Retired Players Who Would Thrive Today?

[MrChug]

Who in your opinion hide "timeless" skills? Anyone can fly and dunk, but who would survive today? The recent greats (pretty much anyone on the original Dream Team) might have but who else?

[Findog]

Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell.

[Findog]

Wilt the Stilt, Elgin Baylor

[Kai]

Kareem, Bill Russell, Dr. J

[JamStone]

I'm going to mention some players before the 80s and Magic-Bird-Jordan eras...

Wilt, Oscar, Earl Monroe, Pete Maravich, Wes Unseld, Iceman, Alex English, David Thompson

[Flight3107]

Shawn Bradley

[MrChug]

I always thought watching him that Baylor was a bit of a stiff jumpshooter. Strong, good rebounder and very VERY smart, but I thought he was a bit immobile to not be shut down by a quick strong Artest type, hell even a traditional power fwd but you may be right. Hell but 27 ppg and 14+ rpg can't be wrong...

Kareem (Alcindor)-timelessly unstoppable moves
McHale-see above
Gilmore-you can't teach size and athleticism
Drazen-relentless competitor who's time came too soon
Reggie Miller-battle tested warrior
Shooters-they would have never been unemployed (Kerr, Dale Ellis, Hornacek, B.J. Armstrong)

[Findog]

I don't think Baylor would be as good today as he was when he played, but no doubt he would be still be a good quality NBA player.

[Matchman]

Wilt is severely overrated.
Hornacek would be Ray-Allen like if he were to play in this era.

[Findog]

Maravich was flashier and lazier than Iverson (who has always been a warrior), but I've always thought they're similar in the way they need to dominate the ball to be effective, and they're not nearly as good off the ball, and they're not good defenders overally really, although when he was younger Iverson made more plays with his athleticism. And teams built around their perimeter play are ultimately doomed. It's too bad AI has never had a dominant big to play with.

[mavs>spurs2]

tim hardaway, a killer quick crossover is still a killer crossover

going back further, you have guys like Bird who were smart players and never relied on athleticism anyway so it wouldn't be an issue

i think mark aguirre would score at will in today's less defense oriented league

[Findog]

Aguirre and Tarpley could tear shit up today.

[Findog]

Brad Davis, on the other hand, could not.

[Findog]

If Jason Kapono can get the full MLE for being a spot-up three specialist, then fucking so could Sam Perkins.

[Findog]

Alex English???? How come nobody has said him yet?

[Findog]

Worthy

[Killakobe81]

Who in your opinion hide "timeless" skills? Anyone can fly and dunk, but who would survive today? The recent greats (pretty much anyone on the original Dream Team) might have but who else?

Love that sig is that "corporate approved" ? =)

[Killakobe81]

Hakeem, Kareem, Isiah, Iceman, Bernard King, McHale, Worthy Scott coop, mark price, Nance, Nique Wilt Dale Ellis

[Killakobe81]

If we talking before my time Russell, Wilt, Baylor West & Cousy oh and George Mikan LOL

[robbie380]

Wilt is severely overrated.

i'd like to see the justification of that point. you do know he was the league leading rebounder and all defensive first team the last year he played, right?

[anakha]

Fat Lever.

[JamStone]

I don't think Baylor would be as good today as he was when he played, but no doubt he would be still be a good quality NBA player.

Maybe quality player but hard to believe he'd be the star he was.

6-5 combo forward in today's game?

Would be like Desmond Mason or a Bonzi Wells type of forward.

I don't really know much about Baylor but did he have solid perimeter skills?

[Tmac&Luther]

players like Hakeem would abuse some of the sorry excuses we have for Centers today............the art of post play/moves is dying in this league. Hell Scola makes some people look like fools with his foot work today and he wasn't 1/10 of what Hakeem was.

[MrChug]

Maybe quality player but hard to believe he'd be the star he was.

6-5 combo forward in today's game?

Would be like Desmond Mason or a Bonzi Wells type of forward.

I don't really know much about Baylor but did he have solid perimeter skills?

Baylor was a FANTASTIC midrange shooter with the threat of a post up game. Offensive rebounding and putbacks made him lethal. Desmond Mason? He's not even thriving TODAY!

I agree with most, but I have a problem thinking Alex English or 'Nique would average 30 in today's game...

[baseline bum]

Archibald would be a monster under current guard-friendly rules. KJ too.

[mrspurs]

Dennis Rodman

[MrChug]

Dennis Rodman

+1

(...or someone who plays exactly like Dennis Rodman without actually BEING Dennis Rodman)

[hater]

petrovic

[urunobili]

Sprewell?

[DaDakota]

Drazen Petrovich, Calvin Murphy, Rudy T, Adrian Dantley, Mark Aguirre, Jack Sikma, Bill Wlaton, Mike Newlin.

DD