Who would be the best pro in today's nba? | The Boneyard

Who would be the best pro in today's nba?

Who would be the best pro today?

  • Charles Barkley

    Votes: 18 18.6%

  • Karl Malone

    Votes: 8 8.2%

  • David Robinson

    Votes: 21 21.6%

  • Clyde Drexler

    Votes: 45 46.4%

  • Joe Dumars

    Votes: 5 5.2%
  • Total voters
    97
Jaydumo20

Jaydumo20

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Seeing how the game has evolved, who of these 5 would be the best pro if they were in the league today (during their prime years)?
 
Jaydumo20 said:
Seeing how the game has evolved, who of these 5 would be the best pro if they were in the league today (during their prime years)?
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That's an interesting question... I think Drexler is horrifically underrated (even during his time) and would be a monster today. I think Dumars would be pretty much the same player. The other three were great, great players, but I'm not sure how their games translate today with such a reliance on the 3-ball. I also think the Stockton/Utah system factor with Malone is not to be underestimated. Maybe it's just b/c I think he's an all-time scumbag, but I think if he had a different point guard his #'s would be nowhere near what they were.
 
I chose Barkley. He’d be a better shooter in todays’s game and he was just unstoppable in general during his prime. Drexler was a great player and his size was perfect for today’s game. However, he had a bit of a weak handle imo. It showed itself at some bad times.
 
Interesting list of choices. I chose Drexler almost by default. I agree with the poster above that Dumars would be pretty much the same. I don't know how Robinson or Malone would fare. I almost feel like most of their shots back then would be kickouts to the arc now. So Clyde vs Barkley? I chose Clyde.

I also wonder what a guy like Andrew Toney may have turned out to be. Better than Klay Thompson?
 
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I have only peripheral knowledge of the NBA today, but I’m not sure who could handle this man with the “soft” reputation I’m always hearing about the current league.
 
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IF Barkley could add a 3pter he'd be hands down the best, if not its Drexler.
Rebounding is still really important and from his position and size Barkley was a great combo of rebounding and scoring.
 
boog204 said:
That's an interesting question... I think Drexler is horrifically underrated (even during his time) and would be a monster today. I think Dumars would be pretty much the same player. The other three were great, great players, but I'm not sure how their games translate today with such a reliance on the 3-ball. I also think the Stockton/Utah system factor with Malone is not to be underestimated. Maybe it's just b/c I think he's an all-time scumbag, but I think if he had a different point guard his #'s would be nowhere near what they were.
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I chose Clyde. He was overshadowed for whatever reason: my guess is his mild personality and being up in Portland. Wasn't he also the leading scorer on that classic Dream Team?

* I didn't list this guy, but i think his teammateTerry Porter would be a great pro today, maybe the best on this list besides clyde.
3 pt shooting, assists and defense. Talk about underrated
 
Deepster said:
Interesting list of choices. I chose Drexler almost by default. I agree with the poster above that Dumars would be pretty much the same. I don't know how Robinson or Malone would fare. I almost feel like most of their shots back then would be kickouts to the arc now. So Clyde vs Barkley? I chose Clyde.

I also wonder what a guy like Andrew Toney may have turned out to be. Better than Klay Thompson?
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I loved Andrew Toney as a young kid. I don’t think the shooters of that time had near the ability to get a good shot off the dribble though. Even guys like Thompson appear to have more ball handling ability. That’s been the other big evolution in the game beyond long range shooting, everyone can dribble. The ball handling is better across all 5 positions.

Great players would still be great players. They’d just train differently. When you had guys like Toney having to pick their spots wisely to shoot a 3, you weren’t going to see the development you’d see if they were yelling at him to shoot more like they would now. Shooting from distance was frowned upon and considered risky in those days. Many coaches hated the 3. That didn’t really start to change across the board until the early to mid 90’s. Then it changed again, going from being ok to shoot 3’s to dumb to shoot 2’s at all.
 
My vote is Clyde.

If it weren't for Michael Jordan, he'd be a more celebrated star.

He would have averaged a triple-double in the league today, especially with his unicorn-esque 6'7 210 listed size at the 2-guard.
 
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thekollieman said:
View attachment 109729
I have only peripheral knowledge of the NBA today, but I’m not sure who could handle this man with the “soft” reputation I’m always hearing about the current league.
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The Admiral seems like the most obvious choice. His rebounding, running the floor and shot blocking are elite in any era. He'd easily be an above average 3 point shooter in today's game for a big man.
 
I voted for Drexler. He could score at all 3 levels. He had pretty good size and he could play any tempo any style. He could be physical and if you played him soft, he would eat you up.
I think he gets lost because he played in an era with a lot of 'big' personalities... Jordan, Barkley, Bird, Magic, Thomas, Ewing, Hakeem... and more.
 
Drexler is my favorite player ever. I had a 6'7 stand up cut out of him in my room as a kid. He was the total athletic package at 6'7 220 lbs with a 43 inch vertical who could do it all but as you stated he played when Jordan played and he played in Portland. He's one of the best all around players ever but a lot of people missed it.



Every single guy on that list is a freak in their own way. Barkley was short but he was powerful, aggressive and explosive. Robinson was a legit 7 foot, shredded and ran like a gazelle. Malone was carved out of stone at 260 lbs. They would all be superstars today like they were back then and some would be even better with the up and down play of today. It would've really benefitted Drexler, Robinson, and Barkley. Robinson would maybe benefit the most not having to go up against Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing, Mourning, Mutombo and he would've come into the league at a younger age today.
 
Dogdeacon said:
IF Barkley could add a 3pter he'd be hands down the best, if not its Drexler.
Rebounding is still really important and from his position and size Barkley was a great combo of rebounding and scoring.
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Barkley absolute would shoot 3s today. He'd be like a rich man's Draymond Green, albeit not as good of a passer.
 
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Waquoit said:
Who of that bunch can make a 3? I'm thinking Dumars.
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Funny thing is if the game was as it is now they all would be capable of 30% or better I would think. They’d have stretched out there game if they had to adjust. But Dumars is a definite.
 
Chin Diesel said:
The Admiral seems like the most obvious choice. His rebounding, running the floor and shot blocking are elite in any era. He'd easily be an above average 3 point shooter in today's game for a big man.
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Robinson would be absolutely great and he did have more shooting range than most other centers of his day so would clearly benefit via shooting 3's. The one hesitancy is he wasn't always a rip your throat out type of competitor, being almost too smart to believe dominating at basketball was the be all end all. Adding Duncan who combined the discipline and somehow a similar distanced perspective but with a laser-focus was necessary to ultimately get him past the Western Conf finals and to a championship.

But who knows, playing in the time of Jordan made a lot of alphas among alphas seem like they weren't quite enough yet it turns out they were simply being compared to the goat.
 
Deepster said:
Career
3%		Career
3FGM		Career
3FGA		Best Season 3%Best Season 3FGMBest Season 3FGA
Dumars38.2%990259243.2%166384
Drexler31.8%827260336.0%219324
Malone27.4%8531040.0%1640
Barkley26.6%538202033.8%74219
Robinson25.0%2510034.5%1029
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Great stats. I put Dumars up there for that and other reasons. I thought more people would choose him. Though he doesn't have the cache the other 4 do his defense and 3 pt shooting translates pretty well to today's game.
 
Hoophound said:
I loved Andrew Toney as a young kid. I don’t think the shooters of that time had near the ability to get a good shot off the dribble though. Even guys like Thompson appear to have more ball handling ability. That’s been the other big evolution in the game beyond long range shooting, everyone can dribble. The ball handling is better across all 5 positions.

Great players would still be great players. They’d just train differently. When you had guys like Toney having to pick their spots wisely to shoot a 3, you weren’t going to see the development you’d see if they were yelling at him to shoot more like they would now. Shooting from distance was frowned upon and considered risky in those days. Many coaches hated the 3. That didn’t really start to change across the board until the early to mid 90’s. Then it changed again, going from being ok to shoot 3’s to dumb to shoot 2’s at all.
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I think you confused ball handling with carrying and traveling.
 
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Jaydumo20 said:
Great stats. I put Dumars up there for that and other reasons. I thought more people would choose him. Though he doesn't have the cache the other 4 do his defense and 3 pt shooting translates pretty well to today's game.
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Dumars was a great offensive and defensive player but he was always seen as #2 on his team to Isiah while Barkley, Malone, Drexler, and Robinson were all clearly #1's and stars. I think that's why he's not really getting mentioned.
 
boog204 said:
That's an interesting question... I think Drexler is horrifically underrated (even during his time) and would be a monster today. I think Dumars would be pretty much the same player. The other three were great, great players, but I'm not sure how their games translate today with such a reliance on the 3-ball. I also think the Stockton/Utah system factor with Malone is not to be underestimated. Maybe it's just b/c I think he's an all-time scumbag, but I think if he had a different point guard his #'s would be nowhere near what they were.
Expand ...

My assumption is that they'd be shooting 3s at a high volume and good percentage. It wasn't for lack of ability they didn't do it. It was for lack of vision by coaches. They didn't practice 3s.

KG's a guy who took thousands of 18-20 footers. These days, they'd all be 3s. Larry Bird's career 3-point numbers are underwhelming. Does anybody doubt he'd be a terror from behind the arc in today's NBA?

All of the players on that list would be great. I think if the Admiral could shoot 3s, he'd be insanely good. Barkley and Malone too. Drexler would thrive in today's NBA. No way he'd be a 32% 3-point shooter.

Dumars is nowhere near the other guys. Yes, he was the only of those who could shoot 3s back then, and maybe he'd shoot more now, but he just wasn't and wouldn't be in the other guys' class.
 
superjohn said:
Dumars was a great offensive and defensive player but he was always seen as #2 on his team to Isiah while Barkley, Malone, Drexler, and Robinson were all clearly #1's and stars.
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True, but that was the go-to guy era, each team was allowed only one go-to guy and that was Isaiah for the Pistons. But Dumars was known for picking up his game in the big-spot (Finals MVP). With his shot and unselfish play of the highest caliber he would fit today's game like a glove, imo. Is Haliburton a good comp?
 
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Excalibur said:
I don't see how the answer isn't Robinson. Athletic 7'1" guy, blazing fast, explosive leaper who could play facing the basket. He'd be the ultimate rim running pick and roll center and a premier rim protector.
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But he was not a three point shooter. Robinson definitely the best player if we are playing real basketball….but they are playing analytics basketball…has to be Drexler in today’s game.
 
Hunt for 7 said:
But he was not a three point shooter. Robinson definitely the best player if we are playing real basketball….but they are playing analytics basketball…has to be Drexler in today’s game.
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It's still Robinson. In this era, Robinson would have developed an outside shot. He'd be dominant in this era too. Maybe we all forget he had a growth spurt at Navy. He was a guard/wing coming out of HS. He has the skills.
 
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