Top 10 PGs all-time per ESPN

[Knicks411]

Not sure about Shaq at 4, think I'd take Hakeem over him. And probably Russell over Wilt?

 

[RandygoCuse]

They really need to have more Lakers on the list.

 

[MikeSU02]

Not sure about Shaq at 4, think I'd take Hakeem over him. And probably Russell over Wilt?

Wilt and Shaq get ranked too high because of 1) the physical presence and 2) what their potential was.

Neither hit their potential for various reasons, but you can't dismiss that when evaluating them.

If Shaq gave a crap, he would be a top five player of all time and probably have 6 rings.

But he chose to do what he did, which is fine.

I agree with you, my centers list would probably be: KAJ / Russell as 1 and 1a (in either order, but probably KAJ), then Wilt, then Hakeem and then Shaq.

 

[orangefog]

Personally, I don't think Shaq is too high at 4. The guy impacted the game like few others. Beyond numbers, the guy was a force. Finesse gets credit for skill, but Shaq skills were domination and power. It effected everyone on the court.

 

[br801]

Wilt and Shaq get ranked too high because of 1) the physical presence and 2) what their potential was.

Neither hit their potential for various reasons, but you can't dismiss that when evaluating them.

If Shaq gave a crap, he would be a top five player of all time and probably have 6 rings.

But he chose to do what he did, which is fine.

I agree with you, my centers list would probably be: KAJ / Russell as 1 and 1a (in either order, but probably KAJ), then Wilt, then Hakeem and then Shaq.

The idea that Chamberlain somehow failed to live up to his potential as a basketball player is odd. Not sure where that comes from.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Wilt and Shaq get ranked too high because of 1) the physical presence and 2) what their potential was.

Neither hit their potential for various reasons, but you can't dismiss that when evaluating them.

If Shaq gave a crap, he would be a top five player of all time and probably have 6 rings.

But he chose to do what he did, which is fine.

I agree with you, my centers list would probably be: KAJ / Russell as 1 and 1a (in either order, but probably KAJ), then Wilt, then Hakeem and then Shaq.

Shaq should have been a much better defensive player.

 

[Knicks411]

Personally, I don't think Shaq is too high at 4. The guy impacted the game like few others. Beyond numbers, the guy was a force. Finesse gets credit for skill, but Shaq skills were domination and power. It effected everyone on the court.

Shaq's biggest problem is that he got fat and didn't dominate as long as he should have.
And maybe we should also fault him a little for not shooting FT well enough

 

[MikeSU02]

Shaq's biggest problem is that he got fat and didn't dominate as long as he should have.
And maybe we should also fault him a little for not shooting FT well enough

"I got hurt on company time, so I’ll rehab on company time." - Shaq

 

[MikeSU02]

Shaq should have been a much better defensive player.

Agreed.

I loved watching Shaq. I loved that Orlando team and I, begrudgingly even enjoyed the Lakers run with him and Kobe.

He was so athletic for his size.

Goes coast to coast in the Mickey Ds game:

 

[AlaskaSU]

My guess is that ESPN will do the centers today or this week. My prediction:
1) Russell
2) Chamberlain
3) Kareem
4) Olajuwon
5) Shaq
6) Moses Malone
7) George Mikan
8) David Robinson
9)Wes Unseld
10) Walton

I've never seen Walton play but I feel like he always ends up on these lists. Based on what I've seen on him, I'm not sure why. Even when healthy, his numbers didn't . . . . . . . away. I understand he won a championship and was a great passer, but I wonder if his college career helped to boost up his pro one. I'm sure there are people here who got to see him play and can talk about the intangibles he brought. Should he rank ahead of guys like Cowens, Ewing, Reed, Thurmond or Lanier?

Willis Reed story. After the Knicks he got a job coaching Creghton but he left most of the coaching to his asst. He was more into hunting and fishing. when he went out hunting with the guys he brought a bottle of Royal Crown for everyone.

 

[RaoulDuke]

This is why they never let Laz Sims in the NBA, he would have been number 1 hands down.

 

[IthacaMatt]

My guess is that ESPN will do the centers today or this week. My prediction:
10) Walton

I've never seen Walton play but I feel like he always ends up on these lists. Based on what I've seen on him, I'm not sure why. Even when healthy, his numbers didn't . . . . . . . away. I understand he won a championship and was a great passer, but I wonder if his college career helped to boost up his pro one. I'm sure there are people here who got to see him play and can talk about the intangibles he brought. Should he rank ahead of guys like Cowens, Ewing, Reed, Thurmond or Lanier?

Walton, for about 5 years, was arguably the best center ever. His UCLA teams were tremendous. He personally shot 21 of 22 in the NCAA title game. He was a great shot blocker. He threw probably the best outlet passes ever, I would put only Wes Unseld close. Walton was a great passer in the high post. He had great ups and threw down some of the greatest alley-oop dunks you've ever seen before his knees went on him (which, admittedly, was early in his career).

His first year up in Portland, he went into a depression over all the rain, after having grown up on the beach in sunny SoCal. But once they put together the right parts around him, the Blazers had a near-2 season stretch where they won something like 85% of their games and an NBA title with "talent" like Dave Twardzik as the starting shooting guard.

Later on, when he joined the Celtics, he had another excellent year or two in a part-time role on an ultimate high-IQ team, and played an important role on their '85 championship team, I believe it was, which was also one of the best of all time.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The idea that Chamberlain somehow failed to live up to his potential as a basketball player is odd. Not sure where that comes from.

The foul shooting, which people probably blame for the relative lack of titles won, compared to other all-time greats.

 

[realorange]

Willis Reed story. After the Knicks he got a job coaching Creghton but he left most of the coaching to his asst. He was more into hunting and fishing. when he went out hunting with the guys he brought a bottle of Royal Crown for everyone.

Highlighting one of my greatest fears during hunting season for those who don't know when to quit.

 

[upperdeck]

Based on that thinking...

Isiah was All NBA 1st team 3 times, Stockton only 2.
Isiah was a 12 time All Star, Stockton 10.
Isiah, Finals MVP.
Isiah, 2 titles

All time assists? Sure, he played 6 more years. They average within 1 assist per game of each other though.
Isiah was a MUCH better scorer...and didn't play with an all time PF on his team to boost his assists on pick and rolls.

Isiah consistently gets knocked down on these type of lists (and the Dream Team for that matter) because he's a . . . . . and no one likes him.

Just my opinion, of course.

watch them play. one was a great all around player, one was a great passer.

 

[upperdeck]

The foul shooting, which people probably blame for the relative lack of titles won, compared to other all-time greats.

even russell admits chamberlin was the best . he scored 50 in a season when you could double/triple team him. has anyone else lead in pts/reb/assists/blocks in a season? he was old by the time he played for the lakers. the way they condition now he would have had 3-5 more good years.

 

[Delmar]

My guess is that ESPN will do the centers today or this week. My prediction:
1) Russell
2) Chamberlain
3) Kareem
4) Olajuwon
5) Shaq
6) Moses Malone
7) George Mikan
8) David Robinson
9)Wes Unseld
10) Walton

I've never seen Walton play but I feel like he always ends up on these lists. Based on what I've seen on him, I'm not sure why. Even when healthy, his numbers didn't . . . . . . . away. I understand he won a championship and was a great passer, but I wonder if his college career helped to boost up his pro one. I'm sure there are people here who got to see him play and can talk about the intangibles he brought. Should he rank ahead of guys like Cowens, Ewing, Reed, Thurmond or Lanier?

You have a good list here. Better than ESPN's. Russell, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar are obviously 1,2,3. The order depends on what you value. I can live with any order you put them in. I agree with your 4 through 7. I choose Thurmond over Robinson at 8. Unseld or Reed at 9: pick one. Walton belongs on the list despite the injuries.

Robinson is overrated. He could fill up a stat sheet, but he disappeared at crunch time. Duncan was the star on that team. Or maybe I'm still ticked off from Navy beating Syracuse in the Dome during the tourney --the Pearl's last game.

 

[br801]

The foul shooting, which people probably blame for the relative lack of titles won, compared to other all-time greats.

I'm not buying that. His FT shooting didn't cost his teams titles, and he did manage to win two in 14 seasons. Wilt was a career 51% FT shooter, with Russell nearly as bad at 56%. And there have been other great players that shot below 70% from the line.