June 2, 200917 yr We've had some great Kobe-LeBron debates on here, so my question to the BGP faithful is... We all most likely agree that Jordan sits on the throne as the top player in NBA history, so who would you take at #2?
June 2, 200917 yr Author My personal choice is the Big O. Oscar was really one of a kind, I don't know that he might not have been the most talented overall basketball player of all-time. Or I would go with Wilt Chamberlain. I don't know if the NBA will ever see something like that again. He was one of the tallest players in the league, one of the most talented and probably the most athletic.
June 2, 200917 yr Magic Johnson. He was LeBron before Lebron was a thought, without the leaping ability. True winner in every essence of the word and while most would start a team with Jordan, I would probably start mine with Magic. My best memories of the NBA as a kid always started with Magic Johnson. He is my choice for number 1, but like Cats 3X said, Jordan is the likely number 1 so I guess Magic would get my vote for number 2. I respect your choices Cats 3X, but neither of them won or impacted the game the way Magic Johnson did AND win championships at the same time. Both of them had to latch on to other teams toward the tail end of their careers to win a championship. Wilt never could beat Bill Russell.
June 2, 200917 yr Wilt Chamberlain is my choice as the greatest ever. In just his 3rd season Wilt [averaged 43 points and 23 rebounds. Now we go gaga over Dwight Howard getting 23 and 23 in one game. :notworthy:
June 2, 200917 yr Author Wilt Chamberlain is my choice as the greatest ever. In just his 3rd season Wilt [averaged 43 points and 23 rebounds. Now we go gaga over Dwight Howard getting 23 and 23 in one game. :notworthy: Dwight Howard kind of puts me in mind of Wilt a little bit. Not completely, just athletically. Like I said, Wilt was one of a kind the greatest scorer ever.
June 2, 200917 yr Magic Johnson. He was LeBron before Lebron was a thought, without the leaping ability. Oscar was Magic long before Magic. Since you seem to like the number of titles argument, if you didn't say Russell you lose...
June 2, 200917 yr Author Magic Johnson. He was LeBron before Lebron was a thought, without the leaping ability. True winner in every essence of the word and while most would start a team with Jordan, I would probably start mine with Magic. My best memories of the NBA as a kid always started with Magic Johnson. He is my choice for number 1, but like Cats 3X said, Jordan is the likely number 1 so I guess Magic would get my vote for number 2. I respect your choices Cats 3X, but neither of them won or impacted the game the way Magic Johnson did AND win championships at the same time. Both of them had to latch on to other teams toward the tail end of their careers to win a championship. Wilt never could beat Bill Russell. They did have to go through the greatest dynasty in pro sports though. Oscar didn't have anywhere near that kind of help until Kareem came. Magic played with 2 Hall of Famers, which gave him the kind of team that you could win championships with.
June 2, 200917 yr Author Food for thought: Bill Russell- 15.1 PPG, 22.5. RPG. 11 Championships, 5 MVP. Wilt Chamberlain- 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG. 2 Championships, 4 MVP. Oscar Robertson-25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG. 1 Championship, 1 MVP. Magic Johnson- 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG. 5 Championships, 3 MVP. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG. 6 Championships,6 MVP. Larry Bird- 24.3 PPG, 10 RPG, 6.3 APG. 3 Championships, 3 MVP. Jerry West- 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG. 1 Championship, No MVP's. Modern Era Players: Shaquille O'Neal- 24.7 PPG, 11.2 RPG. 3 Championships, 1 MVP. Kobe Bryant- 25.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.6 APG. 3 Championships, 1 MVP. Tim Duncan- 21.4 PPG, 11.7 RPG. 4 Championships, 2 MVP LeBron James- 27.5 PPG, 7 RPG, 6.7 APG. No championships, 1 MVP.
June 2, 200917 yr Everyone says Duncan as the second best post player of the modern era-2000-present-behind Shaq. But I will go with Kevin Garnett, his numbers are almost equal to those Duncan's-KG averaged 20, 11 and 1.6. Both are extremely similar to each other, extremely solid fundamentally, excellent on the defensive end of the floor, great leaders and but not as talented offensively as say, Wilt Chamberlain. The only difference between the two is the four championships that Duncan has won as compared to KG's 1. I am not saying the Timberwolves were bad, because by no means were they in KG's heyday, but they also didn't have Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, David Robinson, Bruce Bowen or even Robert Horry. So he has to go on the list of best players of the modern era if Duncan does IMO. As for who I think #2 all-time is. It's hard to argue with Bill Russell in that slot, 11 titles and 15 points per to go along with 23 rebounds, heck, he even coached and played and won a title in the last year of the Celtics' run. Also, as of now, LeBron shouldn't be among the discussion of the second greatest of all-time. I have no doubts he will end up being htere and cold even possibly pass Jordan as the consensus #1 player. But right now, he's got some ways to go.
June 2, 200917 yr Author Everyone says Duncan as the second best post player of the modern era-2000-present-behind Shaq. But I will go with Kevin Garnett, his numbers are almost equal to those Duncan's-KG averaged 20, 11 and 1.6. Both are extremely similar to each other, extremely solid fundamentally, excellent on the defensive end of the floor, great leaders and but not as talented offensively as say, Wilt Chamberlain. The only difference between the two is the four championships that Duncan has won as compared to KG's 1. I am not saying the Timberwolves were bad, because by no means were they in KG's heyday, but they also didn't have Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, David Robinson, Bruce Bowen or even Robert Horry. So he has to go on the list of best players of the modern era if Duncan does IMO. As for who I think #2 all-time is. It's hard to argue with Bill Russell in that slot, 11 titles and 15 points per to go along with 23 rebounds, heck, he even coached and played and won a title in the last year of the Celtics' run. Also, as of now, LeBron shouldn't be among the discussion of the second greatest of all-time. I have no doubts he will end up being htere and cold even possibly pass Jordan as the consensus #1 player. But right now, he's got some ways to go. In title runs two and three for Duncan I would argue that Parker and Ginobili weren't better than what Garnett had played with in Cassell and Spreewell. Now in the last title vs. the Cavs, Parker and Ginobili had came into their own and became forces. I think between the two Garnett was a better player talent wise, but historically he cannot realistically rank over Duncan. I will also say the only things LeBron needs to be in the discussion are more years in the league (at a high level of course) and a minimum of a title. Talent-wise he is up there with just about anyone, but you really can't compare the career of someone who has finished a HOF career to someone after there 6th season in the league. So I sort of agree. I know he can't be even top 15, but a player I want to add in is Hakeem Olajuwon. I think he is possibly the most underrated player of all-time. He never got much love even when he won two titles. He was great on both ends of the floor averaging 22 PPG, 11 RPG, 3 BPG, 3 APG and nearly 2 SPG. I think that Shaq learned alot from Olajuwon schooling him in the '94-'95 Finals.
June 2, 200917 yr I'll take the man with 11 championships Why? Because he was lucky enough to be on a better team than anyone else at that time.
June 2, 200917 yr Why? Because he was lucky enough to be on a better team than anyone else at that time. No, because he MADE them a better team than anyone else at the time.
June 2, 200917 yr No, because he MADE them a better team than anyone else at the time. 11 championships better?
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