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Who are the 10 greatest NBA Players of all Time?

Lots of guys in the conversation. I think it has to be a top 20 to be really honest. There is too little separation.

Off the top of my head:
Jerry west
Stock
Mailman
Admiral
Magic
MJ
Bird
Kaj
Moses
Sir Charles
The dream
Maybe scottie
Shaq
Big o
Iceman
Pistol
Dr j
Kobe
Duncan
Le baron
Curry
Iverson


These are all in the conversation and probably some more. In my mind you can't just say top ten. It's not as cut and dry as a dollar amount or something like that.

If you've ever seen bill simmons pyramid if greatness from his book, it makes more sense than a top ten list (although it is extremely biased to celtics greats)
 
As far as Stockton and Malone go. I don't think either is in the top10. Malone however would be close. The Jazz just didn't have a lot of help, ever. They were really up against it. So no rings doesn't really mean all that much. With the same help a lot for these other stars had, I think the Jazz could have won a couple probably.

I don't think Stockton is close to the top10 though. Sure, he has those unbreakable records, but they are both kinda overrated statical categories. His assist numbers had a lot to do with Malone being his teammate. I think the stat counters were a little more generous back then too. It's also a category that doesn't always mean you did something great either. It's often times just handing the ball off to the better player and watching him do the work. But I'm not saying it doesn't mean anything or that Stockton wasn't an elite passer. He was. I just think that probably half of the those assist don't really mean much, and they don't really mean much in every player's case. Not every assist is equal to another. Some come from and elite move that gets your teamates a great look. Some just come because you did nothing really but give the ball up.

What I'm saying is, I wouldn't be taking that over a guy who can just get it done on his own and completely dominate his opponent. That is more valuable more times than not. Malone was a beast. He was dominant. Just not a lot of help and not so clutch. But still great and near the top10.

I think you'd be a fool to take John Stockton over Karl Malone. You would even be a fool to take Stockton over a guy like Durant, or Kobe, or Wade. Those are easy, but I could go down the list pretty far, before I take Stockton. Give me Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, etc. A bunch more too. And yes, definitely Steph Curry.
 
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I don't ever think it's too early to discuss whether or not a player is an all time great. I like what a player does at his peak and how dominant he was his his prime much more than how long he did it. Longevity has its merits and should celebrated and recognized, it just not what's going to make me decide who was a better player.


My top 10 in order.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kareem Abdul Jabar
3. Steph Curry
4. Magic Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Shaquille O'Neal
7. Hakeem Olajuwon
8. Lebron James
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Bill Russell
 
b_line said:
Lots of guys in the conversation. I think it has to be a top 20 to be really honest. There is too little separation.

Off the top of my head:
Jerry west
Stock
Mailman
Admiral
Magic
MJ
Bird
Kaj
Moses
Sir Charles
The dream
Maybe scottie
Shaq
Big o
Iceman
Pistol
Dr j
Kobe
Duncan
Le baron
Curry
Iverson


These are all in the conversation and probably some more. In my mind you can't just say top ten. It's not as cut and dry as a dollar amount or something like that.

If you've ever seen bill simmons pyramid if greatness from his book, it makes more sense than a top ten list (although it is extremely biased to celtics greats)
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Iverson? Are you high? One of the least efficient players ever, the biggest joke of an MVP of all time. He would not be in my top 100 players of all time.
 
b_line said:
Lots of guys in the conversation. I think it has to be a top 20 to be really honest. There is too little separation.

Off the top of my head:
Jerry west
Stock
Mailman
Admiral
Magic
MJ
Bird
Kaj
Moses
Sir Charles
The dream
Maybe scottie
Shaq
Big o
Iceman
Pistol
Dr j
Kobe
Duncan
Le baron
Curry
Iverson


These are all in the conversation and probably some more. In my mind you can't just say top ten. It's not as cut and dry as a dollar amount or something like that.

If you've ever seen bill simmons pyramid if greatness from his book, it makes more sense than a top ten list (although it is extremely biased to celtics greats)
Click to expand...

Iverson and Maravich? But not someone like Elgin Baylor? No. Just no.
 
carolinajazz said:
.....yeah, begrudgingly....and I was born and raised in Chicago! But left way before Jordan ever played a game for the Bulls! I was there when Sloan and VanLear were the guards! Anyway, I'm adding Lebron and Curry (Curry begrudgingly as well!) based on what they are accomplishing and what they probably will end up with statistically! So now I've got 2 more guys to choose! I'm thinking, I'm thinking!
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So wait, let me get this straight, you are begrudgingly putting Michael Jordan in your top ten of all-time? So he might not even get into your list but you gave him a pass?

What. Exactly. Are. You. Smoking?
 
Hack said:
As far as Stockton and Malone go. I don't think either is in the top10. Malone however would be close. The Jazz just didn't have a lot of help, ever. They were really up against it. So no rings doesn't really mean all that much. With the same help a lot for these other stars had, I think the Jazz could have won a couple probably.

I don't think Stockton is close to the top10 though. Sure, he has those unbreakable records, but they are both kinda overrated statical categories. His assist numbers had a lot to do with Malone being his teammate. I think the stat counters were a little more generous back then too. It's also a category that doesn't always mean you did something great either. It's often times just handing the ball off to the better player and watching him do the work. But I'm not saying it doesn't mean anything or that Stockton wasn't an elite passer. He was. I just think that probably half of the those assist don't really mean much, and they don't really mean much in every player's case. Not every assist is equal to another. Some come from and elite move that gets your teamates a great look. Some just come because you did nothing really but give the ball up.

What I'm saying is, I wouldn't be taking that over a guy who can just get it done on his own and completely dominate his opponent. That is more valuable more times than not. Malone was a beast. He was dominant. Just not a lot of help and not so clutch. But still great and near the top10.

I think you'd be a fool to take John Stockton over Karl Malone. You would even be a fool to take Stockton over a guy like Durant, or Kobe, or Wade. Those are easy, but I could go down the list pretty far, before I take Stockton. Give me Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, etc. A bunch more too. And yes, definitely Steph Curry.
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I think you severely underestimate Stock's impact on his team for 19 seasons. If Stockton played for the Bulls, or the Lakers or had a bench that the best teams of his day had he would be held in much higher regard.

How is a stat like steals overrated? Stock leads second place all-time in steals by nearly 600. What other player contributed to their teams play as much as Stockton on BOTH ends of the court? Only a few, and keep in mind their supporting cast compared to John's.

And 19 seasons of elite or nearly elite play with almost no games missed to injury if you take away his knee injury. Who has had that kind of prolonged success in NBA history?
 
str8line said:
I think you severely underestimate Stock's impact on his team for 19 seasons. If Stockton played for the Bulls, or the Lakers or had a bench that the best teams of his day had he would be held in much higher regard.

How is a stat like steals overrated? Stock leads second place all-time in steals by nearly 600. What other player contributed to their teams play as much as Stockton on BOTH ends of the court? Only a few, and keep in mind their supporting cast compared to John's.

And 19 seasons of elite or nearly elite play with almost no games missed to injury if you take away his knee injury. Who has had that kind of prolonged success in NBA history?
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Stockton's career would look nothing like it does now without the help of Malone. He wouldn't have been able to carry a team like all the other great players in discussion for the best players ever. I'm not saying he wasn't good. He's just not close to a top10 player. There is no way he can be considered that good. He wasn't an elite scorer. He wasn't a big intimidating figure that could dominate defensively or offensively. He wasn't Uber athletic. He doesn't have any of the makeup of what makes the greatest players. That's just way too much homerism to think he belongs in the discussion.
 
gregbroncs said:
Iverson? Are you high? One of the least efficient players ever, the biggest joke of an MVP of all time. He would not be in my top 100 players of all time.
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He was pretty flipping good. Lots of nba players rank him really highly. I just said he should be in the conversation, but you are entitled to your opinion. Who else would you add?
 
Hack said:
Stockton's career would look nothing like it does now without the help of Malone. He wouldn't have been able to carry a team like all the other great players in discussion for the best players ever. I'm not saying he wasn't good. He's just not close to a top10 player. There is no way he can be considered that good. He wasn't an elite scorer. He wasn't a big intimidating figure that could dominate defensively or offensively. He wasn't Uber athletic. He doesn't have any of the makeup of what makes the greatest players. That's just way too much homerism to think he belongs in the discussion.
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Stockton's the greatest ever. Period.
 
b_line said:
He was pretty flipping good. Lots of nba players rank him really highly. I just said he should be in the conversation, but you are entitled to your opinion. Who else would you add?
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Iverson would be on my list in the top 3 of the most over rated players in the history of ALL SPORTS. He was good, not great. He was a warrior, who didn't play well with his teammates. He was an inefficient player who was basically an over hyped Steph Marbury. I don't think he was pretty flipping good. I think he was average and overhyped.
 
gregbroncs said:
Iverson would be on my list in the top 3 of the most over rated players in the history of ALL SPORTS. He was good, not great. He was a warrior, who didn't play well with his teammates. He was an inefficient player who was basically an over hyped Steph Marbury. I don't think he was pretty flipping good. I think he was average and overhyped.
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He did take a team full of garbage to the finals though and I think (not positive) he even won a season mvp award.
Both of those things are impressive not matter how over-rated you think he is.

Marbury could never come close to either of those accomplishments
 
fishonjazz said:
He did take a team full of garbage to the finals though and I think (not positive) he even won a season mvp award.
Both of those things are impressive not matter how over-rated you think he is.

Marbury could never come close to either of those accomplishments
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Nah, Mutombo took that team to the Finals.
 
Eminence said:
K, I'll try to remember that 17/16 with DPOY defense in the conference finals is "garbage" next time I see it ;)
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So mutumbo wasn't garbage.

Still lol at you thinking that mutumbo was the one who carried that team to the finals
 
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