ESPN's 100 Most Influential Players Ever

[Thomas82]

ESPN just came out with a ranking of their top 100 all-time most influential players. They had Tim Duncan at #24.

Here's the link:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank22932314/nbarank-game-changers-25-most-influential-basketball-players-ever

[spurraider21]

Makes sense that he's ranked higher in the "greatest players" list than the "most influential players" list

[Thomas82]

TD should definitely be higher than 24.

[BillMc]

Mikan way too low. Chamberlain too low. They actually changed the rules of the game to deal with them. Nobody ever changed a rule for LeBron.

[Thomas82]

Mikan way too low. Chamberlain too low. They actually changed the rules of the game to deal with them. Nobody ever changed a rule for LeBron.

Facts!! Facts!! Facts!!

[bigfan]

TD is a top 5 or 6 ever, alltime. Screw that list.

[Spurtacular]

TD is a top 5 or 6 ever, alltime. Screw that list.

Top three, tbh.

[Thomas82]

TD is a top 5 or 6 ever, alltime. Screw that list.


Top three, tbh.

Yes, he is equally a top 3-5 player and influential player all-time.

[Rummpd]

Yes, he is equally a top 3-5 player and influential player all-time.


Little bit of homerism here - TD is
about 8 all time ahead of Shaw and Kobe. Too quiet to be more than 10th all time influential.

[Fireball]

TD is top 5 player all time ... but obviously he influenced only Manu and Tony ... having him in the top 25 there is alright

[Thomas82]

Little bit of homerism here - TD is
about 8 all time ahead of Shaw and Kobe. Too quiet to be more than 10th all time influential.

No, I'm not being a homer. I have my reasons for feeling that way.

[BillMc]

Facts!! Facts!! Facts!!
:toast

[BillMc]

TD is top 5 player all time ... but obviously he influenced only Manu and Tony ... having him in the top 25 there is alright

Sadly, he didn't seem to influence Kawhi enough....:bang

[YGWHI]

TD is top 5 player all time ... but obviously he influenced only Manu and Tony ... having him in the top 25 there is alright

Just Manu and Parker? IDK. Tim put a whole city on the map. Without him and David Robinson no one would know about San Antonio.

Sadly quiet players that don't talk about politics/aren't on social media like Tim aren't considered leaders/influencers these days.

[Fireball]

yeah, I was a little drastic .... but really the example of Kawhi shows are unique TD is ... so if you say he alone was the Spurs culture then his influence spread across the league ... still I think his style of playing did not have much influence

[HarlemHeat37]

1. Oscar Robertson(eliminating NBA slavery)
2. Jordan(most popular player in team sports history, negatively influenced basketball with the ISO-era, generated record high ratings for the NBA, turned the NBA into a worldwide league)
3. Wilt(changed rules, NBA's first mega celebrity superstar)
4. LeBron(player empowerment in the social media era)
5. Curry(changed the way basketball is played)
6. Kobe
7. Manu
8. Nowitzki
9. Nash
10. Dr. J
11. James Harden(more of a projection, but like Curry, he's going to change the way basketball will be played IMO)
12. Iverson
13. Westbrook(fashion icon, single-handedly turned the NBA into a fashion-conscious entity)
14. Moses Malone(first to come straight from HS, would have ranked higher if they hadn't changed the eligibility rules)
15. Larry Bird(influenced an entire generation of white Americans into believing they could succeed at basketball..would have ranked higher, but the % of white American NBA players has dwindled)

[Louae]

Any List that has Kevin Garnett higher than Tim Duncan and David Robinson is a list I have no interest in.

[tholdren]

1. Oscar Robertson(eliminating NBA slavery)
2. Jordan(most popular player in team sports history, negatively influenced basketball with the ISO-era, generated record high ratings for the NBA, turned the NBA into a worldwide league)
3. Wilt(changed rules, NBA's first mega celebrity superstar)
4. LeBron(player empowerment in the social media era)
5. Curry(changed the way basketball is played)
6. Kobe
7. Manu
8. Nowitzki
9. Nash
10. Dr. J
11. James Harden(more of a projection, but like Curry, he's going to change the way basketball will be played IMO)
12. Iverson
13. Westbrook(fashion icon, single-handedly turned the NBA into a fashion-conscious entity)
14. Moses Malone(first to come straight from HS, would have ranked higher if they hadn't changed the eligibility rules)
15. Larry Bird(influenced an entire generation of white Americans into believing they could succeed at basketball..would have ranked higher, but the % of white American NBA players has dwindled)

If you put negative iso by jordan do the same with curry. Nash shaped currys game so he should be higher than curry.