Updating my list -
Given the fact the NBA just called it the
NBA 75th Anniversary team with no other clarification that I'm aware of I'm going to do my in a pretty rough order as best as I can.
i'm just going to think about it as the greatest gamers. Unstoppable, amazing players, winners and teammates. Players who helped revolutionised the game. Trail Blazers.
You can't think of it as would Steph beat Wilt 1 v 1 or would Kareem beat Iverson in my opinion. You have to think of it as MJ made a lot of players in that era wee in there shorts a little bit. Shaq broke whole basketball ring systems. Oscar did everything you can do to put numbers in stat columns. Russell beat everyone that stood in his way. Durant could virtually not be blocked due to his height and skill set. Dirk destroyed the soft Euro tags. Iverson would simply not be stopped unless you killed him and Steph took the game out to a range where they legit had to consider making a 4 point line he made it look so easy.
A definitive order is literally impossible. Different times and different eras. Players got injured and didn't end their careers they way they wanted. New players took bits and pieces from players before them, added it to the mix of better resources and technology and the money flowing into the game, made possible by the greats before them, and so, continue to show off new skills that blind people to the fact that they wouldn't be where they are without the greats before them. The players who rode the buses state to state and sat on literal wood benches. The guys who couldn't stay in the same hotel as their white team mates and had the pressures of racism on them as they stepped on the court and averaged a triple double or scored 100 points but then couldn't go and get a meal in that restaurant across the road after the game. It's really unthinkable to most of us today and I'm only 40 years old.
The numbering below is just to give these guys a place in the 75 best of the 75 years the NBA is celebrating. I'm not going to make it 76 though like they did.
People are going to be left off and feel disrespected! It's going to happen when something like 5000 players have come through the NBA - we have to stop somewhere and just do our best when most games aren't able to be watched on tape or dvd or YouTube. A lot of people are gone that sat courtside and took stats and got to watch the actual games. People get old. Their memory gets fuzzy and they might get biased or grumpy in old age. I write this all now because I'm shocked and disappointed at the comments by JJ Redick about "plumbers and firemen". He's a smart guy. Did he say it for click bait or had a couple of wines? Maybe. I haven't heard any clarification or response as yet. But the disrespect........ from a retired player who got to make $100 million dollars and some great players before him died broke! I can't understand it. I was a fan. Not any more.
Having said the above, I think it was disingenuous of the NBA to just leave the 50 on and add another 25. They clearly made an error leaving Dominique Wilkins off the 50 team
I'm curious and looking forward to making this list at the 100 mark.
Thank you for reading and I hope we can get some good discussion on this!
#GarnettFan4Life #NBA75 #BasketballFan4Life
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GarnettFan4Life's
1. Michael Jordan -
30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG
2. Bill Russell -
15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG
3. Shaquille O'Neal -
23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG
4. Wilt Chamberlain -
30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG
5. LeBron James -
27.1 PPG, 7.4 APG, 7.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG
7. Magic Johnson -
19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, 1.9 SPG
8. Kobe Bryant -
25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG
9. Larry Bird -
24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG
10. Tim Duncan -
19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.2 BPG
11. Hakeem Olajuwon -
21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 3.1 BPG
12. Stephen Curry -
24.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG
13. Oscar Robertson -
25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG
14. David Robinson -
21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.0 BPG
15. Kevin Durant -
27.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 BPG
16. Julius Erving -
22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG
17. Moses Malone -
20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG
18. Kevin Garnett -
17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG
19. Charles Barkley -
22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG
20. Karl Malone -
25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG
21. Jerry West
- 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG
22. Dirk Nowitzki -
20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 3PG
23. John Havlicek -
20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.2 SPG
24. Isiah Thomas -
19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG
25. John Stockton -
13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG
26. Chris Paul -
18.2 PPG, 9.5 APG, 4.5 RPG, 2.1 SPG
27. Dwyane Wade -
22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.5 SPG
28. Scottie Pippen -
16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG
29. Bob Cousy -
18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG
30. Allen Iverson
- 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.2 SPG
31. Elgin Baylor
- 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG
32. Bob Pettit -
26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG
33. Dominique Wilkins -
24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
34. Sam Jones -
17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG
35. Steve Nash -
14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG
36. Patrick Ewing -
21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG
37. Dennis Rodman
- 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG
38. Kevin McHale -
17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG
39. Rick Barry -
23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG
40. Ray Allen -
18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG
41. Walt Frazier -
18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG
42. George Gervin
- 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG
43. Jason Kidd -
12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.9 SPG
44. Artis Gilmore - 18.8
PPG, 12.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.5 BLK (ON)
45. Gary Payton
- 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG
46. Bob McAdoo -
22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG
47. Jerry Lucas -
17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG
48. Nate Thurmond -
15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.1 BPG
49. Wes Unseld -
10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG
50. Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 21.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.3 BPG
51. Dave Cowens
- 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG
52. James Harden -
25.0 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.6 RPG
53. Elvin Hayes
- 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 0.9 APG
54. Reggie Miller -
18.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG
55. Clyde Drexler
- 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG
56. Robert Parrish -
14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG
57. Russell Westbrook
- 22.9 PPG, 8.5 APG, 7.4 RPG
58. Paul Pierce -
19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
59. Earl Monroe -
18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG
60. Carmelo Anthony -
22.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.7 APG
61. George Mikan -
23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG
62. Dennis Johnson - 14.1
PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG (ON)
63. James Worthy -
17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG
64. Willis Reed -
18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG
65. Bernard King -
22.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG (ON)
66. Nate Archibald -
18.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, 2.3 RPG
67. Dwight Howard -
15.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG (ON)
68. Hal Greer -
19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG
69. Paul Arizin -
22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG
70. Manu Ginobili - 13.3
PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.8 APG (ON)
71. Dolph Schayes -
18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG
72. Alonzo Mourning - 17.1
PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 2.8 BPG (ON)
73. Dikembe Mutombo - 9.8
PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 2.8 BPG (ON)
74. Alex English -
21.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG
75. Vince Carter - 16.7
PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG
Possible snubs for official NBA 75 list: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Alex English, Ben Wallace, Klay Thompson.
Recommended removals: Bill Walton, Earl Monroe, Bill Sharman, Billy Cunningham, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Eleven active players have been named to the 75th Anniversary Team: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.
Taken off the 75 list and/or should/will be on the 100 list :
Anthony Davis -
23.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 BPG (OFF)
Damian Lillard -
24.6 PPG, 6.6 APG, 4.2 RPG (OFF)
Kawhi Leonard -
19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.8 SPG (OFF)
Bill Sharman -
17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG (OFF)
Dave DeBusschere -
16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG (OFF)
Billy Cunningham
- 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG (OFF)
Lenny Wilkens
- 16.5 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.7 RPG (OFF)
Pete Maravich
- 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG (OFF)
Dave Bing -
20.3 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.8 RPG (OFF)
Bill Walton -
13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.2 BPG (OFF)
Yao Ming - 19.0
PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.6 APG
Pau Gasol -
17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 APG
Anfernee Hardaway - 15.2
PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.0 APG
Grant Hill - 16.7
PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.1 APG
Vince Carter - 16.7
PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG
Shawn Kemp - 14.6
PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.6 APG
Chris Bosh - 19.2
PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 APG
Draymond Green - 8.7
PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 BLK
Klay Thompson - 19.5
PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
Tracy McGrady - 19.6
PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG
Ben Wallace - 5.7
PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.0 BLK
Paul George - 20.4
PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.6 APG
Kyrie Irving - 23.1
PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.7 APG
Luka Doncic - 26.4
PPG, 8.5 RPG, 8.0 APG
Marques Johnson - 20.1
PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.6 APG
Nikola Jokic - 19.7
PPG, 10.4 RPG, 6.2 APG
Tony Parker - 15.5
PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG
References:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-the-original-50-greatest-players-of-all-time
https://www.basketball-reference.com/