ESPN Top 10 NBA Players of All Time Mistake

[Rocktheworld]

Why? Great players tend to recognize greatness in other players a lot better than random people who don't play the game do.

Like when Magic said that Lonzo was gonna break all his records

 

[Huskyforlife]

Why? Great players tend to recognize greatness in other players a lot better than random people who don't play the game do.

Phil Jackson? Isiah Thomas? Jordan?

 

[Burnsbros23]

Wade is better than Pippen and I don't consider it close. Pippen was a great player but that espn list is a joke. They have Pippen ranked way ahead of Drexler, ahead of Barkley, Wade, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson etc.

Rodman and Bosh are so hard to compare. Rodman was an amazing rebounder and defender, Bosh an offensive force. Bosh was way better than Horace Grant.

A lot of ppl take Pippen over Wade. Wade a better scorer but Pippen better in every other category. I’m not very high on think He’s a guy that put up numbers on raptors teams that were bad to average. but hard to argue grant was better then him.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

A lot of ppl take Pippen over Wade. Wade a better scorer but Pippen better in every other category. I’m not very high on think He’s a guy that put up numbers on raptors teams that were bad to average. but hard to argue grant was better then him.

The better argument would be who was more valuable between Rodman and Bosh.

 

[Chin Diesel]

My top 10-

1) Jordan
2) Lebron
3) Kareem
4) Magic and Bird (tied)
6) Wilt
7) Russell
8) Hakeem
9) Duncan
10) Shaq

Oscar, Kobe, Dr. J outside looking in.

I see a lot of these all-time lists and often Bird is underrated. When he came to the Celtics they were in last place. Bird was basically done at 31 with a debilitating back but gutted it out a few more years off of sheer grit and skill.

When Bird was drafted the Celtics went from worst to first. They were 29-53 the season before Larry got there, Bird's rookie year they went 61-21. For that 7 year prime before his back got the best of him Bird averaged 27 ppg, 10 rebs, 6 assist, 2 steals, 51% fg, 39.5% 3pt. 89% ft. In Bird's prime he was the best player in the world, slightly ahead of Magic. When people talk about the greateat players ever Magic is always at the top and Bird seems like an afterthought.

Both Bird and Magic's careers were cut too short.

I was going to do my own list today.

I'll make it simple. Forget the tie. Magic one spot above Bird. Put Oscar at #10 ahead of Shaq and call it good.

Jordan
Magic
Bron
Kareem
Bird
Wilt
Russell
Timmy D
Hakeem
Big O.

 

[superjohn]

A lot of ppl take Pippen over Wade. Wade a better scorer but Pippen better in every other category. I’m not very high on think He’s a guy that put up numbers on raptors teams that were bad to average. but hard to argue grant was better then him.

Wade was a #1 who could carry a team to championships. Pippen just never had the game to do that.

 

[superjohn]

Phil Jackson? Isiah Thomas? Jordan?

I don't know what this means?

 

[navery12]

I don't know what this means?

Great players who couldn't identify talent as executives

 

[Huskyforlife]

I don't know what this means?

Great players who couldn't identify talent as executives

 

[superjohn]

Great players who couldn't identify talent as executives

What does that have to do with them deciding who is the greatest player of all-time? Who is better equipped to say who the best is than the guys who played the game at the highest level and actually went head to head against them?

 

[navery12]

What does that have to do with them deciding who is the greatest player of all-time? Who is better equipped to say who the best is than the guys who played the game at the highest level and actually went head to head against them?

Don't shoot the messenger

 

[Mr. French]

Excellent points. Agree Jordan and Lebron is super close, and I feel bad saying it but Kobe is fringe top 10 at best

Don’t feel bad, that’s the absolute truth.

 

[Mr. French]

Wade was a #1 who could carry a team to championships. Pippen just never had the game to do that.

I think Pippen is criminally underrated. Wade did that once, with Shaq and a good cast. Pippen only had one season to try it and he got to the ECF with a great, MVP type season.

I get your point because they’re different types of offensive players... Pip was not the pure scorer Wade was but I dno if that makes Wade clearly better. In fact, Pippens all around game is so much better than Wade, I weigh that pretty heavily.

 

[tzznandrew]

I get your point because they’re different types of offensive players... Pip was not the pure scorer Wade was but I dno if that makes Wade clearly better. In fact, Pippens all around game is so much better than Wade, I weigh that pretty heavily.

Wade was a fantastic all around player. If you look at peak Pippen without Jordan (mostly), 1993-1995 he was excellent:

22 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 3 spg, 1 bpg

Peak Wade without LeBron (2005-2010)

27 ppg, 5 rpg, 7 apg, 2 spg, 1 bpg

Pippen, beyond stats, was one of the best defenders ever. Wade, though, did make 3 All NBA Second Team Defensive teams. He wasn't a slouch.

 

[Lefty2one]

I think Pippen is criminally underrated. Wade did that once, with Shaq and a good cast. Pippen only had one season to try it and he got to the ECF with a great, MVP type season.

I get your point because they’re different types of offensive players... Pip was not the pure scorer Wade was but I dno if that makes Wade clearly better. In fact, Pippens all around game is so much better than Wade, I weigh that pretty heavily.

You're selling Wade short when knocking his all-around game. He was a really good defender while he still had his legs. Not on Pippen's level but one of the better defensive guards in the league. Made All-D three times. He averaged 7 dimes per game before LeBron showed up in Miami. The six years before The Heatles Wade put up 26.7 / 5.0 / 7.0. I think a lot of people forget how good of a playmaker he was before he had to relent to LeBron. I really think Wade is going to end up being one of the most underappreciated stars of this generation.

Shaq was past his prime in '06. Still decent but nowhere near the dominant force he once was. He was pretty good in the postseason but posted only 13.7 ppg in the Finals. That was the D-Wade show, though the officiating was so bad I nearly stopped following the NBA after that.

Re: Pippen, few people bring up '94-'95. Chicago was 32-31 before MJ returned. That team was cruising towards a first-round exit. Pippen was still great but I think that showed some of his limitations. MJ returned and the team started a 12-1 stretch like three games into his return.

 

[Lefty2one]

Wade was a fantastic all around player. If you look at peak Pippen without Jordan (mostly), 1993-1995 he was excellent:

22 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 3 spg, 1 bpg

Peak Wade without LeBron (2005-2010)

27 ppg, 5 rpg, 7 apg, 2 spg, 1 bpg

Pippen, beyond stats, was one of the best defenders ever. Wade, though, did make 3 All NBA Second Team Defensive teams. He wasn't a slouch.

I think we were separated at birth.

 

[superjohn]

I think Pippen is criminally underrated. Wade did that once, with Shaq and a good cast. Pippen only had one season to try it and he got to the ECF with a great, MVP type season.

I get your point because they’re different types of offensive players... Pip was not the pure scorer Wade was but I dno if that makes Wade clearly better. In fact, Pippens all around game is so much better than Wade, I weigh that pretty heavily.

Criminally underrated? They have him ranked #21 all time, 36 spots ahead of Clyde Drexler.

Pippen wasn't as good as Garnett but he was similar to Garnett in that he didn't have the offensive game to take a team all the way. It's why Wade and Dirk are better than them.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think we were separated at birth.

We have been eerily on the same page in these NBA discussions. And, to make it more eery, I share you peak Kobe vs. peak Wade thought. I think you can even find it posted on this site.

Peak Wade was a beast.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Don’t feel bad, that’s the absolute truth.

Kobe objectively was not the best player on his team for three of his five championships. He's one of the best scorers ever. That's it.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I think people have forgotten how dominate Shaq was.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think people have forgotten how dominate Shaq was.

He is in discussion with Olajuwon for 4th best C all time.

No one is slotting him above the Big 3 of Jabbar, Wilt or Russell.

 

[Deuce]

Another thing to consider when talking about Lebrons finals record are how great the teams he played were. Those GSW teams were the greatest of all time, the Spurs with Duncan/Kawhi/Parker/Manu/Diaw were amazing(4 HOF on that team+arguably greatest coach of all time). The young Thunder he beat were absurdly talented.

The 2011 Mavs series will always be his weak spot in the GOAT argument. No excuses, he didn't play up to expectations that year.

That’s true but they showed a stat going to commercial last night where MJ/Pippen won 7 playoff series against 60+ win teams....an NBA record.

 

[Burnsbros23]

He is in discussion with Olajuwon for 4th best C all time.

No one is slotting him above the Big 3 of Jabbar, Wilt or Russell.

You would be one of the people under rating him. Russell and wilts era is so hard to compare. Their numbers in some of their finals are so odd. Like 11 pts 25 rebounds. Shaqs numbers in those three final wins. My goodness.

I think shaq is absolutely right there with wilt and Russell. Kareem ill give you.

their is not many players I am Taking over a prime Shaq simply unstoppable.

 

[Chin Diesel]

You would be one of the people under rating him. Russell and wilts era is so hard to compare. Their numbers in some of their finals are so odd. Like 11 pts 25 rebounds. Shaqs numbers in those three final wins. My goodness.

I think shaq is absolutely right there with wilt and Russell. Kareem ill give you.

their is not many players I am Taking over a prime Shaq simply unstoppable.

Russell is the guy punching above his weight. He reminds me a bit of Yogi Berra of being on the right team at the right time to enhance his numbers. Let's face it. When Russell flashes two hands and every finger has a ring and he's still holding one in his palm, you have to start quantifying that.

Wilt, I think is underrated and people just look at him for his size and dominance. I look at Wilt and see a dude who was a borderline all-American in 400/800 track and high jump. He was a phenomenal athlete who was still a high level athlete in his 50's. I think his combination of size, strength and speed translates to any era of basketball. No way Shaq is going on the beaches of SoCal and playing beach volleyball. And even a Shaq in his prime isn't doing the high jump.

 

[Dean Wormer]

You would be one of the people under rating him. Russell and wilts era is so hard to compare. Their numbers in some of their finals are so odd. Like 11 pts 25 rebounds. Shaqs numbers in those three final wins. My goodness.

I think shaq is absolutely right there with wilt and Russell. Kareem ill give you.

their is not many players I am Taking over a prime Shaq simply unstoppable.

Shaq was just brute force. My dad used to say Shaq is just “Wes Unseld with size”. Same game, but damn near twice as big, and peak Washington Bullets Unseld was a beast.