Tim one of the top 10 players in NBA history

[TDfan2007]

I was reading a book called "Who's better, who's best" by ABC (& formerly NBC) statistician Elliot Kalb. In it, he ranks the top 50 players in the history of the NBA. It's a really good read. Anyways, here's his top 10

1. Shaquille O'neal

2. Wilt Chamberlain

3. Michael Jordan

4. Bill Russel

5. Kareem Abdul - Jabbar.

6. Larry Bird

7. Earvin "Magic" Johnson

8. Oscar Robertson

9. Tim Duncan

10. Bob Cousy

He also put David Robinson at #20

[timvp]

MJ is number one right now, but if Shaq wins a title with the Heat ... I'd put him number one, too.

[MannyIsGod]

I gotta wonder about Tim being above Hakeem.

[san antonio spurs]

shaq over wilt????
no way,wilt first,MJ second and shaq third
________
SexyChelsy live (http://camslivesexy.com/cam/SexyChelsy)

[IcemanCometh]

1 mj 2 a magic 2 b bird

[milkyway21]

nos. 1, 2, 3 were inter changed :wtf

#1. MJ
#2. Russell (hey! 13 titles :cuss)

[Rummpd]

Shaq number one is inane and anyone who puts him in top 5 (I put him lower) does not know basketball history. Wilt was so much more dominant statistically as was Kareem (who had 6 MVPS). Russell also greater winner. Please wake me when Shaq ever wins a rebounding title or a block title - I am not sure he even belongs in top ten. What title has he ever won without another great player, i.e. Kobe by his side? What offensive arsenal has he ever shown other than dunks??? Kareem would have ate Shaq alive with his shy hook and all around game, Russell would have frustrated him, and Wilt would have easily dominated him. 19 players between him and David Robinson - don't even get me started on that one. In his prime, DR was just as dominant as Shaq.

This author simply put is an idiot. Meanwhile a case can be made that at equal point of career Duncan has accomplished more.


My List:

1) Russell the game is about winning
2) MJ
3)Wilt
4) Kareem
5) Johnson
6)Bird tough call to leave him out of top 5.
7) O.Robinson best all around game in history after Jordan and Wilt (who coud do it all - led league in assists one year).
8) Malone will move down as no ring. You had your chance Lard head.
9) Duncan and moving up
10) Shaq don't look back King James is coming.

[1Parker1]

How can you put MJ as #3? That's ridiculous.

[boutons]

This is a fucking stupid list, because of the first position. Historical myopia by some ignorant jerk.

Wilt and Bill R. and Oscar have to be at the top.

Oscar: "1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for AN ENTIRE SEASON."

I'm don't think Shaq will be in the Top10 with his career almost done, nor even Tim until his career is done. Just because they are closer in time, currently playing, doesn't mean they deserve to be in that NBA Pantheon that covers 50+ years.

[emveepee]

TD has to be top 5 and DRob in the top 10!

[wildbill2u]

This is a fucking stupid list, because of the first position. Historical myopia by some ignorant jerk.

Wilt and Bill R. and Oscar have to be at the top.

Oscar: "1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for AN ENTIRE SEASON."

I'm don't think Shaq will be in the Top10 with his career almost done, nor even Tim until his career is done. Just because they are closer in time, currently playing, doesn't mean they deserve to be in that NBA Pantheon that covers 50+ years.

Agree. I'd have to see how he found the stats to put Shaq in the top 10 at all. There's another thing that mitigates against Shaq. There are no comparable dominant centers in the league that he has to play against night after night. When you can put a Malik Rose on Shaq and get something like a draw, you know he isn't the best of all time.

[PM5K]

I didn't even bother to read the entire list, when I saw Shaq one I skipped the whole damn thing.


Right now such a ranking is utterly stupid. Shaq has half the rings Michael does and Mike has five MVP's to Shaqs one. I could go on and on but if anyone knows basketball I am preaching to the choir.....

[baseline bum]

Oscar: "1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for AN ENTIRE SEASON."

From all I've heard Oscar had a stat-padding rep and was considered a bad teammate. Oscar won when Kareem came on board, but when he was putting up those huge numbers he got nowhere. Rating Oscar above Magic, for example, just because of what's on the stat sheet is ludicrous.

[exstatic]

If stat padding were that easy, more players would have averaged a triple double. Big O was the goods.

[TDfan2007]

here's my top 10...

1. Wilt Chamberlain

2. Michael Jordan

3. Bill Russel

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

5. Larry Bird

6. Magic Johnson

7. Oscar Roberston

8. Shaq

9. Tim Duncan (this isn't set in stone, he can move ahead of Shaq if he adds few more title to his resume)

10. Bob Cousy

I put Larry ahead of Magic (although I like Magic more) because he had the better all around game and made his teammates better as well.

Bob Cousy was unbelievable w/ the Celts so to not put him in the top 10 is just rediculous

There is noooo way that David is in the top 10 because he could never take his team all the way. David in his prime was much like KG is now, a great player, but he didn't have the killer instinct to lead his team to a title.

But you guys are right, to put Shaq at #1 is just plain stupid because he has had no legitamate competition in the 2000's, but in the early 90's when he did have competition (i.e. Hakeem) he was eaten alive.

[adidas11]

My list.

#1 Jordan
#2 Shaq
#3 Wilt
#4 Russell
#5 Magic
#6 Bird
#7 Big O
#8 Kareem
#9 Malone
#10 Duncan/Hakeem
#10

[FearDaFro]

Tim Duncan will never be as good as Hakeem Olajuwon was in his prime. That's no knock on Tim, but anybody who saw Hakeem at his highest level knows there really isn't a comparison. Hakeem was a 1-man army. The most versatile Center in NBA history.

Tim is probably the best player in the NBA right now, but he isn't one of the 10 best of all time. The only selection worse on that list is Shaq at #1. Whomever wrote that book should never be allowed to write ever again.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Shaq number one is inane and anyone who puts him in top 5 (I put him lower) does not know basketball history. Wilt was so much more dominant statistically as was Kareem (who had 6 MVPS). Russell also greater winner. Please wake me when Shaq ever wins a rebounding title or a block title - I am not sure he even belongs in top ten. What title has he ever won without another great player, i.e. Kobe by his side? What offensive arsenal has he ever shown other than dunks??? Kareem would have ate Shaq alive with his shy hook and all around game, Russell would have frustrated him, and Wilt would have easily dominated him. 19 players between him and David Robinson - don't even get me started on that one. In his prime, DR was just as dominant as Shaq.

This author simply put is an idiot. Meanwhile a case can be made that at equal point of career Duncan has accomplished more.


My List:

1) Russell the game is about winning
2) MJ
3)Wilt
4) Kareem
5) Johnson
6)Bird tough call to leave him out of top 5.
7) O.Robinson best all around game in history after Jordan and Wilt (who coud do it all - led league in assists one year).
8) Malone will move down as no ring. You had your chance Lard head.
9) Duncan and moving up
10) Shaq don't look back King James is coming.

You nailed it.

[Rummpd]

Adidas 11:

How the hell can you put Shaq as the 2nd best player of all time????????

The absolute truth:

Shaq is really the 3rd best center to play on LA behind Chamberlain and Kareem.

FearDaFro:

Hakeem was a great, great player (I could interchange him with Malone who could not ever win on list) but Duncan is arguebly the best at his position to ever play the game. Duncan already has multiple MVPs, titles, 1st Team NBA each year etc. Duncan is like Russell - the stats just don't tell the whole story = he is that good. His teams have the HIGHEST WINNING % IN HISTORY for any great, any sport for a career > 5 years (source Sam Smith,recent Chicago Tribune article). Hakeem was the Dream and Duncan is the TRUTH.

[adidas11]

Because Shaq won three titles in a row. And Russell, while he did win 11 titles, wasn't a dominate offensive player.

[ducks]

shaq had to have kobe a mvp candiate to win

[Rummpd]

Ducks very well said.

Adidas 11 I have seen all of them play and Shaq could not again hold a handle to Wilt, Russell or Kareem period. But to each his own.

[adidas11]

Ok

[TDfan2007]

Adidas 11:

How the hell can you put Shaq as the 2nd best player of all time????????

The absolute truth:

Shaq is really the 3rd best center to play on LA behind Chamberlain and Kareem.

FearDaFro:

Hakeem was a great, great player (I could interchange him with Malone who could not ever win on list) but Duncan is arguebly the best at his position to ever play the game. Duncan already has multiple MVPs, titles, 1st Team NBA each year etc. Duncan is like Russell - the stats just don't tell the whole story = he is that good. His teams have the HIGHEST WINNING % IN HISTORY for any great, any sport for a career > 5 years (source Sam Smith,recent Chicago Tribune article). Hakeem was the Dream and Duncan is the TRUTH.

Very well said