Big Man debate

[BballTim]

Kareem > Duncan > Hakeem > Shaq > KG > Dirk

#2 through #5 are very close, though.

Spot on order. dirk's defense keeps him at the end of the line.

  Dirk has no business on that list.

[Atzar]

No Wilt or Russell, eh?  Then there's the next tier which in my mind includes Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, George Mikan. Ah, the days of the dominant big man...

I too was wondering why Russell and Wilt weren't on there. I think the all time big man debate is between Wilt, Russell and Kareem.

These are just the guys my friends and I had talked about. I mentioned Russell but got shot down on that. As we're only 15-18 years old they don't really appreciate (for lack of better word) the older guys.

Just show them that one Bill Russell clip where he grabs the rebound, sprints the length of the court in five dribbles, jumps over a guy from just inside the free throw line and lays it in. 

For the record, I do think there are certain 'legends' whose games wouldn't necessarily translate well to today's game.  Bill Russell is not one of them.  He's an elite-elite athlete and player in any generation.


Give me Kareem from the list, though. 

[Eddie20]

From this poll?  Kareem.

Guy had probably the most unstoppable shot in the history of basketball.  Ridiculous rebounder & shot blocker.

Definitely!  Kareem's sky-hook was money like nothing else to ever come along in the NBA. Just automatic, and everybody knew it was coming when he got the ball in the post.

I question how Kareem would've faired against Shaq, which is why I would pick Shaq ahead of him. Kareem was rather frail so I think he would've been pushed out of the post offensively and and struggle with positioning on defense. Conversely, if the argument is how a player dominated their era, and not specially in a versus scenario, then Abdul-Jabber gets the nod.

[footey]

Kareem and it's not close. His scoring was unreal.

6 MVPs
6 championships
All time leading scorer, and by a wide margin
19 time all star, 15 all nba
11 time all defense

And remember that in the 80s, when most people saw him, he was on the downside of his career, and still dominant. In his prime he regularly put up 30 and 15.

I chose Kareem too, but 5 of those 6 championship teams were led by Magic. Why no choice of Russell or Wilt??

[mmmmm]

Kareem > Duncan > Hakeem > Shaq > KG > Dirk

#2 through #5 are very close, though.

I concur with that, but the list really needs to look something like:

Russell / Wilt > Kareem >>Duncan/Hakeem/Shaq/KG >>>>>Dirk

Russell & Wilt dominated the NBA longer and more completely than any of the other names.  It just isn't close.   I still place them #1 & #2 as the greatest overall basketball players in the NBA, regardless of position.

[fitzhickey]

No Wilt or Russell, eh?  Then there's the next tier which in my mind includes Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, George Mikan. Ah, the days of the dominant big man...

I too was wondering why Russell and Wilt weren't on there. I think the all time big man debate is between Wilt, Russell and Kareem.

These are just the guys my friends and I had talked about. I mentioned Russell but got shot down on that. As we're only 15-18 years old they don't really appreciate (for lack of better word) the older guys.

You guys need to have a highlights night and catch up on these guys. I too was too young to see them play. The stuff I have seen since is amazing. And the stories from other Nba players and writers are also impressive.

Imagine what those guys could have done with today's medical and training science, chartered flights, cushy hotels, and better shoes! lol

Check out Russell's speed and athleticism in this clip. And he was a center! That YouTube user has a ton of other great old time game clips. "the wilt chamberlain archive"

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/21767116/video-bill-russell-jumps-a-defender-from-near-the-free-throw-line

Thanks man, I'll definitely show them!

I added Wilt and Russell and got rid of Dirk, to make it an even more difficult debate.

[RebusRankin]

1980 was Kareem's team. Can give him 82 too. He did fine against Wilt, Lanier, Malone etc, figure he'd do fine with Shaq.

[moiso]

Kareem > Duncan > Hakeem > Shaq > KG > Dirk

#2 through #5 are very close, though.

Very close.  I take a prime Hakeem over a prime Duncan.

[More Banners]

From this poll?  Kareem.

Guy had probably the most unstoppable shot in the history of basketball.  Ridiculous rebounder & shot blocker.

Definitely!  Kareem's sky-hook was money like nothing else to ever come along in the NBA. Just automatic, and everybody knew it was coming when he got the ball in the post.

I question how Kareem would've faired against Shaq, which is why I would pick Shaq ahead of him. Kareem was rather frail so I think he would've been pushed out of the post offensively and and struggle with positioning on defense. Conversely, if the argument is how a player dominated their era, and not specially in a versus scenario, then Abdul-Jabber gets the nod.

Kareem vs. anybody and KAJ can drop 30 if he feels like it.

There is no answer for a proper sky hook.  None.  He could hit it easily out to 18ft, so it wasn't just a low-post move for him.  I think I remember him hitting a 3pt sky hook in an allstar game?

As far as being muscled by Shaq, Abdul-Jabbar wore those goggles for a reason.  The game was much, much rougher than it has been in the last three decades.  There was no such thing as a flagrant, and ejections weren't automatic unless there were fists.

He's taller than Shaq, too.

Kareem's dominance spanned across different eras.  Hard to beat that.

[More Banners]

1980 was Kareem's team. Can give him 82 too. He did fine against Wilt, Lanier, Malone etc, figure he'd do fine with Shaq.

He was still, STILL a top option in 87 as well.  Pretty much won them the Finals *tears up*

[Celtics4ever]

The lack of perspective of past players some show here is appalling.  Guess the whole student of the game thing has died.  ESPN Classics has failed us.

Dirk on the list is a joke.  No Moses Malone is a huge gap in the list.  George Mikan dominated his era while I don't think he would do well today he belongs in the discussion. (hint they don't call it the Mikan drill for nothing)

Bill Walton when healthy would destroy a lot of guys on this list.

[LilRip]

The lack of perspective of past players some show here is appalling.  Guess the whole student of the game thing has died.  ESPN Classics has failed us.

Dirk on the list is a joke.  No Moses Malone is a huge gap in the list.  George Mikan dominated his era while I don't think he would do well today he belongs in the discussion. (hint they don't call it the Mikan drill for nothing)

Bill Walton when healthy would destroy a lot of guys on this list.

TP for the bill Walton mention.

[Eddie20]

He did fine against Wilt, Lanier, Malone etc, figure he'd do fine with Shaq.

Lanier and Malone weren't that big and nowhere near the size of Shaq. Wilt was already 33 when Abdul-Jabbar came into the league and he too didn't have the sheer size Shaq had. I still recall what Shaq would do to David Robinson and to think he wouldn't do the same to an even thinner player is foolish. Abdul-Jabbar was listed at 7-2 225, so for a comparison skinny John Henson is 6-11 220.

There isn't a question about who dominated an era more, but matching up players in their prime is a different story. Mikan and Cousy dominated in their time, but do they even make the NBA now?

[LilRip]

Anybody else think KG is misplaced here? He's the only one who isn't a 5 (except for late in his career) and his game is so far from the traditional 5.

Anyway, I'm inclined to go with either Russell or KG, crazy as it seems. I mean, KG could do it all, even lead his team in points, Rebs, ast, stls and blocks. He could play PG too.

[KGs Knee]

End of the day, I take a 'prime' Shaq over any other center, of any era.  He couldn't be stopped.  Kareem wouldn't be able to, and I'm not sure even Wilt/Russ could either.

Doesn't mean Shaq had the greatest career, but his peak was better than anyone else's.

Overall career success, I'd go Kareem, Russell, Shaq, Olajawon, Duncan, Chamberlain. I'm not including KG, he was a PF (and the best ever at that).