CBS Sports Names Kawhi 50th Greatest Player in NBA History

[BatManu20]

Just released their latest 50th Greatest Players List and Kawhi just sneaks in at #50. Youngest player on the list at only 25. Impressive. Timmy comes in at #7, D-Rob at #27, and Iceman at #43.


832639226483204096

[BatManu20]

Curry at 19 is my biggest beef, especially ahead of D-Wade already. Also Kobe at 10 over Hakeem.

[NASpurs]

Duncan > Kirby, things we already knew.

[baseline bum]

Good list except for picking Bryant over Olajuwon.

[BatManu20]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C44g9YSVcAAD4gS?format=jpg&name=large

[TheDoctor]

Damn Kawhi.

:claw

Porkerstans in suicide watch tbh

[SpursforSix]

Curry at 19 is my biggest beef, especially ahead of D-Wade already.

Gotta put something in there for people to talk about I guess. Ridiculous. And if Curry truly is 19, should Leonard really be 31 places behind?

[BatManu20]

Good list except for picking Bryant over Olajuwon.

Agree with this.

[HarlemHeat37]

Surprisingly good list considering it's a mainstream media source(still a shitty list, overall, but relatively speaking, I applaud it)..can't complain about the number of older players on the list, since no mainstream media source would dare leave them off:lol

I don't have a problem with Curry in the top 20..2 MVPs and a ring as the lead guy + a top 5 RS peak of all-time, statistically..that's a better resume than most, already..

[dabom]

Porker Stans. :lmao

[NASpurs]

Someone should make a real list and take out people that played before the 80s. :stirpot:

[apalisoc_9]

I love Kawhi, but I hate seeing 25 year olds in top 50 lists. It's hilarious. :lol

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol Bob Pettit on a 50 greatest list..are we supposed to believe that David Lee couldn't have done the same shit during that era, tbh?

[SpursforSix]

:lol Bob Pettit on a 50 greatest list..are we supposed to believe that David Lee couldn't have done the same shit during that era, tbh?

That's a ridiculous take.

[BillMc]

Just released their latest 50th Greatest Players List and Kawhi just sneaks in at #50. Youngest player on the list at only 25. Impressive. Timmy comes in at #7, D-Rob at #27, and Iceman at #43.


832639226483204096

They also had Manu and Tony in the "Next 10" footnote at the bottom meaning they're somewhere between 51-60.

Glad they had Shaq over Kobe. Kareem should be ahead of LBJ.

Mikan is actually the most interesting. In terms of skill he's surely too high, in terms of impact surely too low. He was a pro for 10 years, and missed the playoffs one year with a broken leg. The 9 years he was healthy, he won 7 championships 2 in the forerunner to the NBA, and 5 in the NBA itself. Also revolutionized the game for big men more than anyone except maybe Wilt.

On the other hand, he'd probably have a hard time making a squad as a starter today.

[Canyonero]

Lol

[BillMc]

Crappy video that goes with it makes Duncan ahead of Kobe sound questionable. :rolleyes

[Mikeanaro]

Quality list
:lol Lebron at #2
:lol Dwert
:lol you have Reggie Miller why you need GayRay?
:lol No Manu, because there were 100 guys playing just like him
:lol Wade, what for?
:lol KD is a good player but he is not among the greatests ever.

Corporate crap

[RD2191]

:claw

[loveforthegame]

Nice. :claw

[apalisoc_9]

Wilt is the most overrated athelete of all time.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Wilt is the most overrated athelete of all time.

he averaged 50 ppg one season though

[TampaDude]

Quality list
:lol Lebron at #2
:lol Dwert
:lol you have Reggie Miller why you need GayRay?
:lol No Manu, because there were 100 guys playing just like him
:lol Wade, what for?
:lol KD is a good player but he is not among the greatests ever.

Corporate crap

LMFAO @ "Dwert". Gotta be one of my all-time favorite nicks. :lol

[BatManu20]

Alright Matt Moore of CBS Sports just dropped his Top 50 list in response and he has Timmy #3 overall :wow

Also has Kawhi at #32 already (!), Parker at #34 (ahead of Stockton :lol), Manu #45, and Gervin not in his Top 50. Wild.


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[dabom]

Alright Matt Moore of CBS Sports just dropped his Top 50 list in response and he has Timmy #3 overall :wow

Also has Kawhi at #32 already (!), Parker at #34 (ahead of Stockton :lol), Manu #45, and Gervin not in his Top 50. Wild.


832689370046013440

I like.

[TheGreatYacht]

:lol Bob Pettit on a 50 greatest list..are we supposed to believe that David Lee couldn't have done the same shit during that era, tbh?
:lol tbh

Looking like calculus professors

[Spur|n|Austin]

:lol some posters will always find something to nitpick or complain about, bunch of old ladies here.

[RD2191]

:lol some posters will always find something to nitpick or complain about, bunch of old ladies here.

Sorry bro, can't meet for tea tonight.

[TheGreatYacht]

:lol anyone having Manure in their Top 50 NBA players

He averages 13-3-3 for his career

[99 Problems]

:claw Truth. Not ya average 25 y.o.

[Thomas82]

Matt Moore is catching a lot of heat for having Tim Duncan at #3.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Sorry bro, can't meet for tea tonight.

You better at least fucking show for bridge night, Gertrude!

[HarlemHeat37]

I'd probably have Kawhi somewhere in the 40s, off the top of my head..he would crack the top 5 position list, though..

SF
1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Pippen
4. Pierce
5. Kawhi

PG
1. Magic
2. Curry
3. Paul
4. Nash
5. Iverson

SG
1. Dad Killer
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Manu
5. Harden

PF
1. Duncan
2. KG
3. Dirk
4. PedoMailman
5. Barkley

C
1. Shaq
2. Hakeem
3. Robinson
4. Moses Malone
5. Dwight Howard

[SpurPadre]

Stopped reading after they said they considered Parker instead of Manu, tbh.

[spurraider21]

I'd probably have Kawhi somewhere in the 40s, off the top of my head..he would crack the top 5 position list, though..

SF
1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Pippen
4. Pierce
5. Kawhi

PG
1. Magic
2. Curry
3. Paul
4. Nash
5. Iverson

SG
1. Dad Killer
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Manu
5. Harden

PF
1. Duncan
2. KG
3. Dirk
4. PedoMailman
5. Barkley

C
1. Shaq
2. Hakeem
3. Robinson
4. Moses Malone
5. Dwight Howard
:lol dwight over kareem?
:lol bird not a top 5 SF?

[PopTheGOAT]

:lol dwight over kareem?
:lol bird not a top 5 SF?
True lol. Kawhi will overtake at least pierce and pippen before he's done

[SAGirl]

I am one of the newest basketball fans of any era... I don't go way back b4 2012... but I think you can only rate players comparatively within their era. There is just no way it can be done differently without being subjective particularly when as far as I have read somewhere footage of many early era players is extremely limited (something like over 80% of Wilt games were never recorded .. maybe more)... so its going to be subjective past a point. Good for you guys to debate about.

[elemento]

How can you even take those guys seriously if they didn't even bother to check the year Robinson won his MVP correctly :lol

D-Rob is way too low. There's absolutely no reason to have KG in the 15th place and Robinson 12 places bellow. D-Rob peaked higher and he was better defensively and offensively. KG only has the edge in terms of longevity because the Admiral came old to the NBA.

Curry already a top 20 player of all-time is also ridiculous.

[FkLA]

Alright Matt Moore of CBS Sports just dropped his Top 50 list in response and he has Timmy #3 overall :wow

Also has Kawhi at #32 already (!), Parker at #34 (ahead of Stockton :lol), Manu #45, and Gervin not in his Top 50. Wild.


832689370046013440

I was loving that guy until he put Enrique at #34 and ahead of Manu. Just lol. Amazing what a FMVP, even if done against a guy named Boobie can do for a guy's career.

[SASdynasty!]

Stopped reading after they said they considered a FMVP starter instead of a turnover-prone bench warmer, tbh.

[SASdynasty!]

I was loving that guy until he put Enrique at #34 and ahead of Manu. Just lol. Amazing what a FMVP, even if done against a guy named Boobie can do for a guy's career.

Everyone puts Parker over Manu on these lists. The only people who don't are da krew.

[SASdynasty!]

Prisoner of the moment list obviously: Lebron at #2, Curry at #19, Kawhi at #50. That said, I think it's a pretty good list overall.

[FkLA]

Everyone puts Parker over Manu on these lists. The only people who don't are da krew.

Da metrics don't put him above Manu.

Cue 'muh HERO had all these PPG though'.

[SpurPadre]

Everyone puts Parker over Manu on these lists. The only people who don't are da krew.

Except for fucking a teammate's wife, I love what TP has meant for the team but IMO, Manu has always been the better player who would've been a career starter for every other team in the league.

[Bellboy]

Wilt is the most overrated athelete of all time.

If you want to say Wilt was one of the most overrated basketball players of all time you can argue that, even though he averaged 50 points and 27 rebounds a game one season, including having over 40 50 point games in one season, holding 72 NBA records, 68 individual records that still stand today.

But considering he could run the 100 yard dash in the 10.s, an accomplished hurdler in track, throw the shot put over 56 and was the Big 8 high jump champion for three straight years, your opinion that he's the most overrated athlete of all time is a little shaky.

Just my opinion:bobo

[HarlemHeat37]

Wilt is the most overrated athelete of all time.

Bill Russell is far more overrated than Wilt, tbh..at least Wilt was a historically great athlete for his time and actually dominated his competition..Russell was a mediocre scorer, even against 60s level opposition:lol..

[Raven]

lol

[Down Under]

Bill Russell is far more overrated than Wilt, tbh..at least Wilt was a historically great athlete for his time and actually dominated his competition..Russell was a mediocre scorer, even against 60s level opposition:lol..
Couldn't score against Center's the size of Gordon Hayward :lol

[BillMc]

I'd probably have Kawhi somewhere in the 40s, off the top of my head..he would crack the top 5 position list, though..

SF
1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Pippen
4. Pierce
5. Kawhi

PG
1. Magic
2. Curry
3. Paul
4. Nash
5. Iverson

SG
1. Dad Killer
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Manu
5. Harden

PF
1. Duncan
2. KG
3. Dirk
4. PedoMailman
5. Barkley

C
1. Shaq
2. Hakeem
3. Robinson
4. Moses Malone
5. Dwight Howard

And having Dwight Howard but no Kareem, Wilt, Russell? Puh-lease. And no Bird or Dr. J on the small forward list? No Oscar or Jerry West or Thomas?
Nash shouldn't be on the list over Stockton. Stockton could do everything Nash could do on offense, and was an All-NBA defender, while Nash was a sieve. Stockton also made 2 finals Nash never made one.

Only section that's pretty good is PF.

You're probably trolling though which is fine. :lol :toast

[Das Texan]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C44g9YSVcAAD4gS?format=jpg&name=large


should be the top 8 in the front row.

[lilbthebasedgod]

Kareem is better than magic, Jordan, and LeBron. Shame he keeps falling lower on these lists.

[james evans]

first of all, Kawhi isn't an all time top 50 player just yet and 2nd, curry isn't either. He's for damn sure not #2. If Curry is #19 all time then that list had better be full of pgs from 1-18 . This is what happens when you have people in their 20s writing articles

[BillMc]

Kareem is better than magic, Jordan, and LeBron. Shame he keeps falling lower on these lists.
This

[DMC]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C44g9YSVcAAD4gS?format=jpg&name=large

Notice how the photo puts Kobe ahead of Tim. That's how folks hedge their bets and get a jab in.

[wildbill2u]

The problem with these lists is that the people making them up--and talking about them--are trying to evaluate players whom they never saw on the court for the most part. And the game has changed along with the size, speed, and to some extent the skill sets of the players.

I don't think players should be eligible for a list like this until they have played at least 10 years in the league to give some perspective. Curry and Kwahi will surely make the list of the best of all time if they continue to play at this level for more years. I'd like to know who got dropped off the official NBA top 50 list since some people had to go to make room for players like Curry and Kwahi.

[skulls138]

Manu should be before Kawhi and Curry.

[SpursforSix]

But considering he could run the 100 yard dash in the 10.s, an accomplished hurdler in track, throw the shot put over 56 and was the Big 8 high jump champion for three straight years, your opinion that he's the most overrated athlete of all time is a little shaky.


Wow...that's crazy. It seems like it would take him forever to get up to top speed.

[100%duncan]

Bill russell ughhhhhhh

[dbreiden83080]

Little soon for that.. And that list is fucked up. How is Nash higher than Ewing? He was not the best player in Dallas, and only was for a few years in Phoenix. 2 very questionable MVP awards..

[Cry Havoc]

Wilt is the most overrated athelete of all time.

Basketball player? Slight chance.

Athlete? Not a fucking chance in hell he was overrated. A 7'er who was also a high jump champ and a sprinter? Unreal. He's a billionaire's version of Dwight Howard.

[Maddog]

Bill Russell is far more overrated than Wilt, tbh..at least Wilt was a historically great athlete for his time and actually dominated his competition..Russell was a mediocre scorer, even against 60s level opposition:lol..

6'9" to 6'10" Thin
7'4" wingspan.
Very athletic. High motor. Good rebounding and shot blocking instincts.
Limited offense outside the paint, Poor free throw shooter.

Where would this guy get drafted today?

It's really hard to compare eras. The year Wilt averaged 50 per game the Celtics won the title with a roster that had only 3 players listed at > 6'5" .
Players didn't train year round. The sport was limited in it's appeal- northeast, midwest for the most part.

[lefty]

Porker Stans. :lmao

[GSH]

Bill Russell is far more overrated than Wilt, tbh..at least Wilt was a historically great athlete for his time and actually dominated his competition..Russell was a mediocre scorer, even against 60s level opposition:lol..


LOL. Your standards are kind of harsh. The guy averaged what? 22 RB for his entire career? And averaged something like 42 minutes per game for his career? Find me a player today who could just play the minutes he did.

You're right, though. His FG% was not very good, and he shot FT's like Andre Drummond. But the guy was a fucking beast on the floor. All he did was make his teams winners. It's hard to overrate that.

Wilt was way ahead of his time. In the Golden Age of big men (DRob, Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, Mourning, etc.) he would have fit right in, but I'm not sure he would have been the giant he was when he played. Not debating how incredible he was, just saying that he was pretty much alone.

[TD 21]

LOL. Your standards are kind of harsh. The guy averaged what? 22 RB for his entire career? And averaged something like 42 minutes per game for his career? Find me a player today who could just play the minutes he did.

You're right, though. His FG% was not very good, and he shot FT's like Andre Drummond. But the guy was a fucking beast on the floor. All he did was make his teams winners. It's hard to overrate that.

Wilt was way ahead of his time. In the Golden Age of big men (DRob, Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, Mourning, etc.) he would have fit right in, but I'm not sure he would have been the giant he was when he played. Not debating how incredible he was, just saying that he was pretty much alone.

:lol Taking the numbers from that era and applying it to today. Russell averaged 22 rpg because the pace was breakneck, the shooting percentages were terrible, there was a dearth of size/athleticism and he averaged 42 mpg. He wouldn't average anywhere near that today because it's not possible.

The majority of players could play 42 mpg; it's just that in time, people wised up and prioritized the long term damage it does as opposed to machismo.

It's too difficult to put players from at least pre '80 into context. I understand people putting the ones considered truly great from before that (Russell, Chamberlain, Robertson, West, Baylor, Pettit, etc.) on all time lists, so as to not come off as disrespectful and out of fear of backlash, but they're ranked too high on them and for the most part, those beneath them should no longer be littering these lists.

[phxspurfan]

In no way does Curry belong past Stockton, Kidd and even Nash. He's like Payton type legacy at this point.

[skulls138]

Its hard to get a take on Russell, there arent many games on youtube with him and I think you have to watch a number of them to get a feel for how good he was but he was the best player on an 11 championship team. You say, yeah but they had Cousy and Sam Jones or whoever. Ok but some players can make careers out of other players who wouldnt be known otherwise. In basketball, one player can raise up a team, usually though they have to not only be good but team players like Duncan and Bird.

I mean fucking look at Wilt! He literally dwarfs Shaq and thats no lie. Russell shouldnt even be able to do squat against Wilt but Russell, along with his athletic gifts had more smarts and desire.

Russell also won two college championships and probably could have played longer in the NBA. He was also player/coach for a year and won a ring while doing it.

[Blake]

Notice how the photo puts Kobe ahead of Tim. That's how folks hedge their bets and get a jab in.

At least they put Tim ahead of Shaq

[Ice009]

Basketball player? Slight chance.

Athlete? Not a fucking chance in hell he was overrated. A 7'er who was also a high jump champ and a sprinter? Unreal. He's a billionaire's version of Dwight Howard.

I also remember Arnold Schwarzenegger saying that Wilt was a beast in the gym. I don't know much about weightlifting to tell you what specific exercise it was, but I recall Arnold was saying that Wilt asked him how to do a specific weightlifting exercise, and then Wilt went and lifted 30-40 pounds more than the strongest guys in the gym on his first try. I think Wilt also could bench press more than Shaq's best at age 60, or close to it. Look at the kind of shape that Shaq in is now and he's not even close to being 60. Wilt was a total beast. I don't know why people keep discrediting.

Players/former teammates say that Wilt was scared of hurting people on that court and that is why he played a finesse game a lot of the time. He really was that strong and didn't want to hurt anyone out there. I read that he lifted up two players that were fighting (one in each hand), and threw them off the court because he thought they were fighting like girls. If Wilt used more on his strength and had a mean streak on the court, who knows, he may have been even deadlier.

[Cry Havoc]

I also remember Arnold Schwarzenegger saying that Wilt was a beast in the gym. I don't know much about weightlifting to tell you what specific exercise it was, but I recall Arnold was saying that Wilt asked him how to do a specific weightlifting exercise, and then Wilt went and lifted 30-40 pounds more than the strongest guys in the gym on his first try. I think Wilt also could bench press more than Shaq's best at age 60, or close to it. Look at the kind of shape that Shaq in is now and he's not even close to being 60. Wilt was a total beast. I don't know why people keep discrediting.

Players/former teammates say that Wilt was scared of hurting people on that court and that is why he played a finesse game a lot of the time. He really was that strong and didn't want to hurt anyone out there. I read that he lifted up two players that were fighting (one in each hand), and threw them off the court because he thought they were fighting like girls. If Wilt used more on his strength and had a mean streak on the court, who knows, he may have been even deadlier.

http://i.imgur.com/0XFn3.jpg

Yeah. Look at those biceps. Dude was a fucking monster.

[Ice009]

http://i.imgur.com/0XFn3.jpg

Yeah. Look at those biceps. Dude was a fucking monster.

Maybe people can question his Basketball skill level if he were playing today, but you cannot question his incredible athletic ability. I'm guessing that Wilt would still be the strongest player in the league if he were playing in this current era.

[DAF86]

Does anyone trully believe someone like Dedmon couldn't have done what Russell did in his time?

But Russell, and not Dedmon, was born on that time and I guess that counts for something, so his place in the top 10 list of all-time is deserved, tbh.

[mrtxstar]

The Claw is just getting started.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t32/mrtxstar/Kahwi%20screen_shot_claw_2.png

[Thomas82]

The Claw is just getting started.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t32/mrtxstar/Kahwi%20screen_shot_claw_2.png

He's having the best individual season by a Spur in 15 years.

[Galileo]

LOL. Your standards are kind of harsh. The guy averaged what? 22 RB for his entire career? And averaged something like 42 minutes per game for his career? Find me a player today who could just play the minutes he did.

You're right, though. His FG% was not very good, and he shot FT's like Andre Drummond. But the guy was a fucking beast on the floor. All he did was make his teams winners. It's hard to overrate that.

Wilt was way ahead of his time. In the Golden Age of big men (DRob, Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, Mourning, etc.) he would have fit right in, but I'm not sure he would have been the giant he was when he played. Not debating how incredible he was, just saying that he was pretty much alone.

Russell was an excellent player on offense because he moved great without the ball and set lots of picks (sort of like Tim Duncan, but quicker). He had high assists for big man, 4 times finishing in top 10 in league. He was the team leader in assists or almost at the top (excepting Cousy) all of his career, except rookie regular season.