Kyrie Irving

[Tr1boy]

I watched Isiah.... he is not close to Kyrie. Magic could run a fast break better than any but he did not have that look like the ball was glued to his hands like Kyrie does.

Ok.. what about chris paul, tim hardaway, jamal crawford

[Ogaju]

I will take Tim Hardaway... what impresses me about Kyrie is the quickness, the moves, and the ability to pull up for that dagger.

[Androslav]

He is talented in the 99th percentile. Generously gifted by birth, and he figured that out very early in his life. As a Euro, I believe that no one from my continent could dribble like that, past, present or future. We just don't have that level of inborn rhythm, that irresistible dancing dribble. We don't have the software. Sometimes he is rudely offering the ball just to get the defender off balance or using his free hand as a third leg, planted to get additional balance and lower center of gravity to change direction faster. Switching hands (ground/midair), the "Whip" move (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wta8OnNF5HU great Euro example here, you can see the speed difference), you name it, he has got it. As far as the handles go, Harden is the only one on that level to me, I am not looking for similar size to make a comparison. It is the audacity, creativity and success rate that differentiates them from all others in my eyes.

[Somebody]

is there any player in the history of the NBA with better handles than this guy? Honest question, because I don't know.

Chris Paul, Isiah Thomas, Tim Hardaway, Jamal Crawford say hi

Cousy & Magic say hi too!

Lol

Jason Williams also had some nice moves

Allen Iverson pokes his head in here as well. He was just a revolution when it came to handles, the way he dribbles the ball (loose not tight like kyrie) while still being able to break ankles and do mind boggling moves will always be special to me. Ofc greats like pistol pete and cousy will always be in the conversation because of the difficulty they had while doing isnane moves (couldn't carry NOR travel)

[Stig]

AI comes to my mind first, never seen Pistol Pete play, but AI at his peak was mind blowing.
AI is more explosive and quicker, maybe carrying a bit more, but AI was a worse shooter so the defender could probably stay a bit further ahead.

[Celtics4ever]

AI was a volume scorer.  Career 43% shooter and 31% three shooter.  He averaged 22 shots per game and almost four threes.   He did some amazing things, but Kyrie is a true shooter and a marksman.

He is talented in the 99th percentile. Generously gifted by birth, and he figured that out very early in his life.

Not in intelligence he thinks the earth is flat but basketball wise, yes he is gifted.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/01/kyrie-irvings-flat-earth-comments-reveal-the-danger-of-science-denial/

[moiso]

Irving is the best I've ever seen at ballhandling combined with the footwork and quickness.  That part of his game is amazing to watch, and I'm not a huge fan of his game due to bad defense what seems like a lack of toughness. 

Magic was the best point guard ever, but he was an absolutely ugly dribbler compared to all of the other guys that have been mentioned.  He had to turn around and dribble up the court backwards if the defense was in place to keep the defender from stealing the ball.

[Androslav]

AI was a volume scorer.  Career 43% shooter and 31% three shooter.  He averaged 22 shots per game and almost four threes.   He did some amazing things, but Kyrie is a true shooter and a marksman.

He is talented in the 99th percentile. Generously gifted by birth, and he figured that out very early in his life.

Not in intelligence he thinks the earth is flat but basketball wise, yes he is gifted.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/01/kyrie-irvings-flat-earth-comments-reveal-the-danger-of-science-denial/

Come on, that was a great PR move. Tell them a random stupid thing and make everyone write about you for 3 days during the All-star, when it is harder to stand out between all the celebs. After the dust settles down, just say you didn't mean it.
As for AI, his handles were top shelf, he definitely belongs at the top. I just like the size advantage Kyrie and Harden have. They can out dribble almost all, and for those that they can't, they can shove a shoulder into them if they need to. AI never had that possibility. It also allows them to drive and finish through contact easier.

[moiso]

AI was a volume scorer.  Career 43% shooter and 31% three shooter.  He averaged 22 shots per game and almost four threes.   He did some amazing things, but Kyrie is a true shooter and a marksman.

He is talented in the 99th percentile. Generously gifted by birth, and he figured that out very early in his life.

Not in intelligence he thinks the earth is flat but basketball wise, yes he is gifted.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/01/kyrie-irvings-flat-earth-comments-reveal-the-danger-of-science-denial/

Come on, that was a great PR move. Tell them a random stupid thing and make everyone write about you for 3 days during the All-star, when it is harder to stand out between all the celebs. After the dust settles down, just say you didn't mean it.
As for AI, his handles were top shelf, he definitely belongs at the top. I just like the size advantage Kyrie and Harden have. They can out dribble almost all, and for those that they can't, they can shove a shoulder into them if they need to. AI never had that possibility. It also allows them to drive and finish through contact easier.

I don't think trying to look like dummy is a PR move.  Maybe that's what Javale McGee has been doing for all these years?

[Surferdad]

Irving is the best I've ever seen at ballhandling combined with the footwork and quickness.  That part of his game is amazing to watch, and I'm not a huge fan of his game due to bad defense what seems like a lack of toughness. 

Magic was the best point guard ever, but he was an absolutely ugly dribbler compared to all of the other guys that have been mentioned.  He had to turn around and dribble up the court backwards if the defense was in place to keep the defender from stealing the ball.

Glad you mentioned that.  Magic was 6'9" and as a PG he could use his bigger body to protect the ball and did it often while still being able to see over the defense.  Decent ballhandler but nothing even close to Irving or Iverson.

[ThaPreacher]

I kind of figured pistol Pete would be in the conversation, but did he move the ball with as much speed and quickness as Kyrie? Want the game a lot slower back then?

Pistol Pete-a dazzling whir on the open floor-we haven't seen close to him.

yeah he could pass and shoot a little bit too...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVnJeKX5OeY

[moiso]

I kind of figured pistol Pete would be in the conversation, but did he move the ball with as much speed and quickness as Kyrie? Want the game a lot slower back then?

The game was faster but the players were slower.  Pete was awesome in the open court but he could never break down defenders in the half court like Irving.

[Vermont Green]

Steve Nash is an easy one to put at the top of the list but if you go back in time a little, Mark Price is the player that first perfected splitting the double team on a pick and roll.  Mark Price is a highly underappreciated talent.

Mark Price Cleveland Cavs  1986-1998
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Price

[Ogaju]

I kind of figured pistol Pete would be in the conversation, but did he move the ball with as much speed and quickness as Kyrie? Want the game a lot slower back then?

The game was faster but the players were slower.  Pete was awesome in the open court but he could never break down defenders in the half court like Irving.

Thanks for putting into words what I was thinking about. It is that ability to break down defenders that is just astounding.

Kudos to AB for actually 'staying' with him through some of those barrages of moves.

[moiso]

I kind of figured pistol Pete would be in the conversation, but did he move the ball with as much speed and quickness as Kyrie? Want the game a lot slower back then?

The game was faster but the players were slower.  Pete was awesome in the open court but he could never break down defenders in the half court like Irving.

Thanks for putting into words what I was thinking about. It is that ability to break down defenders that is just astounding.

Kudos to AB for actually 'staying' with him through some of those barrages of moves.

Yeah on one play kyrie made a bunch of lightening quick moves and Bradley moved exactly with him like it was choreographed... then Kyrie missed a shot and was bailed out by the refs.