He could always score, and when he chose to defend a little, look out. Ewing was a major match-up problem for Brik Mitts.
EDIT: I would agree that Oden deserves to be ranked above Kwame Brown, if for no other reason than he is not taking PT away from more promising players.
Last edited by Reggie Miller; 05-27-2008 at 12:29 PM.
Your opinion is obviously biased.. why chose TD over Shaq?? Stats wise Shaq is better... Championship wise, they both have 4 but shaq has 3 straight... Consisteny wise Shaq has played longer than TD with a good overall numbers... I think Shaq should be number 1.
BTW, Larry Johnson didn't just magically started to suck once he went to NY, his back killed his career, I am surprised the writer talked about what injuries did to other players' careers, but not about Grandmama's.
Shaq almost destroyed the team that drafted him, while Tim made the team that did.
He hasn't? He's unbelievably more developed on both offense and defense despite his athletic inferiority, and he's become an above-average rebounder. I'll take either of Yao's past three seasons over Howard's last. And Brand's 05-06 season, too.
Not "stupid", but close to unreasonable, sure - certainly on the Brand front. But that shifts the framework that the writer used to judge all the other players (including Kwame Brown, Greg Oden, and Andrea Bargnani, who are still in the NBA) to one more favorable for judging Dwight Howard - as a potential hall-of-famer rather than an unskilled dunker playing with a bunch of undersized softies who are no compe ion for his rebounds.it would be pretty stupid to think Howard won't easily surpass both of them.
LeBron over DRob? Fail.
You are a ing ass-hole (even if you were joking about Kawame). I guess we wouldn't be reading this stupid if your mother would have aborted you.Greg Oden hasn't played a game yet and he's ranked ahead of Kwame & Olowokandi. It's true though. The NBA world would be a better place if Kwame's mother aborted him.
tim duncan is my pick
+1 Duncan, even in his prime, could never come close to averaging 30 and 13, and win three straight les.
I agree Ducan>Shaq
ewing #1
I think there are different ways of looking at it. There is definitely an argument for Shaq over Duncan.
But look at it this way. The article/list is talking about best number 1 draft picks over the last 23 years. If you talk about franchises making the right pick or best pick, consider what each pick did for the respective franchise that drafted them. Shaq has had a legendary career in his own right. Despite all his success, what did he give to the team that drafted him, the Orlando Magic? One NBA Finals appearance and then destroyed it by leaving without even getting the compensation for leaving. What did Tim Duncan bring to the team that drafted him, the Spurs? Four les, two league MVPs, and sustained success over 10 years.
Shaq's success matches Duncan's on essentially all levels. He also destroyed three franchises along the way.
His lack of loyalty and his selfish ego made him an all time great player that didn't allow for the team that drafted him to reap the rewards of his greatness.
I think Tim Duncan is the correct choice for the #1 overall spot in this list.
23 is an odd number, why not 25 years....if they even went 24 years everyone goes down a point because of Hakeem.
DD
lottery era
List should go back a few more years, at least to the 50's. Some real good number 1 picks back then that would rank high. great post though, pretty close to reality.
lottery era
Duncan > Hakeem
Didn't come close to winning 3 straight? What do you call 2004 or 2006? I think he came pretty damn close, save 2 plays.
Two plays, both in the second round of the playoffs?
How is that pretty close?
+1. Well said!
Whoever says kwame doesnt deserve to be last has to have their head examined. I dont care who hasn't played.
And shaq didn't destroy the lakers, there was much more going on.
Duncan > Hakeem, at having better teammates. Hakeem would be putting up 40 a game on a frontline of Gasol/Odom/Turiaf. Ok, maybe not 40....but he would be completely destroying that frontline and scoring at will.
Duncan is great, but I have seen Horry contain him in a playoff round. I have seen a frontline of Erica Dampier and Dirk give him trouble in a playoff series. I have seen Sheed and B.Wallace give him trouble. I have seen Amare light him up in the playoffs. Again, he is shooting 43% this series against a frontline of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom!!!
The only thing that seperates Shaq and Hakeem from Duncan is their ability to go out and drop 30 a night..and just score at will in the postseason when it's needed. At their peak, they were just better. That is quite evident in this series against LA. Other players are struggling and Duncan can't just completely dominate the series offensively. Spurs fans always say Duncan hasn't had to dominate offensively like that...and it's somewhat true based on his great teammates. But IMO, he just isn't an explosive scorer like that. He should be killing this frontline and he isn't. Do you really think a frontline of Gasol and Odom would be able to contain Shaq or Hakeem...seriously? How fast would they foul those dudes out of the game?
I give him the edge over Shaq because of his defense and lack of being hurt, but Hakeem was clearly a better defender than him as well.
Ah, ok, makes perfect sense, thanks.
Both great players, but one was dominant on BOTH ends of the court.....and led a team of nobodies to a championship. I wonder if you asked NBA GMs whom they would take which would win?
DD
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me too