The 10 greatest basketball players of the past 15 years.....

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Hitman

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I am 25 and have been watching basketball for 15 years now. I love it, and it is definitely my favorite sport. I have always defined greatness as when you watch someone, and you just think "wow...this guy is great!" rather than someone who just puts up good numbers. For example, as a New Yorker, Patrick Ewing always put up big numbers but watching him for so many years there were not too many times (if any) that I thought "wow...this guy is great!" But anyway, here are the top 10 basketball players I have ever seen in my 15 years of watching hoops. What are yours?

1. Michael Jordan (AKA God disguised ad Michael Jordan)
2 (Tie) Magic Johnson
2 (Tie) Larry Bird
(I don't really think it is fair to pick one or them over the other, do you?)
4. Shaquille O' Neal
5. Charles Barkley (Never won a championship but when you watched him you often thought "wow....."
6. Isiah Thomas (Clutch)
7. Hakeem Olaujowon (The Dream Shake was awesome)
8. Kobe Bryant (Although I think Tracy McGrady is probably better than him right now)
9. Tim Duncan (The Big Fundamental)
10.Karl Malone (Even with his great numbers I hesitated to put him on here because I never thought of him as "clutch"

So what do you think of this list? How does yours compare.

I give honorable mention to:
Robinson, Ewing, Stockton, Pippen, Payton, and Kidd.

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Live As If You'll Die Tomorrow, Dream As If You'll Live Forever
 
Looks like we have exactly the same guys in the top 10! Should that be the offical list?

Although there is no way in hell that the Mailman was a better forward than Sir Charles.


[This message has been edited by Hitman (edited 04-13-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Hitman (edited 04-13-2002).]
 
1. Money (I think Ice Cube said it best, "freakin' brothers everyway like MJ," or was it Mars Blackman? "it's gotta be the shoes... ")

2. Magic (Showtime Baby! this guy could play any position on the court, couldn't last a month as a talk show host though)

3. Larry Legend (the greatest shooting touch of all time?)

4. Shaq (still lists his occupation as "basketball player" on his taxes, he'll tax that ass like nobody else in the game though, I think he would outplay Wilt with his unparalleled size and athleticism if "The Stilt" was around today)

5. Hakeem (not to be confused with Akeem, his post-up skills were the stuff "Dreams" are made of, 2 titles not too shabby)

6. The Mailman (I've never liked the guy, I'll always hate him for nearly single-handedly forcing Magic to re-tire, but I can't knock what he's accomplished on the court, 'cept that he'll never get a ring, much like the next great power forward in this list... )

7. Sir Charles (it's a shame he arrived at the end of Dr. J's career, would have been something to see them play together, amazing how he dominated guys in the low post who were a half foot taller than him)

8. Isaah Thomas (student of the game and absolutely fearless, though it helped having his "bad boy" teammates to back him up)

9. Kobe Bryant (he's not Jordan, but he sure looks like it at times)

10. Tim Duncan (somewhat of an enigma to me, sometimes he looks like the best player in the game, other times he looks like just another good player, perhaps because of the Admiral's ever more frequent disappearing acts, should win a couple more titles before he's done on hard work and persistance alone)

honorable mention:

Scottie Pippen (he's fallen off this list by fortifying his debaccle during his brief time without Jordan in Chicago, by looking very pedestrian with Portland, and I'll never forget his ineptitude during the 2nd half of Game 7 of the Western Finals in 2000, and of course his refusal to re-enter a playoff game because the final play wasn't drawn up for him during that 1 playoff year without Jordan in Chicago)

The Worm (Rodman was on 5 championship teams, greatest rebounder in history, despite being labeled "one dimensional" by many, he constantly tracked down misses on the offensive end, allowing numerous 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities with his 8 or 10 offensive boards per game; and of course his low post and perimeter defense was as good as anyone's)

Kevin McHale (who wouldn't want a guy like this on their team? never forget that Cheers episode either, one of the funniest ever)

Clyde Drexler (The Glide... was fun to watch, great scorer if nothing else)

Patrick Ewing (never made a clutch shot in his life)

Dominque Wilkins ("Human Highlight Reel")



[This message has been edited by The Wanderer (edited 04-13-2002).]
 
1. Paul Mokeski
2. Terry Deurod
3. Randy Brewer
4. Mitch Kupchak
5. Greg Kite
6. Joe Barry Carroll
7. Greg Ostertag
8. Matt Muelbach
9. Jack Haley
10. Chris Dudley

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The joker is the best card.
 
On a more serious note...since John Stockton is the NBA career assist and steals leader, I think both of you should put him in the top 10 of the last 15 years...maybe in place of Kobe...who hasn't quite earned the distiction as yet, but should in time.
 
Originally posted by zonelistener:
How about Kevin Garnett and Alan Iverson?

Iverson will be right there in a couple of years if he can win a championship. He has the courage of a MJ, Bird, Isiah. However, he shoots under 40 percent. And he's a six foot tall shooting guard, which can present some defensive problems.

Garnett is not in the top 20 at this point. Lots of others, including McHale, David Robinson, etc. are ahead of him. He has not won a playoff series. Ever.

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Live As If You'll Die Tomorrow, Dream As If You'll Live Forever
 
Yeah Stockton is top 15 material, but I had Malone 10 on my list and I don't think he goes before Malone...however one could make that argument.

No way is he better than Kobe, though.

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Live As If You'll Die Tomorrow, Dream As If You'll Live Forever
 
HEY!! WHAT ABOUT Kurt Rambis????????

He always gets left out of every list. I don't get it. Its Kurt Rambis.


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"You gotta put the women and children first, but you've got an unquenchable thirst for New York..."
 
being new to this country, and therefore new to NBA, I can't comment on the past 10 years with much authority, but I'd like to mention these names for the hell of it.

John Starks
Reggie Miller
Luc Longley (hahahahahahahahahahahahaha)

I think maybe I know them because they had to play on MJ???

And today, I love watching Dirk Nowitzki (spl?) - he's cool.
smile.gif
 
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