew up idolizing players from the 80's and 90's, but the only difference between players then and now is your perception of them and the rules that have shaped the game differently.

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

i know its hard because most of us grew up idolizing players from the 80's and 90's, but the only difference between players then and now is your perception of them and the rules that have shaped the game differently.

^This. Basketball is easier now...

 

[Shanemansj13]

^This. Basketball is easier now...

Easier offensively, harder defensively

 

[Black Adam]

Easier offensively, harder defensively

with the rules against hand checks, etc. can't disagree with this...

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

Easier offensively, harder defensively

I am sorry I didn't clarify. I felt it was implied. But yes, what you said...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

players are just as good or better today than they were 20 years ago. thinking otherwise is just crazy

Athletically, maybe. Physically, no way. Only a handful of players from this era could have gone up against the bigs of the 80s and 90s.

Shaq and Hakeem would be putting up 40/20 numbers all night long.

 

[hockey878]

Easier offensively, harder defensively

Also a great point. so when we say so and so would shut down LeBron and Durant the question is, by what rules?

Because by the 90's rules when the game was allowed to be more physical LeBron would be an UNREAL defender. That size and quickness and being able to body up without fouling? He could D up anyone easily

This is true for a number of guys in this era, but they aren't allowed to play that way because of the RULES, not because of lack of ability.

Now if we are playing current rules then you also have to factor in that Jordan/Pippen etc aren't going to get away with playing as physical defensively and will have a hard time stopping the much bigger/strong lebron.

Also, lets acknowledge that while less the game has become less physical defenses have figured out how to adapt in different ways.