Before the league unveils its list of the greatest 75 players in history later this month, as part of 75th anniversary celebrations, here is how my list would look if I were an official voter
I agree with everyone you have here, except these 6... I'd sub out 3 you left off for 3 you wanted to list & didn't...
Draymond Green
Kyrie Irving
Klay Thompson
for
Anthony Davis
Tracy McGrady
Luka Doncic
AD has had a longer career with MUCH higher stats than Draymond. Plus he had to do most of it himself in NO.
I base it on, if you swap players' teams, (AD on GSt and Draymond in NO & LA), what would the results likely be?
AD on the Warriors would have been a CRAZY increase in stats.
Draymond would not have done anything near what AD did with NO.
TMac & Luka over Kyrie & Klay all day for me.
Again, just put either of them in place of Kyrie and Klay's teams.
Their stats and W's would be increased as well.
Both of them driving and dishing off to Steph or LeBron (CLEV) = instant title contender.
I agree with Klay and Draymond being intricate components to the GSt titles, but if you insert either of my 3 in place of them, they're even stronger immediately.
Kyrie is very talented, but for me, he's never been much of a team player.
He has never been much of a winner or team player that I've seen.
I watched Patrick Ewing at Georgetown get played to a draw by Bill Wedington and then for his entire career with the Knicks.... I'm sorry, he could score, but so can loads of folks. He didn't deserve to be on the first list, or this one Just one former Knicks fan's opinion.
Thanks for posting. I've been dying for somebody to post a list. Mine has 9 differences, all drafted prior to 1980.
Cunningham, Greer, Schayes, Sharman, Bernard King, Dennis Johnson, Paul Arizin, Nate Thurmond, and Joe Fulks.
The 9 I don't have are Bosh, Carter, English, Pau, Draymond, Kyrie, Jokic, Klay, and Earl Monroe.
I just don't see how you can boot Schayes (6x All-NBA 1st team, 6x 2nd team) and Cunningham (5x first team) for Vince Carter (1x 2nd team, 1x 3rd team, never won anything, shrank in big moments, and was a bench player for the last 8 years of his career) or Alex English (3x second team, a scorer whose numbers are a little less impressive when you consider that he played in Doug Moe's offense for a decade). Also, Kyrie simply doesn't have a top 75 resume. Not over Dennis Johnson or Bernard King.
I wouldn't disagree with the other inclusions. I consciously tried to represent each decade/era of the NBA and avoid a modern bias and maybe I went too far the other way. (How can I really compare Bill Sharman's impact to Chris Bosh's? Or Paul Arizin to Pau?) Bosh, Pau, and Klay were among my final cuts. I just think it's too early for Jokic when compared to the resumes of the other 75. Draymond is definitely in my top 100.
weird that you considered tim hardaway but not mitch richmond. neither are top 75 but richmondi is in the hall and did not make your consideration list
But Maybe a little Trae Young Love would be nice. I don't think he's too far off from Luka even though Luka gets all the hype and media love. Trae didn't make the all star team this year but he's def on the path to all time greats a la Steve Nash
Honestly taking a lot of heat on the Jokic "lock" but I like it he's won MVP he's had some playoff success. Raw Stats he phenomenal and probably going to get better, Advanced Metrics LOVE him, and he has the accolades that most players don't have, also the greatest passing big man of all time and just in general one of the greatest passers of all time.
First off—mad respect for all the hours you put in to create this list. I'd find it far too daunting to undertake such a project.
I'd be curious to find out why you chose Peja Stojakovic over Mitch Richmond for the honorable mentions list. I love Peja, but Richmond was undoubtedly one of the most prolific scorers of the '90s (and a much better defender). There is a reason why MJ named "The Rock" as his toughest matchup of the '90s and wanted him to be the heir to his sneaker legacy when he first retired in 1993.
I think Dwight Howard over Nikola Jokic. It is a hard decision. Nikola Jokic is still young and will be on the team in a few years. Dwight Howard had a better career. When he was on the Orlando Magic he was the best center in the NBA. Hard not to include him.
Do you really think Ray Allen would have been drafted or has been a better player than Sidney Moncrief or Bob Lanier? You know better
I agree with everyone you have here, except these 6... I'd sub out 3 you left off for 3 you wanted to list & didn't...
Draymond Green
Kyrie Irving
Klay Thompson
for
Anthony Davis
Tracy McGrady
Luka Doncic
AD has had a longer career with MUCH higher stats than Draymond. Plus he had to do most of it himself in NO.
I base it on, if you swap players' teams, (AD on GSt and Draymond in NO & LA), what would the results likely be?
AD on the Warriors would have been a CRAZY increase in stats.
Draymond would not have done anything near what AD did with NO.
TMac & Luka over Kyrie & Klay all day for me.
Again, just put either of them in place of Kyrie and Klay's teams.
Their stats and W's would be increased as well.
Both of them driving and dishing off to Steph or LeBron (CLEV) = instant title contender.
I agree with Klay and Draymond being intricate components to the GSt titles, but if you insert either of my 3 in place of them, they're even stronger immediately.
Kyrie is very talented, but for me, he's never been much of a team player.
He has never been much of a winner or team player that I've seen.
I watched Patrick Ewing at Georgetown get played to a draw by Bill Wedington and then for his entire career with the Knicks.... I'm sorry, he could score, but so can loads of folks. He didn't deserve to be on the first list, or this one Just one former Knicks fan's opinion.
Glen Rice?
Mitch Richmond??
Latrell Sprewell???
Thanks for posting. I've been dying for somebody to post a list. Mine has 9 differences, all drafted prior to 1980.
Cunningham, Greer, Schayes, Sharman, Bernard King, Dennis Johnson, Paul Arizin, Nate Thurmond, and Joe Fulks.
The 9 I don't have are Bosh, Carter, English, Pau, Draymond, Kyrie, Jokic, Klay, and Earl Monroe.
I just don't see how you can boot Schayes (6x All-NBA 1st team, 6x 2nd team) and Cunningham (5x first team) for Vince Carter (1x 2nd team, 1x 3rd team, never won anything, shrank in big moments, and was a bench player for the last 8 years of his career) or Alex English (3x second team, a scorer whose numbers are a little less impressive when you consider that he played in Doug Moe's offense for a decade). Also, Kyrie simply doesn't have a top 75 resume. Not over Dennis Johnson or Bernard King.
I wouldn't disagree with the other inclusions. I consciously tried to represent each decade/era of the NBA and avoid a modern bias and maybe I went too far the other way. (How can I really compare Bill Sharman's impact to Chris Bosh's? Or Paul Arizin to Pau?) Bosh, Pau, and Klay were among my final cuts. I just think it's too early for Jokic when compared to the resumes of the other 75. Draymond is definitely in my top 100.
Wade was your closest call in that tier? are you deadass? you putting Jokic above him? aint no way bro
Grant Hill was in serious consideration for best player in the NBA while MJ was playing! that has to count for something.
No to Gasol, Ginobili, Tony Parker
Get Tony Parker’s azz out there. You CANNOT snub McGrady for him
weird that you considered tim hardaway but not mitch richmond. neither are top 75 but richmondi is in the hall and did not make your consideration list
But Maybe a little Trae Young Love would be nice. I don't think he's too far off from Luka even though Luka gets all the hype and media love. Trae didn't make the all star team this year but he's def on the path to all time greats a la Steve Nash
Honestly taking a lot of heat on the Jokic "lock" but I like it he's won MVP he's had some playoff success. Raw Stats he phenomenal and probably going to get better, Advanced Metrics LOVE him, and he has the accolades that most players don't have, also the greatest passing big man of all time and just in general one of the greatest passers of all time.
First off—mad respect for all the hours you put in to create this list. I'd find it far too daunting to undertake such a project.
I'd be curious to find out why you chose Peja Stojakovic over Mitch Richmond for the honorable mentions list. I love Peja, but Richmond was undoubtedly one of the most prolific scorers of the '90s (and a much better defender). There is a reason why MJ named "The Rock" as his toughest matchup of the '90s and wanted him to be the heir to his sneaker legacy when he first retired in 1993.
Putting Nikola Jokic now is like including Derrick Rose in 2012. Too early. He is a great player.
I think Dwight Howard over Nikola Jokic. It is a hard decision. Nikola Jokic is still young and will be on the team in a few years. Dwight Howard had a better career. When he was on the Orlando Magic he was the best center in the NBA. Hard not to include him.