Who are your top NBA players all-time?

[DGS49]

When you want to talk about the violation that used to be called, "Palming the ball," Ervin "Magic" Johnson was the Master. He palmed the ball every time he came down the court, but being a STAR, the refs let him get away with it. Then the other players saw that and presumed - correctly - that it would no longer be called, and the game has never recovered.

As for "steps," there has for DECADES been an unwritten rule in the NBA that if your moon walk ends with a dunk then "traveling" will not be called. We have all seen players run from mid-court for a dunk and have nothing called.

One might also note that a DUNK is the least skill-demanding move in basketball. Requires no skill whatsoever. Its exaltation as the ultimate fan-thrill is a testament to Americans' lack of sophistication.

 

[basquebromance]

Luka Doncic
Chandler Parsons
Jeremy Linsanity
Zach Lavine
Aaron Gordon
Blake Griffin
Vince Carter
Allen Iverson
Jason Williams
Chris Webber
Reggie Miller
Gordon Hayward
Jimmer Fredette
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Meyers Leonard
Danilo Gallinari
Russell Westbrook
James Harden
Magic Johnson

a blend of the entertainers and the good looking-ers

 

[mdk]

It seems odd to see so many lists devoid of Pistol Pete. Tsk, tsk!

 

[rightwinger]

It seems odd to see so many lists devoid of Pistol Pete. Tsk, tsk!

Pete may be the best college players but his NBA career was spotty and he got injured

 

[DrLove]

Mine are 1) Wilt Chamberlain - No one changed the fabric of the game more than he did. He AVERAGED over 50 points a game one season. 2) Michael Jordan - Fantastic all-around player and one of the fiercest competitors the game has seen. 3) LeBron James - Nearly as great an all-around player as Jordan. It's scary to think he's not even CLOSE to retiring. 4) Bill Russell - THE best defensive player ever, he's one of VERY few that could hold Chamberlain to reasonable numbers. 5) Oscar Robertson - Great all-around player and one of only TWO players to AVERAGE a triple double (points, rebounds, assists) for an entire season. The other is Russell Westbrook, perhaps THE best all-around player, other than LeBron, currently in the league. So there's my top choices, what are yours?

Wilt wouldn't make my top 10 list for the same reason Shaq wouldn't - Yes, they were both dominant, but worthless as shooters from over 5 feet. They were both brick chuckers. I'm good with the rest of your picks but would strongly consider including Kobe, Durant, Kareem, Magic, West, Curry and Bird.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Wilt
Jordan
Lebron
Kareem
Magic

Racist!!!

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Mine are 1) Wilt Chamberlain - No one changed the fabric of the game more than he did. He AVERAGED over 50 points a game one season. 2) Michael Jordan - Fantastic all-around player and one of the fiercest competitors the game has seen. 3) LeBron James - Nearly as great an all-around player as Jordan. It's scary to think he's not even CLOSE to retiring. 4) Bill Russell - THE best defensive player ever, he's one of VERY few that could hold Chamberlain to reasonable numbers. 5) Oscar Robertson - Great all-around player and one of only TWO players to AVERAGE a triple double (points, rebounds, assists) for an entire season. The other is Russell Westbrook, perhaps THE best all-around player, other than LeBron, currently in the league. So there's my top choices, what are yours?

1) Jordan
2)Kareem
3) LeBron
4) Wilt
5) Magic

Right now:

1) Giannis
2) Luka
3) Durant (when healthy)
4) LeBron
5) Curry (when healthy)

Harden is there too but his D sucks and he never wins the big one because he is selfish.

 

[DrLove]

Nice picks, rw, thanks for your post. Incidentally, Magic would be my #6 pick, Kareem #7. And rounding out my top ten would be Larry Bird (8), Hakeem Olajuwon (9) and Tim Duncan (10). Just missing my top ten - Jerry West, George Mikan, John Stockton, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant.

My next 5

Bird
Malone
Shaq
Kobe
Russell

I would add "The Doctor" to that.

Excellent addition

 

[Natural Citizen]

I liked Bill Laimbeer, just because he was an ahole. Was always fun to watch what kind of crap he was gonna start.

 

[DrLove]

I liked Bill Laimbeer, just because he was an ahole. Was always fun to watch what kind of crap he was gonna start.

Yeah, he'd have been great as a WWE heel. Frankly, I'm surprised that he didn't end up in prison.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Yeah, he'd have been great as a WWE heel. Frankly, I'm surprised that he didn't end up in prison.

I like this video of his antics better.

 

[bluzman61]

Wilt
Jordan
Lebron
Kareem
Magic

Racist!!!

Yep, all dem guys is BLACK! But let's face it, there haven't been a whole lot great white guys that have played in the NBA. Bird, West, Stockton, Havlicek, Cousy, and Mikan were probably the best. Rick Barry and Bob Pettit too.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Wilt
Jordan
Lebron
Kareem
Magic

Racist!!!

Yep, all dem guys is BLACK! But let's face it, there haven't been a whole lot great white guys that have played in the NBA. Bird, West, Stockton, Havlicek, Cousy, and Mikan were probably the best. Rick Barry and Bob Pettit too.

McHale? Luka, Dirk, Porzingis = all foreign

 

[bluzman61]

Wilt
Jordan
Lebron
Kareem
Magic

Racist!!!

Yep, all dem guys is BLACK! But let's face it, there haven't been a whole lot great white guys that have played in the NBA. Bird, West, Stockton, Havlicek, Cousy, and Mikan were probably the best. Rick Barry and Bob Pettit too.

McHale? Luka, Dirk, Porzingis = all foreign

I forgot about those guys, thanks for the reminder. Luka looks REALLY good. He's a wonderful all-around player and averaged close to a triple double for this season. Only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook have done this for a whole season.

 

[DGS49]

Players who score a lot of points but don't have a better shooting percentage than the rest of the team really don't contribute much toward wins. This is why their teams win as many games with them out as they do with them in.

Exhibit A is Luka. Fun to watch, marvelously talented, but the Mav's do as well with him out of the lineup as when he's in.

Sorry.

 

[rightwinger]

Players who score a lot of points but don't have a better shooting percentage than the rest of the team really don't contribute much toward wins. This is why their teams win as many games with them out as they do with them in.

Exhibit A is Luka. Fun to watch, marvelously talented, but the Mav's do as well with him out of the lineup as when he's in.

Sorry.

Basketball is an odd sport. Someone is going to take the shots. If you lose, you still get your 20 points.

Winning teams spread it around, get the rebounds, look for the open man

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]