[BobbyHurley4EverParticipant]

After some ruminative thinking, I decided to make a team consisting of the best players in NBA history. Hopefully this will spurn some good discussion about other people’s greatest teams. The basics taken into account were a 15 player roster, along with a mix of established and ‘young’ talent. Obviously this is cross-generational so some mental liberties must be taken. Also, I understand that players were not as big in the early years and would be at a disadvantage to some extent in the current NBA, but all else equal greatness can still be compared.

Starters:
C- Wilt Chamberlain- Ridiculous numbers put him as the starting C.
PF- Bill Russell – I know, more of a C, but SO good deserves the starting nod at PF…freakish defender and rebounder
SF- Larry Bird- Sweet shot, mentally tough
SG- Michael Jordan- #1 overall
PG- Magic Johnson- Clear cut best PG.

Bench:
C- Kareem Abdul Jabbar- Smooth hook shots and badass goggles
PF- Hakeem Olajuwon- Also considered a C, but agile and quick enough to handle any and all 4s. 2 titles and underrated play…..his mix of size, coordination and touch is tough to beat.
SF- Scottie Pippen- here on the 2nd team due to defense, I still remember how he shut down Stockton in the 98 finals
SG- Oscar Robertson- Original Mr. All-Around……#3 overall after Jordan and Russell……would be starting if not for Jordan…….considered starting him at the 3…..THAT good
PG- Bob Cousy- The inventor of the PG position…..the Magic Johnson BEFORE Magic Johnson
C- Shaquille O’ Neal – A freak of nature…..biggest freak of nature on team……a man-beast…a dominator
PF- Tim Duncan- Mr. Boring plays all-century defense and just goes about his business of winning titles
SF- Lebron James- Before you slam this one……… On here based on pure potential….the youngster of the group…..physical gifts like no player in history (and that includes Shaq, Robertson, Dr. J, Elgin Baylor etc….)
SG- Jerry West- Mr. Perfectionist (aka Mr. Clutch) beats out Mr. Kobe Bryant due to 9 finals appearances…ya….9.
PG- ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich- Adds some needed ‘flash’ to the team….a wizard with the ball…..ALONG with great scoring prowess

Coach: John Wooden- Not an NBA coach, but still the best basketball coach of all-time in my opinion and thus should coach this team. A teacher, motivator and leader like few others.

Assistants:
Red Auerbach: You need a guy with a cigar on the staff
Dean Smith: Another purely college coach, but also one of the greats
Mike Krzyzewski: Diddo as Smith……gets the most out of the basketball players he coaches
Phil Jackson: With all of the stars on this team, you know Phil wouldn’t want to miss out and would try to sell the triangle offense
Trainer/ Doctor: Whoever put Shaun Livingston’s knee back together lol…..grotesque injury, amazing he can even walk, let alone play

[OhCanada-Participant]

GET LEBRON OFF THAT FUCKING LIST!
JESUS CHRIST!

[BasketballGuru24Participant]

No Karl Malone, No John Stockton And Kobe Should Be There If Jerry West There. Why The Hell is lebron even on the list??

[the27guyParticipant]

I think you are close on some of it and just way off on other stuff.

If you are going to put together a team of 12 guys, you have to put at least one real PF on the team, right? Right now you have two guys that were obviously centers and a guy (Duncan) that is listed as a PF, but really just plays center. I’d personally choose Malone.

More importantly, although guys like Cousy, Pippen, and Maravich were good, none of them even sniffs this team. They’re not even close. Cousy, the best of the 3, is maybe the 25 greatest player in league history, but no where near #12. I’d replace these 3 with Stockton, Erving, and Kobe.

[BobbyHurley4EverParticipant]

I agree with your assessment and opinion. I just feel there are many good centers in NBA history and I wanted to get Hakeem on the team. I’ll move Malone onto the team as the second unit PF and dismiss Hakeem. I still like Pippen at SF his defensive ability was underrated, and Cousy was the original PG. Maravich was probably a stretch but I always liked his flair with the ball. Stockton is probably the better choice but the team already has a steady, few flairs leader at PG with Cousy……so I will stick with Maravich.

But I respect your insight and your basketball knowledge.

The comments from the other two people are juvenile and not well articulated…….even if NBA knowledge may or may not be there.

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasherParticipant]

You are not required in any way to respond to BobbyH’s thread. He offerd his oppinion… and you guys go nuts “like little schoolgirls fighting for a ponytail holder”. It’s his own oppinion and he’s entitled to it whether it includes your Kobe or not.

[PlatypusParticipant]

Elgin Baylor

Baylor is probably the most underrated player of all time. In his 14-year career, he averaged a fantastic 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He also shot 43.1 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free-throw line.

He also had one of the greatest statistical seasons ever in the 1961-1962 season, as he averaged 38.3 points and 18.6 rebounds, along with 4.6 assists.

Baylor was selected to 11 All Star teams and an unbelievable 10 times on the All NBA team, with all of the selections as a member of the first team. He also won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1959 and the All-Star Game MVP in 1959.

He ranks fifth all-time in career points per game, but he never won a ring, as his Lakers repeatedly lost to the Celtics in the Finals.

John Havlicek

Havlicek was one of the most all-around players at both ends of the court. He averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, along with 1.2 steals. He also shot 44 percent from the field and 81.5 percent from the free throw line. He also ranks 10th all time in the NBA, with 26,395 career points.

He was selected to 13 All Star teams and to the All NBA team 11 times, with seven of the selections on the second team and four on the first team.

He was also selected to the All NBA Defense team eight times, with five of the selections on the first team. He also helped the Celtics win eight championships and finally he won the 1974 Finals MVP, as he led the Celtics over the Kareem-led Bucks in seven games.

[the27guyParticipant]

Steve, totally agree with you. You don’t have to agree, but that’s no reason to be a jerk about it.
Good call BobbyH.

I’m surprised you’d stay so strong with Pippen though. He beat my Jazz twice, so I recognize how good of a defender he is, and for a period of about 2-3 years he was in discussions as one fo the best 4-5 players in the league, but when we’re talking about the all time team, I’m not sure how you can give the nod to a guy who without the greatest player on his team never did anything.

But that’s just me.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

So you LeBron up there but not Kobe! SMH

[AnotherScoutParticipant]

Chipper jus gave the right look..Lebron – NO RINGS, Kobe- 5 RINGS …Kobe, 2nd best player of all time, and Lebron is ahead of him..All yal who agree wit Lebron over Kobe should tie bricks to ur neck and jump from the Empire State Building while stabbing urself on the way down..How the h*** u pick Lebron over Kobe..Must be a Celtic fan..has to be..Kobe skill wise, and experience wise is better..Kobe will lead u to a ring, Lebron may stack MVP’s but that comes at the price of not winning it all..the year Kobe got his MVP he lost it all..Thing is, u have to sacrifice to become great, even if u think lebron sacrifices, he doesnt do it enough to win a ring..and not nearly enough as KB24

[JJeff6Participant]

Get Kobe up there!!!

[JJeff6Participant]

Get Kobe up there!!!

[pantherbball14Participant]

rajon rondo at the 1…….. antione walker at the 2…….tayshaun prince at the 3…….patrick patterson at the 4 ……..and nazr mohammed at the 5

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

stephon marbury
jamaal crawford
q rich
jeffries
curry

[TRC1991Participant]

PG- Magic Johnon
SG- Michael Jordan
SF- Larry Bird
PF- Tim Duncan
C- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

bench:
PG-John Stockton
PG-Oscar Robertson
SG-Jerry West
SG-Kobe Bryant
G/F-Julius Erving
SF-Larry Bird
SF/PF-Elgin Baylor
PF/C-Hakeem Olajuwon
C-Shaquille O’Neal
C-Wilt Chamberlain

last guys cut:
C-Bill Russell
PF-Karl Malone
PG-Bob Cousy

[Bryant24Participant]

No kobe or john stockton

[bulls1218Participant]

pg- hinrich
sg- redick
sf-gallinari
pf- lee
c dirk

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

Here’s what I would probably go with as of today. I’m sticking with players actually listed as power forwards otherwise I would probably go with Hakeem and Shaq over Malone;

PG Magic Johnson
SG Michael Jordan
SF Larry Bird
PF Tim Duncan
C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

bench

G Oscar Robertson
SG Kobe Bryant
SG Jerry West
SF Elgin Baylor
PF Karl Malone
C Bill Russell
C Wilt Chamberlain

I think Lebron will eventually end up on this list but for now he is just on the outside looking in.

And Bulls 1218 if were going to put up an all time all-white team it would prob look more like this;

PG John Stockton
SG Jerry West
SF Larry Bird
PF Bob Petit
C Bill Walton

bench
PG Bob Cousy
SG Pete Maravich
SF Rick Barry
SF John Havlicek
PF Dirk Nowitzki
PF Kevin McHale
C George Mikan

[Mr.BigShotParticipant]

No Kobe, but you have Lebron, and Jerry West is more of a Point Guard, which should make room for Kobe, even Magic said Kobe is his equal

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

Obviously you’re enititled to your opinion but I honestly don’t follow your comment on Jerry West.

“Mr. Perfectionist (aka Mr. Clutch) beats out Mr. Kobe Bryant due to 9 finals appearances…ya….9.”

Sure West might have gone to 9 finals but he only won once. Kobe has been to 7 finals and counting and has won 5. How could anybody possibly give the edge to West based on that?

And it’s one thing to have West on the team over Kobe. But Maravich? are you serious? Kobe will undoubtedly go down as being a superior player to Pistol Pete. No question.

[llperez]

lebron based on potential? Marovich over Kobe?

here’s mine:

center-kareem
pf-duncan
sf-kobe
sg-jordan
pg-magic

bench-

wilt
shaq
russell
bird
robertson
west
olajuwon

[Author]

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