Around the Rim: Is DT the GOAT?

[Wally East]

Teams are teams but great players elevate their teams. When analyzing if a player is the best of all time, team success almost matters as much as individual success. Ability to lead a team to victory and bringing out the best in others is significant. Taurasi has won 3 in her 12 years, but her teams also have a pattern of inconsistent results under her leadership. Whether it is DT's fault or not, it reflects on her in the GOAT argument. In theory, the best ever should be able to lead their team and find more consistent success. And in Diana's case, this particularly rings true when you look at how much talent she has been surrounded with in her pro career.

Sorry, I completely disagree. Team sports are just that, team sports. How many titles would Jordan have won without Scottie Pippen? Was Steph Curry better this year than last year and Lebron worse or was it adding Kevin Durant that made a difference? Would the Rockets have four titles with just Cynthia Cooper and no Sheryl Swoopes or Tina Thompson? Ted Williams never won a World Series but was still a much, much better hitter than Joe DiMaggio. Indiana hasn't won a title, does that make Tamika Catchings any less of a player?

Teammates always matter, especially when a player's performance is relatively stable and consistent. Even with a truly transcendent player, a team still needs at least two other really good to great players to be a great team. You need players that can be led to victory and players that have a "best" that can be brought out that's good enough to win games.

By the way, this is me being intellectually consistent

 

[Trappa]

Indiana hasn't won a title, does that make Tamika Catchings any less of a player?

The Indiana Fever were 2012 WNBA champions.

 

[Wally East]

The Indiana Fever were 2012 WNBA champions.

Ugh. Yes. So, they were Thank you for the correction.

 

[DeeHusky]

I don't necessarily agree with this criteria, in the general sense. Catchings could have won more than one title if she had Griner instead of Larkins and Taylor instead of Zellous...

Larkins and Zellous didn't come into the WNBA until later on in her career. Larkins was not the center who played significant time with Catchings. I think that was Tammy Sutton-Brown and Ebony Hoffman. Those two teams were sort of equal throughout the years if you ask me, well besides the fact that Phoenix always had Diana. Griner just got into the league four years ago so she can't really be compared to Larkins in this aspect. Diana won her first two championships with Tangela Smith at center. I wasn't referring to the one WNBA championship for Griner, which she didn't play in the elimination game for championship in 2014(S/O to Diana Taurasi), but the one collegiate championship she won at Baylor.

Key players over years:
Fever: Tully Bevilaqua, Briann January, Katie Douglas, Tan White, Catchings, Ebony Hoffman, Marissa Coleman, Larkins, Zellous, Shenise Johnson, Anna Deforge and more.

Mercury: Kelly Miller, Penny Taylor, Cappie, Diana, Candice Dupree, Dewanna, Tangela Smith, Griner, Lecoe Willingham, and whomever is not named Diana Taurasi.

 

[Trappa]

Larkins and Zellous didn't come into the WNBA until later on in her career. Larkins was not the center who played significant time with Catchings. I think that was Tammy Sutton-Brown and Ebony Hoffman. Those two teams were sort of equal throughout the years if you ask me, well besides the fact that Phoenix always had Diana. Griner just got into the league four years ago so she can't really be compared to Larkins in this aspect. Diana won her first two championships with Tangela Smith at center. I wasn't referring to the one WNBA championship for Griner, which she didn't play in the elimination game for championship in 2014(S/O to Diana Taurasi), but the one collegiate championship she won at Baylor.

Key players over years:
Fever: Tully Bevilaqua, Briann January, Katie Douglas, Tan White, Catchings, Ebony Hoffman, Marissa Coleman, Larkins, Zellous, Shenise Johnson, Anna Deforge and more.

Mercury: Kelly Miller, Penny Taylor, Cappie, Diana, Candice Dupree, Dewanna, Tangela Smith, Griner, Lecoe Willingham, and whomever is not named Diana Taurasi.

We will have to agree to disagree here. Lol

 

[Wally East]

Note: Tamika Catchings is one of the greats, but the she's not the greatest. The intensity she played with, especially defensively, is unmatched. She made players better as well. She just didn't win as much as DT did. You can't be the GOAT if you didn't win. Geno has said that people talk about Brittney Griner being the best collegiate player, but she only won one championship. That correlates to my point here.

So, you're going to agree that Stewie is the greatest collegiate player of all-time, right? I mean, four rings > anyone else not named Mo or Tuck.

Good. Glad that's settled

 

[DeeHusky]

So, you're going to agree that Stewie is the greatest collegiate player of all-time, right? I mean, four rings > anyone else not named Mo or Tuck.

Good. Glad that's settled

I mean I can't really disagree with that, but I will say that Stewie had a lot more help all four years of college. She played with Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Moriah, Morgan. Diana's first two years were played with superstars. Her last two years were with Maria Conlon, Ashley Battle, Jessica Moore, Barbara Turner, and Ann Strother. Diana is the best ever on every level. The end!