Who was the most overrated player in NBA History

[ATL96Steeler]

Greg Oden...sorry if he's been mentioned already.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Nothing like him? Both owned rebounding in their career, both are elite at defense due to their agility, both scored all of their points in the paint.

Russell was a better passer and blocked more shots, outside of that they are very similar.

Rodman was very intelligent on the court, playing hard does not mean you are not also playing smart.

Rodman was a rebounder and man defender, other than that Russell was superior by far.

 

[Mebert]

That doesn't do Russell justice. It's amazing how often his blocked shot went to a Celtic player for an easy 2.

I know that there is no official blocks stat from Russell's days, but lets give him 4 a game for this argument. If he managed to turn 50% of those into a pass to a teammate. How many of those turn into points? not every possession for sure. So that skill equates to about an extra 4 points a game tops, it is basically the equivalent of Kevin Loves outlet passes, it is a value add, but it not the end all be all.

I think as far as comparisons go Rodman is the closest you will see to Russell. It is not a sleight, basically in any generation Russell played on he would be a HoF guy, I just don't think he is top 5-10 status you see him put into all of the time.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Greg Oden...sorry if he's been mentioned already.

I'll never understand why people couldn't see how he hobbled down the court even at OSU.
Given he looked 60 and had brittle bones, I wouldn't have taken him in the ist rd.

 

[Wamu]

Danny Ferry.

 

[Mebert]

Rodman was a rebounder and man defender, other than that Russell was superior by far.

Outside of defense and rebounding where did Russell excel exactly? I am not arguing that Russell wasn't the better player, I am saying that Rodman is his modern day equivalent. I don't see Russell as one of the tallest guys out there having a ts% of 44 as an offensive juggernaut.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

I know that there is no official blocks stat from Russell's days, but lets give him 4 a game for this argument. If he managed to turn 50% of those into a pass to a teammate. How many of those turn into points? not every possession for sure. So that skill equates to about an extra 4 points a game tops, it is basically the equivalent of Kevin Loves outlet passes, it is a value add, but it not the end all be all.

I think as far as comparisons go Rodman is the closest you will see to Russell. It is not a sleight, basically in any generation Russell played on he would be a HoF guy, I just don't think he is top 5-10 status you see him put into all of the time.

Olajuwan is a better overall comparison to Russell in my opinion. Not that they are clones by any means, but both were very complete players and super athletic.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'll never understand why people couldn't see how he hobbled down the court even at OSU.
Given he looked 60 and had brittle bones, I wouldn't have taken him in the ist rd.

65...lol, not sure he ever played a full season in the NBA.

Although his knees gave out but Ralph Sampson and also Sam Bowie also come to mind.

 

[Wamu]

Jay Williams.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Outside of defense and rebounding where did Russell excel exactly? I am not arguing that Russell wasn't the better player, I am saying that Rodman is his modern day equivalent. I don't see Russell as one of the tallest guys out there having a ts% of 44 as an offensive juggernaut.

Russell was a great passer and a good scorer on top of being a great leader on the court.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Nonsense. Russell willed The Celtics to a title at 35 without those HOFers, who likely wouldn't have been HOFers without him. He beat a Lakers team with 3 top 20 all time players.
Russell would be my choice to start a franchise with.

LMAO! The other way around and now way in hell I would choose him over a ton of other guys

 

[Mebert]

Olajuwan is a better overall comparison to Russell in my opinion. Not that they are clones by any means, but both were very complete players and super athletic.

Russell is nothing close to Dream. Hakeem owned both sides of the court like never seen, and he did against cmpetition that Russell could only dream of(aside from his occasional Wilt match)

 

[BallsOfFurry]

65...lol, not sure he ever played a full season in the NBA.

Although his knees gave out but Ralph Sampson and also Sam Bowie also come to mind.

The micro fracture was already known before the draft, it was just stupid to take him #1.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

LMAO! The other way around and now way in hell I would choose him over a ton of other guys

Good, I'll take him and kick your ass.

 

[Shanemansj13]

His 11 rings say otherwise.

Horry has a ton of rings too and Horry played with less HOFrs. The rings discussion is only used for the greatest players, something Billy is and never will be a part of

 

[Mebert]

Russell was a great passer and a good scorer on top of being a great leader on the court.

Good scorer? He shot 43 and could not make a free throw. He could pass for sure.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Russell is nothing close to Dream. Hakeem owned both sides of the court like never seen, and he did against cmpetition that Russell could only dream of(aside from his occasional Wilt match)

I'd take Russell over The Dream, but Olajuwan was a great player as well.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Horry has a ton of rings too and Horry played with less HOFrs. The rings discussion is only used for the greatest players, something Billy is and never will be a part of

Horry was a role player, Russell was by far the most valuable player on 13 championship teams. The 2 years he DIDN'T win titles over 15 years he was insured.

 

[Wamu]

Horry has a ton of rings too and Horry played with less HOFrs. The rings discussion is only used for the greatest players, something Billy is and never will be a part of

...Putting Robert Horry (a bench guy) in the same sentence as Russell who was the leader of the Celtics. Hilarious.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Overrated? No, not now that he is no longer in the GOAT conversation.

A product of the era he played in? Definitely.

Russell would have been good in any era. There's no question he was talented and would be, at the least, a very good player in any era. However, there is no way he puts up the numbers he did or wins as many championships in any era since.

He is very undersized especially for his position, he would be a SF in todays game and who knows the transition his game would have taken in this era but we know he couldnt shoot so most likely he is a bench player in todays game. He was a great defender but his offense was poor.