What makes a great player?

Let's have a serious conversation about what makes a great player. I am not looking to insert any current players names. Just looking for insight on what people think.

What makes a player great?

1. He scored a lot of points in his career (2000-3000+) but his team is around or below .500 during his career.

2. He has scored a lot of points in his career (2000-3000+) but his team had one good season.

3. He scored a lot of points in his career (2000-3000+) but his team has always been a winner against good competition.

4. He doesn't score a lot (1000-1500) but he contributes to a winning team that has made multiple trips to sweet 16. He has a winner's attitude. Wins over stats type guy.

My main thoughts is that making people around you better may make you a great player. You may not be able to judge a player on stats alone.

Let me know your thoughts.

(Again no names just conversation)

To me a great player is one who can simply put the team on his/her backs during crunch time and determine the outcome of the game.

Points scored is so relative that it would never be the #1 factor for me.

To me a great player is one who can simply put the team on his/her backs during crunch time and determine the outcome of the game.

 

Points scored is so relative that it would never be the #1 factor for me.

I take it by putting the team on his/her back you mean making the right play given the opportunity. If so we are in agreement.

Great players don't always score the big buckets or the game winner. Sometimes they have to grab a big rebound or get the ball into the hot hand.

I think a lot of really good players make the mistake of thinking being the best player on a team means they have to take every big shot, and those often are not the shots the situation calls for.

So many things factor into a great player that it's hard to pin point what the deciding factor is. Skill, BBIQ, work ethic, and leadership would be the categories I generally use to make the determination, but they don't always cover it.

Someone who can score, pass, dribble, and play defense. Very well.

One thing that makes this hard to judge is a player on a really good team is not likely to score 30 points a game (unless a coach is trying to help pad his stats) so he may not get the attention that a player on a weaker team who has to carry the load . Is it fair to penalize either one?

My favorite "great" player is the one who racks up the assists. Nothing like a good pass & the more creative the better (for entertainment purposes).

One caveat though, must go along with a low turnover total.

Someone who can score, pass, dribble, and play defense. Very well.

That, in addition to all the intangibles: Leadership, sportsmanship, High Level of Character

What makes a great player is the player who makes everyone on their team better.! It has nothing to do with statistics.

I take it by putting the team on his/her back you mean making the right play given the opportunity. If so we are in agreement.

 

Great players don't always score the big buckets or the game winner. Sometimes they have to grab a big rebound or get the ball into the hot hand.

 

I think a lot of really good players make the mistake of thinking being the best player on a team means they have to take every big shot, and those often are not the shots the situation calls for.

 

So many things factor into a great player that it's hard to pin point what the deciding factor is. Skill, BBIQ, work ethic, and leadership would be the categories I generally use to make the determination, but they don't always cover it.

If they are not a threat to score the big bucket, they are not great IMO. They have to get the attention and still perform.

If they are not a threat to score the big bucket, they are not great IMO. They have to get the attention and still perform.

Agreed. But for example, taking a last second shot with two defenders draped on them doesn't make a great player. Recognizing the double team, finding the open player, and getting the pass there on time and on target is far more valuable to me than a shot that may go in once every five or ten times.

That's not to say a player doesn't have to score at all to be a great player, but John Stockton averaged 13 points per game, yet he's a top five point guard in NBA history.

God given talent, the intelligence to know what to do in any situation, the vision to see what's happening and what's about to happen and the heart of a lion.