Greatest Basketball Players of All Time

[Clarkmeister]

As always I take what you say about basketball with a grain of salt since you think George Karl is a better coach than Phil Jackson. That disclaimer out of the way....

1. I think Andy sufficiently addressed the rings issue regarding Russell. Jordan has more rings than anyone once the league expanded the playoffs to more than 2 rounds, and that's despite essentially missing 2 years, and 2 rings, while in his prime.

2. Somehow I think McHale, Parrish, Walton, Ainge, Kareem and Worthy would have all been just fine without Majic or Larry. The fact is NO ONE ever made others better like Michael did. Just what did any of the Jordanaires ever do without Michael? Crutial cogs like Kerr/Lonley/Rodman/Grant/Armstrong etc etc were all on the scrap heap when no longer playing with MJ. He elevated players so much its disgusting.

3. You don't think he was the most dominant? You never watched him play, I don't even begin to know how to address this one. Whereas Shaq disappears for weeks on end, Jordan dominated every game from start to finish.

4. Lets not forget that he was the best defensive player on the court also, in addition to the most unstoppable force on offense.

5. Lets not forget that Jordan schooled and dominated a still in his prime 30 year old Majic Johnson in his first ever Finals appearance, before he had even reached his peak.

Of course he was the best marketed ever, its easy to market the best.

[Mike Gallo]

lou alcindor - you youngsters wont know him

Gosh, I just showed my age.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

[andyfox]

Hey, Shaq made free throws last night. Two of 'em. In only eight tries (actually nine, he got a do-over on a lane violation, and made the long forgotten hat-trick, first perfected by Wilt, missing three in a row. At one time, the NBA had a three-to-make-two scenario).

Wilt couldn't shoot free throws, not could Russell. But they could do a few other things.

[rkiray]

The NBA is a power game. The center is by far the most important position. MJ is a freak of nature for someone his size to be thrid on my list, especially since he never played with a decent center.

[rkiray]

If this is your criteria, Reggie Miller whops your boy, and if you add in 3 pointers it's not even a contest.

[B-Man]

Andy,

With all due respect to your baseball acumen, ranking Dr. J. over Larry Bird is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever seen you make.

[rkiray]

I agree with most of your point 2, except Rodman, he won 2 championship with Detroit without Michael ( and Detroit whipped Chicago both years) and played well with San Antonio after Michael. I believe he was on the team with the best NBA record 6 or more years in a row. Michael never did that.

[Six_of_One]

Did I read this list correctly? You don't even put Shaq in the top ten? I'm a little incredulous.

[dogsballs]

I'm with Clarky on this one re all-time best player. Jordan without question.

But I want to mention my favourite ever forward - James Worthy. That boy had some moves around the paint - despite having one of the ugliest dribbles I've ever seen.

I wonder how he'd be viewed if he hadn't just been a back-up attraction to Kareem and Magic.

[David Ottosen]

"Russell's clearly the best team sport athlete of all time."

"Yogi Berra joined the Yankees i 1947. They won the Championship in 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, and 1962."

Henri "The Pocket Rocket" Richard won 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and was an 18 time all star [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

For basketball, I think Wilt and Jordan are far and away the 1-2 players in history, but Wilt is ridiculously clearly #1. The stats are just too impossible to argue with.