Alcindor/Kareem

[georgephillip]

UCLA had a wizard who believed in prayer in that game.
The play I remember was when Sidney got caught up in the emotion and threw down a slam dunk, which, of course, the NCAA had banned after Kareem's first varsity season. I'm beginning to wonder if Kareem could dominate the NBA as a coach in the same way Wooden ruled college hoop?

He's in his mid to late sixties, the game has passed him by with the ego's that need to be contained.

Kareem has never suffered fools well.
Some of today's players and most of today's media would present a big challenge for him.
I disagree about the game passing him by.
If anything, it's the other way around. If he ever got a head coaching job in New York or LA, Kareem would reinvent professional hoop.

 

[Dot Com]

You're right, I forgot about Jerry West...

He's actually the 4th best Laker.

Don't know, but that's him in the NBA logo silhouette.

West?

 

[georgephillip]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[manifold]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So?

He's still only the 4th best Laker of all time.

 

[Dot Com]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

personal fouls given or received?

 

[manifold]

You're right, I forgot about Jerry West...

He's actually the 4th best Laker.

Don't know, but that's him in the NBA logo silhouette.

West?

Yes

 

[ginscpy]

So?

The Best Buck of all time, and the best Bruin........

 

[manifold]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

personal fouls given or received?

I'm pretty sure fouls received is not a recorded statistic.

 

[georgephillip]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So?

He's still only the 4th best Laker of all time.

Using what criteria?

 

[manifold]

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So?

He's still only the 4th best Laker of all time.

Using what criteria?

All of them. Tangible as well as intangible.

 

[georgephillip]

He's only the third best Laker for Christ's sake!

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

personal fouls given or received?

I'm assuming (guessing) it's personal fouls given.
If memory serves, Wilt fouled out of fewer games than Kareem.

 

[georgephillip]

So?

He's still only the 4th best Laker of all time.

Using what criteria?

All of them. Tangible as well as intangible.

Points scored?
Minutes played?
Education??
IQ???

 

[manifold]

Using what criteria?

All of them. Tangible as well as intangible.

Points scored?
Minutes played?
Education??
IQ???

and ppg, apg, bpg, rpg, fg%, ft% and the eyeball test.

 

[georgephillip]

All of them. Tangible as well as intangible.

Points scored?
Minutes played?
Education??
IQ???

and ppg, apg, bpg, rpg, fg%, ft% and the eyeball test.

"Holds NBA career record for:

"Most points (38,387)[25]
Most minutes played (57,446)
Most field goals made (15,837)
Most field goals attempted (28,307)
Most All-Star selections (19)
Most All-Star games played"

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[manifold]

Points scored?
Minutes played?
Education??
IQ???

and ppg, apg, bpg, rpg, fg%, ft% and the eyeball test.

"Holds NBA career record for:

"Most points (38,387)[25]
Most minutes played (57,446)
Most field goals made (15,837)
Most field goals attempted (28,307)
Most All-Star selections (19)
Most All-Star games played"

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Longevity =/= Best of all time IMO.

 

[manifold]

If I was picking a fantasy team drawing from every player that ever played (in his prime), Kareem would not make my second string, since I'd already have Chamberlain and Russell as my two centers.

 

[georgephillip]

Which of the three centers dominated the college game?
Hint: Which one inspired the NCAA to outlaw the slam dunk?
88-2...

 

[manifold]

Which of the three centers dominated the college game?
Hint: Which one inspired the NCAA to outlaw the slam dunk?
88-2...

If a player's college career bears any consideration whatsoever, then Christian Laettner enters the conversation, and that's just plain silly.

 

[deaddogseye]

"At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

personal fouls given or received?

I'm assuming (guessing) it's personal fouls given.
If memory serves, Wilt fouled out of fewer games than Kareem.

IIRC Wilt never fouled out of an NBA game

 

[samjones]

and ppg, apg, bpg, rpg, fg%, ft% and the eyeball test.

"Holds NBA career record for:

"Most points (38,387)[25]
Most minutes played (57,446)
Most field goals made (15,837)
Most field goals attempted (28,307)
Most All-Star selections (19)
Most All-Star games played"

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Longevity =/= Best of all time IMO.

It depends. Kareem's longevity was certainly the key to his greatness... The fact that he played for so many years and remained such a relevant force despite the fact that the league went through incredible changes. Furthermore, IMO, there hasn't been a big man that matched his career since he stopped playing. The conversation "Is Kareem the greatest big man to ever play basketball" is the same today as it was in 1990. The same names come up.

Wilt didn't play defense. That's why he never fouled out. It's hard for me to think of a player who only played half the game as being that great. Wilt ran all over 95% of the league. But he never ran over Jabbar or Russell and that's why he didn't win championships. How can you call him the greatest of all time when he wasn't even the greatest of his own time?

I don't know - I'm a big man so maybe I'm biased, but I can't imagine giving the "Greatest Basketball Player of All Time" award to any position other than center, just like I can't imagine giving the "Greatest Football Player of All Time" award to any position other than quarterback.