The New Top 50

by 4Him on Jul 3, 2009 5:08 AM CDT Comment 49 comments

About a month ago I submitted a FanPost which included a discussion of the top 30 NBA players of the last 30 years. SLAM magazine has just put out an online list of The New Top 50 NBA players of all time. The last time that they prepared such a list was in 2003. Their one main stipulation was that they only rated players on their careers up until now (so that current players like Manu and TP wouldn't have a complete career to look at, though LeBron made the list at #42).

My initial thoughts: Shaq is too high at #4 (both Kareem and TD should be ahead of him), the Admiral is much too low at #25. Shouldn't Pistol Pete be on the list? Do Iverson and Nash deserve to be on it? What do y'all think?

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Shaq at number 4? Eh? What were they thinking?

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jul 3, 2009 10:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I can’t believe they put him over Kareem. And Iverson at 39 is just ridiculous.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jul 3, 2009 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Parker>> Iverson
Manu >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and a couple of galaxies>>>>>>> Iverson

"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"

by Chilai on Jul 3, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those are tough sells anywhere else but a Spurs site

Just call me The Profit

by Manuwar on Jul 3, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea, but after a couple more championships it wouldn’t be.

Bring back Bruce, and free James Gist!
Pounding the Rock - where RJ happens.

by Tim C. on Jul 3, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

its the truth. Iverson is just a one dimensional scorer who has never been very effective.

"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"

by Chilai on Jul 3, 2009 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

True … true

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 3, 2009 7:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If this were the one-on-one top 50, Iverson would belong. He was never able to play team basketball.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jul 3, 2009 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

iverson never really had an all star sidekick to complement him though.

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 3, 2009 11:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because no one who ever teamed with him could develop b/c Iverson was such a ball/shot hog.

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 4, 2009 12:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but he played with role players his entire career except for iggy pop (who started to develop) and melo yellow (who never played d). detroit brought him in only because his contract expired, they were all messed up last year.

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 4, 2009 12:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would simply point to the Billups trade – Billups had the same teammates, with much better results. Billups also won FInals MVP and took Detroit to the ECF 6 seasons in a row. But, no Billups on the list.

Why? Because Chauncey’s not a loudmouth. He doesn’t whine about “Practice” or act like a complete asshat. SLAM would rather say you’re a great player simply because you get lots of media attention than say it because you’re actually great.

Bring back Bruce, and free James Gist!
Pounding the Rock - where RJ happens.

by Tim C. on Jul 4, 2009 12:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

same teammates? no ben wallace in his prime. 2nd yr pg in stuckey. rookie head coach not knowing how to handle 2 sg’s and was experimenting with prince as a point forward! you’re putting that on AI?

talent wise:
billups finals team > iverson’s finals team
its not even close

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 4, 2009 1:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was talking about Denver.

Bring back Bruce, and free James Gist!
Pounding the Rock - where RJ happens.

by Tim C. on Jul 4, 2009 1:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ooops! haha

well nene flourished, especially offensively, with camby gone. he was a surprise.
melo learned kobes work ethic over the olympic summer and all of a sudden realized that playing defense gets you places.
jr smith grew up from prior year, taking better 3s.
dahntay was new, he actually played d.
and the birdman also new, off the bench was a huge plus this year blocking shots and bringing a ton of energy.

to me, two very different teams.

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 4, 2009 1:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you have to account billups as one of the main reasons for one of those differences in teams of the same team from one season to the other. Billups had some things to do with that transformation.

"He's Manu Ginobili"

by the little o on Jul 4, 2009 4:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

of course i do. at the same time billups is a point. iverson is a scorer, billups was a better fit with this yrs nuggets compared to when iverson was on the team

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 4, 2009 8:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s why point guard should play like point guards, instead of just being scorers. Tony proves you can be a scorer and distribute.

By the way, Ben Wallace wasn’t in his prime the year before when Billups was in Detroit, and he still got them farther. And the whole crap with Iverson having “back pains” after he was benched? He’s a selfish player.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jul 4, 2009 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lists like these are never going to please everyone but I think only Shaq and the author of this piece would put Shaq that high.

Just call me The Profit

by Manuwar on Jul 3, 2009 10:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

At the risk of repeating myself — maybe Shaq’s mom too?

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 3, 2009 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um… no. I know these lists will always be tricky for anyone to make, but SLAM has been known for – how should I say this – being favorable to things that embody black culture. (sorry if anyone will be offended by this) Probably explains how Allen Iverson got to that list – they love the guy so much, and they could’ve put Stephon Marbury there too if only he wasn’t such a big idiot.

C’mon, Shaq on top of Magic? And Larry? The impact in the league of those two players was the biggest before Jordan came. Granted that Shaq is very charismatic and uber-talented, he didn’t exactly raise the league to new and farther heights similar to how MJ, Magic and Bird did.

The Roleplayer's Realm

by silverandblack_davis on Jul 3, 2009 10:43 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs

Well said.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jul 3, 2009 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didnt want to mention it, but I agree with your opinion on SLAM.

"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"

by Chilai on Jul 3, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shaq shouldn’t have been ahead of Olajuwon either. I used to subscribe to Slam and am a fan of many of their writers, but Shaq at #4 is a joke.

"There's a thin line between to laugh with and to laugh at." - Richard Pryor

by DennardC on Jul 3, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

too bad I’m not laughing.

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 3, 2009 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I bought this issue, the list pretty much sucks. Kareem should be number 1 IMO

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 4, 2009 1:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Kareem over Jordan, Magic, Russel and Wilt? Interesting.

Care to elaborate, Linix? (sorry, just haven’t gotten used to sw12 yet.)

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 4, 2009 1:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha its cool man, doesn’t matter.

Kareem = Most MVP’s, scored more points than anyone, just an overall hoss.

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 4, 2009 4:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What’s a hoss?

The Roleplayer's Realm

by silverandblack_davis on Jul 4, 2009 11:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

hard-ass

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 4, 2009 11:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I always assumed “hoss” was slang for “horse,” meaning a big, tough guy you can rely on (and metaphorically “ride”).

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne

by tomasito on Jul 5, 2009 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve always known it as a hardass, you might be thinking of tank, or beast.

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 5, 2009 11:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does it come from the old, old, old show Bonanza? One of the guys was named Hoss & he was a hardass, tank and a beast.

by lazNirv on Jul 5, 2009 11:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No.

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 6, 2009 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

At least that’s not where I picked it up.

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 6, 2009 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

tomas, I think that there’s a significant portion of the population that would agree with you that hoss=horse

perhaps linix’s definition is one the younger generation uses

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 5, 2009 11:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

hoss

is not a term used in new york

by FreshmakerDTM on Jul 6, 2009 12:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Malones should go higher – both Moses and Karl should be ahead of Pettit, Dr J and Havlicek. Barkley and Barry should also move up slightly, along with DRob. Isiah should definitely be lower.

by 4Him on Jul 5, 2009 10:02 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

what’s karl done?

his fingers are looking kinda empty. . .

13 points in 39 seconds. Enough said.

by Duhoh on Jul 6, 2009 10:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sry i’m one of those guys who believes that the mailman was overrated.

13 points in 39 seconds. Enough said.

by Duhoh on Jul 6, 2009 10:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You’re not the only one.

Bring back Bruce!
Pounding the Rock - where young and ath-uh-letic happens.

by Tim C. on Jul 6, 2009 11:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Barkley > Malone

AKA: Linix129

by sw12 on Jul 7, 2009 12:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Jerry West gets dropped BIG TIME for having a “hidden hand” in the Gasol trade.

by 4Him on Jul 7, 2009 1:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Now that he’s back with LA, that deal’s gone from simply smelling like a rat, to seeing actual live rats crawling all over it as they eat, sleep and breed.

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 7, 2009 1:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hadn’t heard he’s back with the Laker organization? Last I heard he was retired and working on his golf game. (Supposedly he was offered a position with the Clippers but declined out of hand because of how they treated his teammate & lifelong friend Elgin Baylor.)

Dude might live in LA but he did spend 2/3rds of his life there, no?

by lazNirv on Jul 7, 2009 1:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, look at the following progression, and then you can tell me how you think this looks.

Plays for LA, works for LA, GMs for LA, builds championship team in LA, leaves LA under weird circumstances, GMs for Memphis, makes questionable move after questionable move in Memphis, makes THE DEAL for LA while still GM for Memphis, moves back to LA.

Now, please see the above rat comment while understanding that I’m not in the mood to give him the benefit of the doubt, or even consider whether he deserves it.

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 7, 2009 1:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yikes! Didn’t mean to disturb that hornets next. I’ll just back away very slowly.

by lazNirv on Jul 7, 2009 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

laz, you’re cool — I’m just blowing off steam. Seems there were two different Pau-deal-threads going on last night, and I somehow got involved in both of them.

; )

My name is DeJuan Blair. You blocked my shot. Prepare to die. - CH&LD
I want my Manu o;—-)

by jollyrogerwilco on Jul 7, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs