Who's the 3rd GOAT behind Jordan and LeBron?

[gspieler]

I suppose you could make a new breed argument for Lebron but like you said it would be a weak one. Especially considering Steph is on his way to getting his 3rd chip in this same era, KD his 2nd. Kobe and Duncan picked up 5 each.

I think if you could make a new breed case for Lebron, Kobe, and Duncan. Based strictly on resume, regardless of era, you can make a case for Russell, Kareem, and Jordan. You could make a stats case for Wilt and Jordan(yearly) or Kareem and eventually Lebron(accumulative). You could make a "winners" argument for Russell, Magic, Bird, and Jordan. And you could make an eye test case for Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, and Magic. Taking everything into account...only Jordan and Kareem have real claims to the top spot imo.

On a side note, I've never really agreed with the "Bill Russell is GOAT candidate" argument. He had great, but not GOAT-level, stats. Wilt got the better of the two every time they played. He was the best player on a team that won an absurb number of rings, but not GOAT. Regardless of rings, I would choose Wilt, KAJ, Hakeem, and probably Shaq, before Russell, if were starting a team.

Having said that, I have as much respect for him as a player, as I do any other player ever. His teams dominated for over a decade.

 

[TheComebackKid]

On a side note, I've never really agreed with the "Bill Russell is GOAT candidate" argument. He had great, but not GOAT-level, stats. Wilt got the better of the two every time they played. He was the best player on a team that won an a surb number of rings, but not GOAT. Regardless of rings, I would choose Wilt, KAJ, Hakeem, and probably Shaq, before Russell, if were starting a team.

Having said that, I have as much respect for him as a player, as I do any other player ever. His teams dominated for over a decade.

I don't think Russell has a particularly strong argument but it's not completely unfounded. He didn't just win 11 titles but also won 5 MVPs. He won more titles and MVPs than Chamberlain. He's got the all star nods, the all nba selections, rebounding titles. He most certainly would have multiple FMVPs and DPOYs had they been around.

I could see starting a team with Russell in today's era. He would be a nightmare defensively. He'd be a bigger, better Draymond Green style defender who could control the paint, defend the pick and roll, and chase down shooters. He could move the ball on offense, make good decisions, rack up assists and get you alot of offensive boards. I think Russell might be the best fit for today's era actually.

 

[gspieler]

I don't think Russell has a particularly strong argument but it's not completely unfounded. He didn't just win 11 titles but also won 5 MVPs. He won more titles and MVPs than Chamberlain. He's got the all star nods, the all nba selections, rebounding titles. He most certainly would have multiple FMVPs and DPOYs had they been around.

I could see starting a team with Russell in today's era. He would be a nightmare defensively. He'd be a bigger, better Draymond Green style defender who could control the paint, defend the pick and roll, and chase down shooters. He could move the ball on offense, make good decisions, rack up assists and get you alot of offensive boards. I think Russell might be the best fit for today's era actually.

Of course you could start a team with Russell today. But would he be a better choice than Wilt, or Hakeem?

 

[CodeBreaker]

Lol Shaq and Kobe would have something to say about that.

Man these threads are hilarious, bunch of unathletic haters talking in absolutes, putting LolBron at #1, #2 and #3?? Wtf... what happened to having WINNERS at the top.

There is a reason Hakeem isn't in the top 10 and it's because he isn't a winner like the others. Hakeem only won because Jordan went to baseball. Once he cameback, back to the end of the line Hakeem.

TOP 10 ALL TIME
MJ
Magic
Kareem
Wilt
Kobe
Bird
Shaq
Big O
Duncan
Russell

Hakeem perennially stuck at #11

@gspieler @iwhoopedbatman stfuuuuuuu

Hakeem ain't a winner and then you put Wilt there? Hypocrite.

 

[robertcop2]

LeGOAT
MJ
Kareem

In this order

 

[robertcop2]

1. LeBron James
2. James Harden
3. Michael Jordan

In that order

 

[robertcop2]

Jordan played against a weaker division most of his career and played in an expansion league where everyone was cans.

Wow, you are serious.

How dumb can someone be? Please tell us you are 16 years old and has no access to google, wikipedia and youtube.

Or that you are officially retarded.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

Of course you could start a team with Russell today. But would he be a better choice than Wilt, or Hakeem?

Not even close.

He never averaged over 19 ppg, shot mid-40s % his whole career, his FT shooting was only slightly better than Wilt's. His rebounding was off the charts, sure. He was basically a Dennis Rodman-Draymond Green hybrid. Quality player, no doubt, Hall of Famer as well, but all-time great? That's a no for me, dawg.

Hakeem, Kareem, and Wilt are on a whole other level. Comparable to Russell defensively, but in another stratosphere offensively. Russell just happened to be on a dominant team.

 

[gspieler]

Not even close.

He never averaged over 19 ppg, shot mid-40s % his whole career, his FT shooting was only slightly better than Wilt's. His rebounding was off the charts, sure. He was basically a Dennis Rodman-Draymond Green hybrid. Quality player, no doubt, Hall of Famer as well, but all-time great? That's a no for me, dawg.

Hakeem, Kareem, and Wilt are on a whole other level. Comparable to Russell defensively, but in another stratosphere offensively. Russell just happened to be on a dominant team.

Basically my thoughts. Great player, deserves a ton of respect, but not in the convo for GOAT. I usually have him as my honorable mention on top 10 lists, regardless of what other changes the list undergoes. And it's because he will always have a unique place in basketball history.

 

[Bamboozled]

Wow, you are serious.

How dumb can someone be? Please tell us you are 16 years old and has no access to google, wikipedia and youtube.

Or that you are officially retarded.

Was the league not an expansion league in Jordan's era?

Please tell me you're 16 years old and has no access to google, Wikipedia, and youtube.

Or that you are officially retarded.

 

[robertcop2]

Was the league not an expansion league in Jordan's era?

So you are officially retarded. Sorry, I won't bother you anymore.

 

[Bamboozled]

So you are officially retarded. Sorry, I won't bother you anymore.

I gave legit criticism of Jordans era and your best response is I'm retarded.

Stay out of the sports section you uneducated swine.

 

[robertcop2]

FFS, ESPN getting ahead of itself again. Oh well, it's my boy Pelton, I'm always interested to hear his numbers:
LeBron or MJ? How the King is settling the GOAT debate

Wow, that's one of the most hilariously contradicting and idiotic articles I have ever read. So the writer creates a metric, "Championships added", and in that metric Lebron is considered the GOAT.

"Championships added."

How many championships does each one have?

Mindbogglingly stupid.

 

[syct23]

Lols...

Them damn Celtics though..

Right?

Oh you...

Stop it.

Don't forget LeGOAT lost us the Olympic Gold medal on his first try out, I can't remember how many MJ missed out on..

 

[MayhemMonkey]

I dont consider Lebron a top 10 player

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

I dont consider Lebron a top 10 player

Well that makes sense. He's easily top-5.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

Well that makes sense. He's easily top-5.

 

[gspieler]

I dont consider Lebron a top 10 player

List?

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

All bullshitting aside..


Imma huge Jordan fan and I have no problem acknowledging LBJ is one of the best ever. Jordan is the GOAT, no question in my mind, but James is one of the greatest to ever play.

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

Not even close.

He never averaged over 19 ppg, shot mid-40s % his whole career, his FT shooting was only slightly better than Wilt's. His rebounding was off the charts, sure. He was basically a Dennis Rodman-Draymond Green hybrid. Quality player, no doubt, Hall of Famer as well, but all-time great? That's a no for me, dawg.

Hakeem, Kareem, and Wilt are on a whole other level. Comparable to Russell defensively, but in another stratosphere offensively. Russell just happened to be on a dominant team.

Even the rebounding is extraordinarily exaggerated by his era. 50's and 60's ball was high paced with terrible shooting. There were so many more rebounds to go around.

Bill Russell brought to now in a time machine would ride bench on most D3 college teams. If you assume he gets to learn from what's come since him, he's a solid role player in the NBA at best. He was 6'9" 220 with minimal offensive ability even by his time's standards. He's too light to be the defensive juggernaut he was then (when defense was both far more important than it is now and much easier to play, because offense was pathetic in that time) and isn't fast enough to make up for any of it.