Reply With Quote
Heres another list, not a forum one
http://www.hoopsmanifesto.com/articl...-all-time.html
10. Oscar
9. Duncan
8. Kobe
7. Shaq
6. Wilt
5. Bird
4. Kareem
3. Russell
2. Magic
1. MJ
He's right...about Kobe not being in the top 10
and about you being a stat .
Heres another list, not a forum one
http://www.hoopsmanifesto.com/articl...-all-time.html
10. Oscar
9. Duncan
8. Kobe
7. Shaq
6. Wilt
5. Bird
4. Kareem
3. Russell
2. Magic
1. MJ
prove that Kobe is not top 10
Kobe - 5 rings, 2 finals mvps, 1 mvp
West - 1 ring, 0 finals mvps, 0 mvp
Oscar - 1 ring, 0 finals mvp, 1 mvp
Top 20
http://www.slamonline.com/online/the...he-new-top-50/
1. Michael Jordan
In case you were wondering, this was the least debated slot on the entire list. We’re not saying Michael Jordan can never be toppled, but for the time being, based on every consideration we could give, Mike is the one. Pure stats and their place in history? Try 30.1 ppg for his career (first all time). Or 2,514 steals (second all time). Honors? Rookie of the Year, 14 All-Star Games (MVP three times), 10 First Team All-NBA teams (nine First Team All-Defense), five MVP awards (plus six Finals MVPs). Dominant at both ends of the floor? Um, did you read the stats and honors above?! Championships? Six. Went head-to-head with other greats? Shoot, MJ ended one era (Magic-Bird-Isiah) before its time, and basically single-handedly kept a Hall of Fame lineup’s worth of stars (Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, John Stockton) from ever winning a ring. Entertaining? The most. Impact on the game? Ditto. Really, Michael Jordan is the perfect basketball player, and the only way he wasn’t finishing No. 1 was if we’d devised a new label for whoever we deemed “the best.”—Ben Osborne
2. Wilt Chamberlain
There was no farewell tour. In fact, he may not have realized he had played his last NBA game until long afterward. But for Wilt Chamberlain, the ’72-73 season was the end. It didn’t seem that way. Sure, the 36-year-old Chamberlain averaged a career-low 13.2 points per game. But he shot over 70 percent from the floor—a record that still stands—and he led the League in rebounding for the 11th time. Wilt entered the League as the Basketball Colossus and stomped the record books flat. In his very first game, he posted 43 points and 28 rebounds. He went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and the MVP. In ’61-62, he scored 100 points in a game, averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds, and played all but eight minutes of the season. He only won two NBA les, spurned again and again by Bill Russell’s Celtics. But his personal numbers stood up. They always did. Chamberlain’s last-ever NBA game came against the Knicks, in Game 5 of the 1973 NBA Finals. He scored 23 points and pulled down 21 boards. His team lost.—Russ Bengtson
3. Bill Russell
I can’t prove that Bill Russell is into arithmetic, but I have a hunch he must love numbers. Russell’s gotta appreciate the number 1—that’s where he falls on the all-time list of chips won (11). He likes 2 also, collecting the second-most rebounds of all time (21,620). If he wasn’t into the digit 3, he’d better like it now, because that’s where we have him on this list. Four is special to Russ, too, it being the number of times he led the L in rpg (22.5 for his career). Five is near and dear—it’s the number of times he hauled in the MVP hardware, though he easily could have had a few more. And 6, well, 6 is the number that the Celtics retired along with him, after soaking it with sweat, tears and champagne over a 13-season career, while making the Celts into the storied franchise that they are. By being the greatest winner of all time, Bill Russell made the Celtics into a franchise of winners—long after his playing days ended. If you don’t believe me, just ask Kevin Garnett.—Tzvi Twersky
4. Shaquille O’Neal
A legend in his own time. A juggernaut. A true difference-maker if ever there was one. Made everybody he played with better. Shaquille O’Neal is a star amongst stars and has been one of the focal points of the League for his entire 17-year career. His stats are monstrous. For reference sake, here are a couple: Playoff averages of 25 and 12, 15 All-Star Game appearances, tied with Chamberlain for the most times leading the League in field goal percentage (9), won two scoring les, ’93 Rookie of the Year, 2000 MVP, three Finals MVPs and four rings. Could have had more if not for the Kobe battles, but still, four rings is nothing to laugh at. At his peak he was a physical marvel, 7-1 and 330-plus yet agile and quick. An underrated shot-blocker. Arguably the best post scorer ever. Even now, he still routinely pushes around other big men with a physicality rivaled by only a few players in the history of the game. He made you laugh. Made Kings fans cry. He calls himself the LCL (Last Center Left). I believe him.—Khalid Salaam
5. Oscar Robertson
Big O was the only player ever to average a triple double for a season: 30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 11.4 apg in ’61-62, his second year in the League. Read it and weep. He averaged 25.7 for his 14-year career, once led his team in boards from the backcourt and dished out the fourth-most assists ever, playing in an era when they were less often credited than today. And he had the undying respect of his peers. “Oscar would beat you anytime he had the ball in his hands at the end of a game,” says Elvin Hayes. “He was a complete player.”—Alan Paul
6. Magic Johnson
He wasn’t a very good shooter, nor was he particularly athletic by NBA standards. And if you’re only old enough to know him as the husky guy on TV who hawks rebate anticipation loans for predatory lending firms, you’ll be excused for not understanding what made him so wonderful to watch in his prime: No player in the history of the game better combined court vision, creativity, compe iveness and sheer joy. This dude now, I don’t even know who he is. Twenty-five years ago, he was everything basketball is supposed to be.—Ryan Jones
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Sometimes the numbers tell the story. Just consider the 38,387 points Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored in 1,560 games over 20 seasons, the most ever in the NBA, by a long shot. Some more numbers to ponder: 11.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2 bpg and 6 rings. But Cap also transcended the stats, as one of the most intelligent, enigmatic athletes ever and the creator of the sky hook, which Bill Russell called “one of the greatest innovations in the history of sports.“ Its brilliance, Russell added, was that “it was completely unique to Kareem’s physical abilities, proportions and coordination.” All of that made the shot virtually indefensible.—AP
8. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan is the best power forward to ever play basketball. Over 12 seasons, he’s ac ulated one Rookie of the Year award, two MVPs, three Finals MVPs, four championships, nine First Team All-NBA appearances and 11 All-Star Game invites. And all for the same franchise. His career numbers are dizzying, but Duncan has never been about the stats. With his quick wit, quiet grace, no-nonsense approach to the game and always, always perfect positioning, Tim Duncan playing basketball is poetry personified. At 33 years old, his career is probably winding down. Enjoy him—and appreciate him—while you still can.—Lang Whitaker
9. Larry Bird
Larry Bird collected every accolade the NBA offered. At 6-9, 220, and long-armed, Bird had the body for ball and he was blessed with a natural command for it, if not abundant athleticism. Physical limits didn’t stop “Larry Legend.” You don’t average 24.3 ppg and 10 rpg without athleticism, but Larry did. You don’t average 6.3 apg and 1.7 spg as a forward, but Larry did. You don’t win three rings and last 13 seasons in the L with a bad back, but somehow Larry did. More than anything else he did, he always found ways to overcome, to compete, to win and to repeat.—Matt Caputo
10. Jerry West
Jerry West honed his skills in solitude, emerging from Cabin Creek, WV, to lead West Virginia University to the NCAA le game in 1960. West was rawboned, long armed and springy. His jump shot, especially off the dribble, was warm pie. West’s reticent aloneness both fueled and haunted him. His Lakers lost in the Finals his first six seasons, and each heartbreak added kindling to his astonishing drive to win. After more than a decade in the League, West’s ’71-72 Lakers won 33 consecutive games—still the record—and the NBA Championship. West chipped in 25.8 points and 9.7 assists on perhaps the greatest team ever. Modest yet self-assured, West was also the best clutch shooter the game has seen. He averaged a remarkable 27 ppg over 14 years, but upped that to 29 in 153 Playoff games—all before the three-point line. West was named an All-Star every year, First Team All-NBA 10 times. Here are two measures of the respect given Jerry West: He is the only Finals MVP not on the championship team. His image is the NBA’s logo.—Rus Bradburd
11. Elgin Baylor
Do you believe in basketball evolution? You should, you know. Because the NBA wasn’t always like this. And I’m not just talking about recent developments like three-pointers and Thundersticks. The fundamentals of the game have changed. They’re still changing. They’ve always been changing. But if you know anything at all about evolution, you know it isn’t just about small steps. Because that’s not how you get from Ralph Kaplowitz set shots to LeBron James dunks in a mere 60 years. Somewhere along the line, someone has to leap. And Elgin Baylor took the biggest leap of them all. Understand this, if you understand nothing else: Without Elgin Baylor, there is no Michael Jordan, no Kobe Bryant, no LeBron James. Elgin took a ground-bound game skyward, transformed the entire sport. True, he never won an NBA championship, despite playing in eight NBA Finals. But his 61-point outburst in 1962 remains an NBA Finals record. His 19.8 rpg average in ’61 is unsurpassed by any other non-center. Everyone since has just built on the foundation he laid.—R. Bengtson
12. Kobe Bryant
Perfectionism is the persistence of will in obtaining the optimal quality of spiritual, mental, physical and material being. Also referred to as Kobeism. When discussing KB24, there are a few things you have to take into account. One, he was constructed in a lab by commissioner David Stern and company. Sixty percent MJ, 20 percent Tiger Woods and 20 percent Jellybean Bryant (for physical attributes). Two, he’s only 30 years old and has 12 healthy seasons under his belt with three rings, 11 All-Star Game appearances and two scoring les. Last but not least, how many players can give you 25-30 points when their defender is doing a great job stopping them? Kobe is the product of Michael Jordan as MJ was the product of Dr. J. Some may argue that there’s a different best active player, but truth is Kobe Bryant has the only set of keys to the best basketball player car and it’s going to be a few more years until he lets anyone else drive. For now he’s welcoming all students to ride alongside in the passenger seat. Put your seatbelt on and enjoy the ride.—Konate Primus
13. Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem the Dream, first thrust onto the basketball consciousness as a star for the great University of Houston teams of the early ’80s, went on to an NBA career that featured a dozen All-Star selections, the all-time record for blocked shots, two Finals MVPs, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, the most steals in Rockets history and the ’94 League MVP Award under his belt. A rare talent who—due in part to his youth training as a soccer player in his native Nigeria—possessed superb footwork. One of the very few dominant players on both offense and defense, he scored nearly 27,000 points in his career and grabbed nearly 14,000 rebounds. Offensively, all the pump fakes and change of directions were designed to get his opponent off balance (seriously, the Dream Shake could have a write-up all its own) and out of position. Standing 7-0 with an athletic 255-pound body, he used both finesse and muscle, and combined quick hands, upper body strength and nimbleness to shut down opponents.—KS
14. Bob Pet
At 6-9 and only 215 pounds, Bob Pet was under-undersized. But after being cut from his high school team as a freshman and as a sop re, Pet went on to star at his hometown Louisiana State and then play 11 seasons in the NBA and total over 20,000 points and 12,000 rebounds. Pet played his entire career for the Hawks, though at the time the team was based in Milwaukee, then St. Louis. As a rookie, BP averaged 20.4 ppg with 13.8 boards and won the Rookie of the Year award. His coach, Red Holzman, noted, “We didn’t ever hope that anybody could be that good.” His second year, Pet averaged 25.7 and 16.2. In 1958, Pet lead the Hawks to the NBA Finals against Bill Russell and the Celtics. The Hawks won the chip—the franchise hasn’t won another since—with Pet going for 50 points in the decisive Game 6. As Bill Russell himself said, “Bob made ‘second effort’ a part of the sport’s vocabulary.”—LW
15. Julius Erving
If it wasn’t for Dr. J, there is no SLAM. I have 180 words with which to justify his placement on this list, but I could have ended after those first 10 and been done with it. Because without the Doctor, I’m not writing this at all. Julius Erving didn’t invent the dunk, it just seems that way. Wilt Chamberlain, then a student at the University of Kansas, was dunking on a 12-foot basket as early as the mid ’50s. Doc wasn’t even the first guy to dunk from the free-throw line—Jim Pollard had done it as early as the late ’40s. In fact, the NCAA had banned dunking by the time Erving started at UMass in 1968. What Erving did was turn the dunk into an offensive weapon, a tool with which to demoralize and destroy. Ask Bill Walton. Ask Michael Cooper. Yes, he won four MVPs (three in the ABA). Yes, he won three championships (two in the ABA). Yes, he was the main reason behind the ABA/NBA merger. But mostly, without him, there is no us.—R. Bengtson
16. Moses Malone
I’m old enough to have seen Moses Malone play basketball, but I mostly remembered the older, balding, bespectled, paunchy Moses who played out his career in a series of stints in peculiar locales (including Milwaukee and San Antonio). The Moses I don’t remember seeing is the man who parted the waters for players to go pro straight out of high school, the 6-10 center who averaged 24.8 points per game and 17.7 rebounds per game as a 23-year-old. Counting the two seasons he played in the ABA right after high school, Moses played 21 years of pro ball and retired with averages of 20.3 and 12.3. He won an NBA le and a Finals MVP, was a three-time regular season MVP, was an 11-time All-Star, led the NBA in rebounds per game six different times, and even led the NBA in minutes per game twice. Why, you may ask, is Moses ranked below Dr. J, when Moses’s stats and legacy are obviously superior? Well, Dr. J had a cool afro and could dunk. Other than that, I’m not sure why. Let my people go.—LW
17. John Havlicek
Tireless, gutsy, smart, scrappy and winner are all adjectives people used to describe Hondo’s game. The 6-5 guard/forward was certainly tireless, averaging more than 35 mpg nine different times. Gutsy also works, too, as Havlicek played through injuries, playing less than 75 games only once in his 16-year career. In that career, he managed to average over 20 ppg, 6 rpg and 4 apg, showing he was smart with the rock. It’s not just the stats, though; it was the way he ac ulated them. Whether starting or coming off the pine, whether picking-and-popping or driving to the hoop, whether rebounding or passing, Havlicek did it all to the fullest. And that’s why he was the winner he was, pocketing eight championships. If you add it all together, one word can be used to describe him: complete.—TT
18. Karl Malone
Behind Karl Malone’s ringless fingers are two fists full of honors and records, of which we can only begin to highlight here. Malone was an All-Star every season from 1988 to 2002. He finished among the top eight in MVP voting for 14 straight seasons, and he won the award twice. He was First Team All-NBA for 11 straight years. He finished in the top 10 in total rebounds and top 5 in scoring for 13 consecutive seasons. Malone never missed more than two games in a season with the Jazz and played in the Playoffs every year of his career. He’s second all-time in career points and first in field goals made. Karl Malone was the prototype of being consistently great. And it doesn’t take a le to prove it.—Ryne Nelson
19. Isiah Thomas
Some of you under the age of 30 might look at Isiah Thomas’s ranking and shrug your shoulders, only knowing him from his scandal-ridden tenure with the Knicks. But settle down and learn something: Not only does he belong here, but there’s no debate about it. Clutch, quick and tough-minded, Zeke was a hard match-up for backcourt and frontcourt players alike. He routinely broke down his initial defenders and drove to the rack with determination. Additionally, he was an asshole (I mean that in a good way) to match, with a mean streak that only intensified his compe iveness. Thomas was the brains behind those fabled Detroit Pistons Bad Boys teams in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He scored over 18,000 points, dished out over 9,000 assists, was selected for a dozen All-Star games and was named the 1990 Finals MVP.—KS
20. Charles Barkley
Before the fat jokes every Thursday night and before senior citizen challenges at All-Star Weekend, there was a man who stood 6-4, who pumped fear into opponents and laid down the law in the paint. Often we give credit to those oversized with exceptional skill, and just as often we overlook the undersized players who cast just as large of a shadow. But how can anyone overlook someone who gives you 22 ppg with 12 rpg over the course of 16 years in the League? Yeah, Sir Charles didn’t get the one nice piece of jewelry he was aiming for, but he has his spot in the HOF, plus an MVP, a gold medal and countless other achievements. Plain and simple, Barkley was one of the toughest forwards to play this game. And some might even say he’s a great role model for future Hall of Famers.—KP
What's next? Hoopsworld? Bleacher report?
MVPs in your argument? Wow..you really are a stat ...and an idiot.
^ that was in 2009, slam made a new one in 2011
prove that Kobe isn't top 10
and rings? So I guess
Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Satch Sanders, Jim Luscutoff, Frank Ramsey, Robert Horry, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, Larry Siegfried, Michael Cooper, Ron Harper, and Steve Kerr are all > Kobe? There are others ahead of Kobe in rings, but most of those guys could actually be argued as better than Kobe.
They did one in 2011 for the best players of today...in 2011. Not of all time, stat .
prove he is
They are on the same level dude, you're so smart
Give me a general list of the 25 players ever
then I'll rank Kobe
already did top 20...here's 21-25
21. Rick Barry
Rick Barry’s prime was divided between the NBA, the ABA and various courtrooms, as the leagues fought over him. This reflected the tumult of the times but also overshadowed the fact that he was one of the game’s all-time greatest offensive players, scoring over 25,000 points in 14 seasons. “Rick had a tremendous outside shot,” recalls Chet Walker. “If we had had three-pointers during our era, this guy would have been truly unstoppable.” Barry led the NBA in scoring his second season with 35.6 ppg, but the League sued him when he tried to jump to the ABA. He was forced to sit out a year before his 34 ppg led the rival league in ’69. He returned to the NBA after four years. “Rick was as good at working the pick and roll as any forward ever,” recalls Slick Watts, who teamed with Barry on the Rockets, “He could shoot or pass great coming off a screen from a big guy, and he could also put the ball down once or twice, then score on anyone.”—AP
22. John Stockton
First all-time in assists (5,000 more than second place). First all-time in steals (700 more than second place). John Stockton didn’t just exceed what anyone thought a 6-1, 175-pound guard out of Gonzaga could do, he absolutely demolished expectations. Working brilliantly alongside Karl Malone and Jerry Sloan for the only team he’d ever suit up for (a record 19 seasons with one franchise), Stock ran the game at both ends of the floor with supernatural hands and unprecedented guile. The biggest negative to Stock’s career is his lack of a ring, but you can blame MJ for that. It should go without saying, given the outrageous numbers Stock put up, but dude hardly ever missed a game; in 17 of his seasons he didn’t miss a single outing, including closing his career with five straight seasons starting every possible game. And the 10-time All-Star wasn’t out there for charity—in ’02-03, his last campaign, Stock quietly led the NBA in assists per 48 minutes. He’s headed into the Hall this fall…though most people won’t notice cause you know who’s going in, too.—BO
23. Elvin Hayes
The Big E infuriated coaches and drove teammates crazy, but that marvelous turnaround jumper of his helped him become the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history. The top overall pick of the San Diego Rockets in ’68 after playing in one of the most famous college games in history (a 71-69 win for his Houtson Cougars over UCLA), Hayes led the NBA in scoring as a rookie and soon became one of the most productive and durable big men in history. In 1972, the Rockets traded Hayes to the Bullets, where he joined Wes Unseld on one of basketball’s most formidable front lines. Hayes helped the Bullets to the ’75 Finals, but a surprising four-game loss to Golden State earned the Big E criticism from those who considered him a selfish player. Three years later, he lifted Washington to the le, earning vindication against his detractors. Hayes finished his 16-year career in Houston and is remembered as a pioneering power forward and force on offense and the backboards.—Michael Bradley
24. Bob Cousy
When you think of razzle-dazzle and creative handles, you probably think of streetball. But long before the AND 1 Mixtape Tour, Boston Celtics point guard Bob Cousy was known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood.” Cousy helped contribute six les to the greatest dynasty in any sport of all time. And even though his numbers won’t blow you away (18.4 ppg, 7.5 apg, 5.2 rpg), his crossover would crack any present day below-average NBA defender’s ankles. The New York native pioneered leading the break with behind-the-back dribbles and no-look passes that seemed headed nowhere until you saw a teammate swoop in and finish off the dime. He saw what other people didn’t see, and he knew what to do when he saw the opening. Cousy’s innovation shaped ballhandling on all levels of the game forever.—MC
25. David Robinson
Basketball, like life, is funny. In both cases, one or two moments can come to define your existence. Take David Robinson, a guy who averaged 24 ppg, 12 rpg and 4 bpg as a rookie, and went for 30 and 11 a few years later. Ten-time All-Star. Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, League MVP. Dream Teamer. And yet when I think of David Robinson, what do I think of? The guy Dream embarrassed in the Playoffs. The guy whose greatest contribution to his franchise was missing most of the ’96-97 season. But this is my problem, not his. For the first half of his career, David Robinson was all-world. For the second half, he was “only” a terrific, selfless role player with two rings to show for it. Nothing funny about that.—RJ
Really want to see where you rank him..this will be hilarious.
give me the 2011 SLAM top 25, not 2009
Idiot..2011 is the top players of today, in 2011. We're talking all time.
Here...found it.
1. Michael Jordan
2. Wilt Chamberlain
3. Bill Russell
4. Shaquille O’Neal
5. Oscar Robertson
6. Magic Johnson
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
8. Tim Duncan
9. Larry Bird
10. Kobe Bryant
11. Jerry West
12. Elgin Baylor
13. Hakeem Olajuwon
14. Bob Pe
15. Moses Malone
16. Julius Erving
17. John Havlicek
18. Karl Malone
19. Isiah Thomas
20. Charles Barkley
21. Rick Barry
22. John Stockton
23. Elvin Hayes
24. Bob Cousy
25. David Robinson
I'd put West ahead of Kobe..maybe even Baylor, or Hakeem.
TOP 500 NBA PLAYERS OF ALL-TIME:
1. Michael Jordan
2. Wilt Chamberlain
3. Bill Russell
4. Shaquille O’Neal
5. Oscar Robertson
6. Magic Johnson
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
8. Tim Duncan
9. Larry Bird
10. Kobe Bryant
11. Jerry West
12. Elgin Baylor
13. Hakeem Olajuwon
14. Bob Pe
15. Moses Malone
16. Julius Erving
17. John Havlicek
18. Karl Malone
19. Isiah Thomas
20. Charles Barkley
21. Rick Barry
22. John Stockton
23. Elvin Hayes
24. Bob Cousy
25. David Robinson
That is the newest version. Can we all agree that this is generally accepted as the best 25 players ever?
If so then I'll rank Kobe's accomplishments compared to the top 25
LMAO...nobody's going to care where your homer ass ranks Kobe.
I honestly have never heard of any of the sites that Stat is trying to debate.
The only thing that matters is:::
Kobe: 5
the tired old bag Duncan: 4
He's just looking for places that rank Kobe ahead of Tim...all crap sites.
Kobe: 5
the tired old bag Duncan: 4
Now...championships as team leader
Let us proceed.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions