75 Best Players in the History of the NBA: Dame?

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KSF-ERIC

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So they're naming the 75 best players ever at this season's All Star weekend. The No Dunks crew has Dame making it. What do you guys think? That would be quite an honor.
 
I say Dame is on the edge of making the top 75-100.

I think if he can get us into an NBA Finals ….perhaps make NBA First Team another time, win the scoring title or MVP- he cracks the top 75. Win a title…he shoots up and flirts with the top 50. But he’s still got some work to do.
 
"Shakes head"

How do you fairly judge players across different eras? People can't even agree who the 75 best active players are. They can't even reach a consensus on what the criteria should be. Just look at the huge divide in this forum over how Simmons rates.
 
I love Dame and think he is one of the 75 greatest players ever to play but his career accomplishments or lack thereof make it questionable to recognize him at this time as one of the top 75. I mean, I am biased so I'd throw him in there but if I take away being a fan of our team and him, I would probably reserve that for current guys that it's not close for and honor more retired superstars.

You have 8 active players that have won an MVP out of only 36 all time that have won MVP. Then you have Melo who is the tenth greatest scorer of all time and CP3 who is top 50 scoring and top 5 in both assists and steals. I would think in a league with a 75 year history 10 active players out of 75 might just be enough.
 
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Dame is on the edge, I wouldn't be mad either way.

I think of these rankings as if the player retired today. I guess in that sense maybe I lean towards he shouldn't make it. Will be happy if he does.

Does Walton get cut?

When will they release the results of this?
 
I've only been watching the NBA since '77, but he's definitely in the Top 75 to me. He's the greatest closer i've ever seen , PERIOD! Not just in Blazer History. That means something.
 
I don't think winning titles or leading teams to the finals is a fair barometer. Nor do I think MVPs awards are either.

It's a subjective award though, because realistically, as players from the 50's, 60's and 70's just aren't as good as the players are now, but people consider them "best". Like Hondo, Cousy, Bobby Jones, etc, they wouldn't be better than players today.

Is Dame a better player than Hondo, Cousy, etc? Yes.

Instead of top 75, they should have done top players from their era. Dame is clearly a top 4-5 PG of his era (I'd have Curry as clearly better, CP3 as better, Russell and Irvin as same level).
 
He’s right on the cusp. For what it’s worth, ESPN did a top 74 of all time last season and he made it right at the end of the list.

also, the website says it’s being announced this month, not during all star.
 
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Dame is on the edge, I wouldn't be mad either way.

I think of these rankings as if the player retired today. I guess in that sense maybe I lean towards he shouldn't make it. Will be happy if he does.

Does Walton get cut?

When will they release the results of this?
All Star weekend. Wait, apparently it’s earlier than that.
 
I don't think winning titles or leading teams to the finals is a fair barometer. Nor do I think MVPs awards are either.

It's a subjective award though, because realistically, as players from the 50's, 60's and 70's just aren't as good as the players are now, but people consider them "best". Like Hondo, Cousy, Bobby Jones, etc, they wouldn't be better than players today.

Is Dame a better player than Hondo, Cousy, etc? Yes.

Instead of top 75, they should have done top players from their era. Dame is clearly a top 4-5 PG of his era (I'd have Curry as clearly better, CP3 as better, Russell and Irvin as same level).

I'm sorry, but that is absurd. Do you really think any guard in the current NBA is better than West, Frazier, or Oscar Robinson? What current 6th man is better than Hondo? What current center could have scored on Russell or defended Wilt or Kareem? Did you ever see Dr J or David Thompson in their prime?

I will say you are right about Jones. Good player, but over-rated from playing on a loaded Philly team.
 
I'm sorry, but that is absurd. Do you really think any guard in the current NBA is better than West, Frazier, or Oscar Robinson? What current 6th man is better than Hondo? What current center could have scored on Russell or defended Wilt or Kareem? Did you ever see Dr J or David Thompson in their prime?

I will say you are right about Jones. Good player, but over-rated from playing on a loaded Philly team.

The competition now is just *slightly* better.
 
I'm sorry, but that is absurd. Do you really think any guard in the current NBA is better than West, Frazier, or Oscar Robinson? What current 6th man is better than Hondo? What current center could have scored on Russell or defended Wilt or Kareem? Did you ever see Dr J or David Thompson in their prime?

I will say you are right about Jones. Good player, but over-rated from playing on a loaded Philly team.

KAT could easily score on Russell. Gobert could've defended Wilt.

The odd thing is none of those old centers or the current ones can carry a team now, center has become the least important position.
 
The odd thing is none of those old centers or the current ones can carry a team now, center has become the least important position.

get rid of the restricted circle, do away with at the hand check and impediment rules, and ditch the 3 point shot, and C's will be the thing again. C's just didn't become obsolete by evolution. They became obsolete because the NBA changed the rules of the game so dramatically
 
Wilt would dominate today’s NBA.

What attributes does he have that are vastly superior to today's centers?

The league was shit back then with 8 teams when he entered the league. Players were smaller, and big guys were unathletic lumbering unskilled stiffs. None of that is true in the last 10-20 years. Wilt wasn't skilled shooting; 6 seasons he shot under 50% FT's.

Javalee McGee and Andre Drummond would've also dominated in that era. Now I do think Wilt is better than them... but today he would get outplayed by guys like Jokic, Anthony Davis, maybe even Gobert. Even Nurk could probably slow him down a lot, Nurk would've been a hall of fame center in that era.
 
Imo it’s the wrong question to ask “would player x beat player y if they played today?”

this leaves out impact and context-specific greatness.

Would Casablanca be considered the greatest movie ever if it came out today? Prob not. But it’s still one of the goats because of its impact and how revolutionary it was at the time.
 
What attributes does he have that are vastly superior to today's centers?

The league was shit back then with 8 teams when he entered the league. Players were smaller, and big guys were unathletic lumbering unskilled stiffs. None of that is true in the last 10-20 years. Wilt wasn't skilled shooting; 6 seasons he shot under 50% FT's.

Javalee McGee and Andre Drummond would've also dominated in that era. Now I do think Wilt is better than them... but today he would get outplayed by guys like Jokic, Anthony Davis, maybe even Gobert. Even Nurk could probably slow him down a lot, Nurk would've been a hall of fame center in that era.
Wilt would dominate all those guys. Have you seen footage of how big and mobile he was? Would he average 50 ppg? Probably not. But he'd be the best player in the league.
 
Wilt would dominate all those guys. Have you seen footage of how big and mobile he was? Would he average 50 ppg? Probably not. But he'd be the best player in the league.
I understand the idea that he was a great but lets get real here. He would not dominate this league right now and no he would not be the best player in the league.
 
According to Hoopshype, Dame is #52 and had Bill Walton completely fall out of the top 75.
 
According to Hoopshype, Dame is #52 and had Bill Walton completely fall out of the top 75.
Kinda like a RB in football where he has 3-4 meteoric years, gets injured, and is a shell of himself the rest of his career. Terrell Davis was like this. No one better for a 3 year period, then blows out knee, and was never the same. H of F talent, but loses placing as time and new talent enter the scene. This is exactly what happened to Bill as well. For 2 years, NO ONE BETTER. Injuries made him into a nice role player, nothing more. Got a Sixth Man of the Year Award.
 
Kinda like a RB in football where he has 3-4 meteoric years, gets injured, and is a shell of himself the rest of his career. Terrell Davis was like this. No one better for a 3 year period, then blows out knee, and was never the same. H of F talent, but loses placing as time and new talent enter the scene. This is exactly what happened to Bill as well. For 2 years, NO ONE BETTER. Injuries made him into a nice role player, nothing more. Got a Sixth Man of the Year Award.

same for Bernard King. He never makes any of these all-time lists but for about 2 years (actually less), he was the best player in the NBA
 

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