And the next day, which subject occupies more talk around the water cooler?

Either way, the Super Bowl has become, well, the Super Bowl of all advertising days. Brands can gain momentum or suffer major damage. And careers on Madison Avenue can soar or be reduced to writing screenplays, like George Costanza, off, off-broadway.

With stakes so high, it seems worthy to take a look back at some of the best, and a few of the worst, commercials that have ever paid those premium dollars for a coveted Super Bowl slot.

Clearly there are lots of great commercials to choose from. You can make an argument for lots of great spots’ inclusion on this list.  (But, in case you are wondering, if I left your favorite out, it was absolutely to spite you.)

Here’s my list of the 10 best (and three worst) Super Bowl commercials of all-time.

#10. McDonald’s, “The Showdown” (1993)

Great ad that leverages two of the NBA’s all-time biggest stars in Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, at a time when their popularity was at a peak after the original Dream Team won the gold in Barcelona in 1992.

This ad does a great job of building equity around the brand by showing a) the greatness it inspires, and b) the lengths to which people will go to fight for it.

I could not move this any higher on the list simply because I grew up a Sixers fan (when that was relevant), and I am a Duke grad, so a commercial featuring a Celtic and a Tar Heel has limited upside.

#9. Xerox, “Monks” (1977)

This spot is 35 years old, so it may not have the bells and whistles of some of the newer ads, but it does a great job of clearly communicating the product benefit.

It is scary how far technology has come in just a few decades.

#8. Bridgestone, “Carma” (2011)

Brisgestone does a great job at communicating the emotional benefit of an everyday product that we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about.

By today’s standards, the commercial does not have a lot of bells and whistles either, but it excels at lifting its brand with the audience.

#7. Pepsi, “Cindy Crawford/New Can” (1992)

Relax, I said can, singular.

Pepsi does a great job of taking a well-known, beautiful icon, and making it invisible next to their product. Many brands have copied this strategy over the last two decades with much success.

Kudos to this ad for setting a trend, all while making people across America thirsty for a Pepsi.

#6. Tide-to-Go, “My Talking Stain” (2008)

Look, Tide is not the type of sexy brand that is usually associated with big Super Bowl buys (think beer, cars, soft drinks, etc.), but this ad does an amazing job of communicating the product’s benefit in a humorous, break-through-the-clutter kind of way.

I bet if you watch this spot you will both laugh and take a second look at yourself next time you have an important meeting.

It is a really risky strategy for a household product like this to spend the big bucks on a Super Bowl spot, but Procter and Gamble pulled it off, big time.

#5. Budweiser, “Frogs” (1995)

This ad broke through the clutter in a wildly simple, yet spectacular way.

The purpose of the spot was simply to get attention, make Budweiser more relevant, and build on the brand’s equity.  Mission accomplished.

In fact, this ad was so successful that you have seen hundreds of commercials try to use animals to get this type of response from we humans.

#4. Coke, “Mean Joe” (1979)

This is a spot that transcends time. Coke even puts a smile onto Mean Joe Green’s face.

I would rank this higher except a) this commercial originally aired during the 1979 season so it was not brand new at the time of airing, and b) I can’t put my finger on it, but I read somewhere this week that this spot actually did not help Coke increase sales (although I would argue it was great for longer-term brand building).

#3. Pepsi, “Diner” (1995)

Pepsi says if Coke is #4, we are one better.

But this is absolutely classic competitive advertising in which the #2 category player takes on the #1 (for example, it is doubtful Coke would have approved a similar ad; why acknowledge the challenger??).

Heartwarming, and then the hammer falls.

#2. Apple, “Sledgehammer” (1984)

The ad ran once. The 1984 Super Bowl. And Steve Jobs and crew were, as usual, ahead of their time in terms of how brilliantly they took on the competition and differentiated their brand in a meaningful and motivating way.

Anyone that had the vision to see Jobs’ limitless potential and bought APPL as a result of this spot is, today, a very happy camper.

#1. Budwesier, “Respect” (2002)

Like Sledgehammer, this spot only ran once, during the 2002 Super Bowl, as a tribute to 9/11 and the unimaginable loss and heartbreak that our country endured. This spot perfectly captured the emotions of the moment, and was absolutely apropos of the moment.

I dare you to watch this spot, even 10 years later, and not get goose bumps.  There was simply no other commercial in the history of the Super Bowl that could rightfully go in this space.

Eliminating any OJ Simpson ads, which are just too easy of a target, I found three spots that I felt were historically bad.  “Enjoy.”

#3. Noxzema, “Joe Namath/Farrah Fawcett” (1973)

Now, in fairness, this commercial gets props for a) really being the beginning of attention being paid to Super Bowl ads, so it did pave the way for others, and b) it is unintentionally hilarious.

Imagine the FCC approving a Super Bowl ad today in which the catch phrase is “Let Noxzema Cream Your Face.”  Classic.

I think the only thing Joe Namath wishes in retrospect is that his co-star could have been Suzy Kolber.

#2. Holiday Inn, “Bob Johnson” (1997)

You have to give Holiday Inn credit.  They survived this spot.  I cannot imagine company executives approving this spot and not seeing the potential pitfalls, only 15 years ago.

From a consumer standpoint, it is hilarious; from a marketing standpoint, it is on the verge of brand suicide.

#1. Miller Lite, “Evil Beaver” (1998)

Worst. Commercial. Ever.

Not just worst ever to appear in a Super Bowl. Not just worst ever on a per dollar spent basis. Quite simply, this commercial is a minute of your life you will never get back should you choose to watch.

Not even funny by accident. Just bad. Again, “enjoy.”

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You can follow Brian Dilsheimer on Twitter @Dils_Ignite

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I guess it’s human nature, but it seems that the grass is always greener somewhere else.

Why does the guy with the super hot girlfriend always end up cheating?

Why does the rich business man get busted for fraud when he already had more money than he could ever spend?

Why is it so easy to ignore all of the good things in your life and instead focus on few flaws?

It’s about time to stop looking at what Tim Tebow can’t do, and appreciate what he can do.

A Tebow Comparable

Almost thirty years ago, a young kid from North Carolina entered the NBA with a lot of fanfare. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a real great shooter. He also didn’t play a lot of defense, and his passing skills were scrutinized as well.

What if we had given up on Michael Jordan because he couldn’t (yet) do everything on the basketball court?

Shooting guards were supposed to SHOOT the rock. Shooting guards were supposed to play great defense. Shooting guards were supposed to be role players – letting the big men and point guards lead their teams to victory. It didn’t matter that Jordan was a winner in college – he didn’t do things “the way they’ve always been done.”

His Airness ignored all of that. He had one thing that was greater than anyone he would ever play against: a fierce desire and will to win.

Eventually, he learned to shoot the rock. Oh yeah, he also ended up playing a little defense as well, and he became one of the most underrated passers of his generation (just ask Steve Kerr and Jon Paxson).

What Is Tim Tebow?

What do we REALLY have with Tebow?  To be honest, I don’t really know.

I know he’s a solid, if not spectacular, runner of the football.  I know he has a strong arm, but not an accurate one.

One thing is for sure though: he has that fierce desire and will to win.

How long are we going to keep ignoring this?

More importantly, why do we look past that trait of his and not the others?

How many players have had the talent of Michael Jordan?  Crazy athletic shooting guards are a dime a dozen these days. Vince Carter was MORE athletic and a better shooter right out of college. JR Smith, Jason Richardson, Clyde Drexler…need I keep going?

These guys all had similar if not better skill sets than His Airness when they entered the league. But it was Jordan’s drive that separated him. That drive spread to his teammates. That drive won him championships.

It was Jordan’s DRIVE that made him the GOAT.

The conventional wisdom says that quarterbacks are supposed to throw the ball. It says that a QB’s most important trait is accuracy. “Nobody has ever done it this way before.”

JaMarcus Russell still has a better arm than Tim Tebow. So did Jeff George. So did countless other busts outs.

As evidenced by them, it clearly takes more than a good arm to become a good quarterback.

Tebow, Jordan, and The Will To Win

While we search for greener grass elsewhere and nitpick a player that has led a mediocre team to a 4-1 record,  we have ignored the biggest strength that Tebow does have – a quality that is possibly transcendent: a once-in-a-generation-like will to win.

What Tebow did on Thursday night could not have been more Jordan-like. How many times did Jordan fight through a tough game, battle against a defense whose entire goal was to stop him, only to rise to the occasion when it mattered the most and lead his team to victory?

Like Jordan, Tebow was a winner in college.

Like Jordan, Tebow makes the players around him better.

Like Jordan, Tebow does things a little differently.

Who cares if it wasn’t a playoff game? That might as well have been “The Drive 2.0.”

Nobody questions the fact that it was Jordan’s will to win that separated him from everybody else.

Image source: Interbasket.net

Let’s stop criticizing Tim Tebow for possessing “little more” than the “Will to Win.”

Wouldn’t that be the FIRST trait you would built upon if you were building “the perfect QB?”

So what that he’s unconventional.  Who cares?  Nobody had ever seen a 6’6″ shooting guard palm a ball in his hands and dunk from the free throw line before either. I think it’s safe to say we would all go through the Michael Jordan experience again.

Today, we will probably hear countless critics talk about Denver’s defense winning the game. Others will criticize the play of Mark Sanchez. All of them will try to argue that for 55 minutes, Tebow wasn’t good.  (Of course, they will ignore the fact that John Fox didn’t allow Tebow to do Tebow-Things until that point either.  With 8 minutes left, trailing by three with the ball inside your own 10-yard-line, you call THREE CONSECUTIVE RUNS into the middle of the line?  You have got to be kidding me.)

But once upon a time, Michael Jordan went 13 for his first 33 against the Utah Jazz in Game Six. What happened next?  Layup…steal…jumper…game time.

He got better when it mattered. And we praised him for it.

The Grass Is Green In Denver

Give Tebow the same benefit of the doubt. Maybe, like Jordan, he just lives for crunch time.

Let’s enjoy what we DO have.  Let’s appreciate his competitive fire.  Let’s admire the way his teammates ALL respond to him.  And who knows, maybe he will end up learning to throw the ball around a little bit after all.

When that happens, we can all stare at and be thankful for the greenest grass around.

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Nowadays I play the 2K series for my basketball fix, although without the extreme tenacity that I once devoted to gaming.  Even though the real life NBA is embroiled in a bitter labor dispute, that can’t stop me from enjoying going 80-2 while averaging a triple-double in “My Player” mode.

The main gimmick of this year’s game, in lieu of any relevant basketball happenings in the real world, is the “NBA’s Greatest” mode, where one can play as any of a large group of historical teams and players.  As such, the commercial released a couple weeks ago focuses on the argument of who is the greatest team ever assembled.

Check out the extended version of the commercial and read my thoughts below.

Fittingly, the commercial begins with Michael Jordan pronouncing his very own 1996 Chicago Bulls the greatest.  They could have stopped right there and been correct, but that wouldn’t make for a very compelling advertisement.  And it also wouldn’t provide me with fodder to demolish the other 58 seconds of the spot.

Next some guy tries to throw the 1995 Knicks into the discussion.  Later he tries to convince us by naming Ewing, Starks, Mason, Oakley and Doc Rivers.  Just stop, Knicks guy.  You’re making an ass of yourself.

The 1989 Pistons weren't the greatest ever, but they might have been the toughest ever.

Next up are the Bad Boys Pistons of 1989, who at least won the title.  Considering they did it against a depleted Lakers team (Kareem was 42 and Magic and Byron Scott missed time with injuries) that could hardly be classified as “Showtime” and went “only” 63-19 in the regular season, they can’t be the greatest ever.

The guy who claims the 1986 Celtics has a valid argument.  The Celtics were 40-1 at home that year and ran through the playoffs with ease en route to their third championship of the ‘80s.  He is wrong about the Celtics beating the Lakers, though.  They did in ’84, but lost to the Lakers in ’85 and ’87.  They beat Houston in ’86.

Celtics guy is pretty much insufferable through the whole commercial, yelling about how no one can beat Bird, McHale and Parrish (even though every year but 3, someone did) and how they would have been a dynasty if Bird hadn’t ruined his back paving his mother’s driveway.  I’m pretty sure something makes me hate Boston a little more every time I turn on the TV.

Side note: I know I recognize Celtics guy from somewhere, but I can’t place it.  If anyone knows please leave a comment below with his name or what else he’s been in.

The nerdy guy from Dodgeball and Grandma’s Boy tells us about the Lakers, blah blah blah.  Lakers nerd can barely get the words out, though, before Celtics guy (incorrectly) shouts about the Celtics beating the Lakers.

The Trailblazers fan is Portland personified; he’s got the whole hipster thing going on, with the slacker beard, old school Blazers tee, glasses and backwards Blazers hat.  He’s also pretty entertaining, especially when giving us “double Mutombo” fingers.  Of course his argument makes more sense if you’re asking who the greatest team ever for one quarter was, not the greatest team ever.

Here is where shit gets crazy.

We get the highly publicized Drake to say the present-day Miami Heatles are the greatest ever, which would be like if Drake considered himself the greatest rapper ever.  What?  He DID say that in a song?

Sorry, Drake.  You’re a decent rapper, even if you do seem kind of emo for an MC.

But let’s be honest with ourselves.  The Heat haven’t accomplished anything yet, and Drake would have a hard time cracking the top-5 of Wu-Tang (I say Meth, Raekwon, Ghost, GZA would be in front of him, in that order).  If he thinks that a team dunking its way to the Finals and then choking is the greatest ever, well, he must be nuts.  Or a 2004 Lakers fan.

Luckily, Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants weighs in, dressed in a full Larry Bird costume and sitting on the pelt of a cheetah.  He even has a blond wig to go with his comically absurd beard.  I keep thinking Wilson’s “I’m super-crazy and eccentric, and at every opportunity I will demonstrate that” schtick is going to wear thin on me, but nope.  I’m still 100% on board with him and his beard.

Wilson delivers the funny line about Bird laying it up “like a real man,” and while it’s funny, it’s only partially accurate.  Check out this awesome compilation video, with one of the best soundtrack choices possible:

Drake looks like even more of a doofus when he declares “South Beach is king” and the commercial cuts to Mark Cuban, still nuzzling the Larry O’Brien trophy like Eddy Curry nuzzling a gallon of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.  Cuban dismisses Drake with nothing but the shaking of his head.

Next we see some game action and hear an Eminem song.  The game looks awesome, and the song pumps me up a little bit, so mission accomplished there, 2K folks.

As I said, the greatest team ever debate was answered in the first 5 seconds.  Michael Jordan comes back at the end to end the argument by showing his 1996 ring, with “72 Wins – Greatest Team Ever” carved into it.  Discussion over. The commercial, while entertaining at times (and maddening at others), is largely ineffective.

Final Grade: C-

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett 

Read more commercial reviews at Commercial Grade

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Image credits: soundproofmagazine.com, foxsports.com

Now to the business at hand. Clyde “The Glyde” Drexler.

I tweeted this picture out early this morning, but I had to post it as well. As @Rev215 tweeted me: “been staring at that pic for 10 minutes.” I had the same reaction.

Check it out for yourself:

Image source: Turner.com

Is it just me, or is dunking just not what it used to be? I know that Blake Griffin is fantastic with his monstrous ups and furious throw-downs, and there were many creative dunks at this year’s dunk contest, but guys like Clyde and Dr. J just seemed so much more…majestic…when they dunked.

Oh, and speaking of majestic, did you see who is sitting there admiring “The Glide”? Perhaps the most majestic dunkers of them all.

Remember this?

I’m pretty sure he doesn’t land until 3:53.

Oh if I could be like Mike…or Clyde. This past NBA season was great, but I miss those two guys.

Some people say that this tweeting is pointless and a waste of time other than when I post links to my site that drive traffic. I disagree. Strongly. Twitter has now become the breeding and testing ground for most of my blog post ideas. It allows me to test out an idea before committing the time necessary to turn it into a full article. Ask any blogger and they’ll tell you that is invaluable.

Case in point: today.

On a whim, I tweeted the following:

May turn this into a post. What is your personal sports Mount Rushmore? … Clarification: personal sports Mount Rushmore is favorite, most beloved players, not necessarily best.

Immediately, responses starting pouring in. Clearly, this was a question that had gotten people thinking and that people were excited about sharing their two cents to answer.

Ding! Ding! Ding! I knew right then and there that I needed to turn it into a blog post.

So, now that this impromptu Twitter tip is complete — use Twitter to get, test, and develop your blog post ideas! — it is time to share my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore (PSMR) and then open the comment section for yours – the real fun of this.

I will warn everyone though: the greatest possible answer has already been given by @bschultzy, who said that his PSMR would just be “4 Ditkas.” Can’t top that.

And a quick note on criteria as you think about your own PSMR: there really is none. This is your Personal Sports Mount Rushmore. For me, that means weighing memories and personal feelings more than strictly accomplishments. For you it might mean something else. As the commercials say: no rules, just right.

Here is my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore:

Calbert Cheaney

There is no question who is #1 on my PSMR. It’s IU legend Calbert Cheaney, still the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer with 2,613 career points (a record he just may hold forever; I’m not kidding), a former National Player of the Year, and currently the new Director of Operations for the Indiana basketball program.

Obviously there are many IU basketball players I could have chosen. Reading Steve Alford’s book Playing for Knight is was inspired me to work hard to become a good basketball player, but I was five years old in 1987 when Alford was a senior. AJ Moye played when I went to IU, and and there were few moments more exciting than being part of a packed Assembly Hall chanting “A-J Mo-ye” after #2 did something badass. Greg Graham, DJ White, Brian Evans, and others all are personal IU favorites of mine.

But no one comes close to Calbert.

I saw almost every home game he played during his four years at IU, and the 1992-93 Indiana team is my favorite sports team of all-time. They unfortunately fell short of a title, but to paraphrase Coach Norman Dale, they’ll always be winners in my book.

Calbert was as deadly efficient a scorer as there has ever been in the Big Ten. For the conference’s all-time leading scorer to be a wing player who had a career field goal percentage of .559 is astounding. That’s not a misprint. Calbert made almost 56% of his shots as a Hoosier. He was a complete player too. He averaged more than five rebounds a game, played defense, and was a leader on one of Bob Knight’s most deep and complete teams.

Calbert was also well-spoken, a good student, and a class act. To 12-year old me in 1993, Calbert he was the quintessential example of what an IU basketball player should be, and at that time in my life I did not think human beings got a whole lot more special than those who wore the Cream & Crimson and the candy-striped warm-up pants.

And then there are the memories. His surprising scoring from Day 1 after being one of the more unheralded members of the super 1989 recruiting class. His battles with the Big Dog and the Fab 5, which the Hoosiers usually won. The Final 4 in 1992. The 17-1 conference mark in 1993, including the electric game against Northwestern when his baseline jumper broke the Big Ten scoring record. Coach Knight even stopped the game to honor Calbert, something I’d never seen him do before. It was a testament to how much he thought of his humble, superlative senior.

Yes, on my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore, Calbert’s face is the one being carved first. And it’s not a debate. His greatness coincided with the time in my life when I was the most innocently and genuinely in love with sports, and I got to see so many of his great moments live. No one will ever supplant him.

Anthony Thompson

If I had been a little older when A.T. was running roughshod over the Big Ten, he might be able to give Calbert a run for his money. But I was just a little sprite back then, with Anthony’s incredible college career in Bloomington spanning my fourth through eighth years on this earth.

Image source: ESPN

And while I still remember how genuinely nice Anthony was to me when I’d tag along with my dad to practice and games, and while I have mementos like the picture hanging in my parents’ house from the cover of the Herald-Times sports page of me and Anthony from Picture Day, I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness like I could Calbert’s.

Here is one of the best examples of Anthony’s prowess, the day he scampered for 377 yards (then an NCAA record) against Wisconsin.

I have said many times before, and I’ll continue to say it probably forever, that Anthony Thompson is the most underrated player in Big Ten football history. I’m sure that good arguments could be made for many others in this regard, but I just cannot see anyone having a more underappreciated career of consistent greatness than A.T.

Remember folks, in 1987 Indiana was ranked #7 in the country at one point! Indiana! And who was the straw that stirred the drink? Anthony. He’s an icon in Bloomington and he should be an icon in the Big Ten in general. He was that good.

And he’s the second obvious, no-debate-required person I’d place on my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore.

Michael Jordan

When I originally tweeted this PSMR question out, I had Dan Marino listed as being one of my four, but I’ve thought better of that. I loved Marino, but I was three years in 1984 when he burst onto the scene, so I didn’t really appreciate Marino at his best.

But Michael Jordan, oh boy did I get to appreciate him at his best; and it’s the best I’ve ever seen an athlete be, and perhaps the best any athlete ever has been.

Image source: Life-Fashion.com

I don’t follow the Bulls much anymore, but when I was younger I loved the Bulls. Certainly, I was not alone. Michael and Scottie were just fascinating to watch play basketball together, and they just seemed to get better and better together every year. And once they started winning championships in the early 90s, and then didn’t stop, it was impossible for me not to become completely swept up in the Cult of Jordan. (You know, when Jordan would do something remarkable and you’d say “Holy crap, Jordan is God!” and only be half joking.)

No, I didn’t put Jordan on my list initially, but when I sat down and thought about it, I realized I was underestimating just how Jordan-crazy I was back then. I watched every game of his I could, my dad and I took a few trips up to Chicago for events Jordan would be at, and I had all the shirts and hats and books and Nike Jordan gear I could handle.

When I add up the memories and the adoration, MJ comes out way ahead of Marino, so substituting him was an easy decision.

By the way, it is no coincidence that the first three choices all were at their peak before I could drive. Unbridled and innocent sports enthusiasm was possible back then, where it’s really not now. I certainly love my teams, and I’m a big fan of certain players nowadays, but it’s just not the same as it was back then; and I doubt it ever will be.

Mark Buehrle

But here is a guy from my older years who does get the a spot on the mountain. It was a tough choice, but Buehrle gets it for several reasons:

• He has produced spectacular memories like the no-hitter, the perfect game, and his career-best 2005 season that culminated in a World Series title.
• I still remember when Buehrle first came up and have these random but fun memories like when fellow White Sox fanatic KVB and I were at our digital animator’s parents’ house talking at length about this new guy named Buehrle who was having great start after great start. That may not sound like much, but it’s a fun memory for a whole host of reasons, none of which would make sense if I tried to explain them.
• Like Anthony Thompson, I fear that Buehrle is destined to go down as severely underrated, and I feel invested in stating his case to the masses. I know that his career ERA and WHIP are never going to knock anyone’s socks off, but look at his year-by-year totals. He starts 30+ games every year, he pitches 200+ innings every year, and he wins 10+ games every year. That kind of consistency is a very underrated quality for a starting pitcher.
• I don’t know how much the numbers back this up, but my visceral feeling any time Buehrle steps on the mound in a big spot is that he is going to deliver. We all have those athletes that we just believe in, perhaps even a bit irrationally. Mark Buehrle is that guy for me. I know he’s had his share of stinker games over the years, but in the ’05 playoffs he was outstanding, and against AL Central opponents he always seems to step up.

Plus, I need a player from the White Sox. Frank Thomas was the easy choice, but I always felt like my appreciation and love for The Big Hurt was a bit arm’s length. I respected him and his contributions more than I just loved him as a player.

Paul Konerko is another obvious candidate, but when I was faced with the decision a couple years ago of getting a White Sox jersey, and the decision came down to Buehrle or Konerko, I went with Buehrle. That had to mean something, right? I used it as my tie-breaker, so Mark and his rubber arm got the nod.

So there it is, my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore:

• Calbert Cheaney
• Anthony Thompson
• Michael Jordan
• Mark Buehrle

But the fun only just now beginning, because now the comment section is open to you.

Who is on your Personal Sports Mount Rushmore, and why?

I can’t wait to see your responses.

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* – Calbert Cheaney photo credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images via Life.com

On the one hand, almost nobody objected to Kareem being #1. I did my list a little differently, pretending like I was a GM that was drafting a player for his entire career. I think most people understood that, and the argument of “20 years (16 quality) is better than 15 years (11 quality)” seemed to fly pretty well.

On the other hand, there’s the whole “Michael Jordan” thing.

To be fair, the responses I have gotten are probably 60/40 in favor of Jordan over Kobe. However, most of the people that agreed with me were nice enough to e-mail me personally to tell me so, whereas Jordan’s supporters were much more vocal in the comment section and on my twitter page.

This doesn’t surprise me for two reasons:

1. It’s much more fun to voice disagreements in public. I can’t even remember how many comments I’ve posted on writers’ pages when I disagreed with them. On the flip side, it’s not that fun to take time out of your day to tell the writer, “Yo dude. I agree. Nice job.”
2. People almost universally love Michael Jordan…even when they take it to creepy “girlfriend lying to herself about her cheating boyfriend” extremes. I mean really, I could tell you that Michael Jordan once shot Jud Buechler in the kneecap for not finishing a suicide at 100%, and you would tell yourself, “Awesome! Jordan was such a competitor!” Of course, Kobe rolls his eyes at a teammate, and the entire blogosphere blows up with “Kobe is a bad teammate” storylines. I mean really, look no further than “Basketball-reference.com’s” All-Time Fan Ratings. Jordan is #1, and Kobe is #201…right behind Kevin Willis.

Anyway, I wanted to take the time to dive into the Kobe vs. Jordan debate once more. Once again, the rules for this list are further detailed here, but remember: Longevity matters, Era matters, and Rings matter, but aren’t the ultimate trump cards.

The two ideas I want to expand further are as follows:

1. Kobe Bryant’s peak will never ever be as good as Michael Jordan’s peak. But it’s not nearly as lopsided as people think. Because of this, Kobe’s longevity not only narrows the gap, but turns the balance in his favor.
2. Championships, at their core, are team accomplishments. So it’s unfair to say that anybody is better than anyone else just because they have rings. Is Steve Kerr really better than Steve Nash? No. Thank you very much. I’ll be here, spewing out smart things, all night. I also believe, wholeheartedly, that Jordan’s teams were much more stacked compared to the competition than Kobe’s were.

On to point number one.

Peak vs Longevity

Quickly, if you had to choose one of the following two players to build your team around, who would it be (as much as you may want to, you aren’t allowed to say “Neither”): Tracy McGrady or Vince Carter?

Any true basketball fan knows that T-Mac’s peak was simply higher than Vincanity’s. At one point, he was the best pure scorer in the league, an underrated passer, and simply unstoppable at times – averaging 33 and 28 PPG as a 23- and 24-year-old. He made two All-NBA First Teams, three Second Teams, and had a 4-year-peak of 28-8-5.

Vince, on the other hand, peaked at 26 and 28 PPG as a 24- and 25-year-old. He only made one All-NBA Second Team and one Third Team while averaging 26-6-4 over three seasons.

At first glance, the average guy would take T-Mac. But then you remember that out of MacGrady’s fourteen seasons, only seven of them were quality (It’s amazing when you realize that T-Mac is only 31 right now, when it seems like he’s been washed up for 5 years). Carter, on the other hand, had ten straight seasons of 20+ PPG, and is still a viable 15 PPG player on a contender thirteen years into his career.

Basically, T-Mac’s prime needs to have been considerably better than Vince’s prime in order to take a seven-year career over one that’s twice as long. In my opinion, most GM’s would sacrifice two points, two rebounds, and one assist in order to get six additional quality years.

This is my first argument for Kobe over Jordan.

Michael Jordan played for fifteen years, but he broke his foot in 1985-86 and only started seven games (Yes, Jordan fans, I understand this was flukey…and doesn’t often happen…but it did happen. Sure, Jordan was robbed of a season unfairly…but he was still robbed. End of story). He also missed the entire 1993-94 season during his baseball hiatus, and he only played seventeen games in 1994-95. There go two more years. Finally, his last two years in Washington were awesome years for a 38- and 39-year-old…but not really Jordan-esque, and definitely not “Top 100 Players Ever” types of years.

Meanwhile, Kobe just finished his fifteenth year as well. In his first two years, as an 18- and 19-year-old playing behind All-Star Eddie Jones, The Mamba only started seven games total. It would be hard (to say the least) to call those years “quality” years. However, he has been at least a 20 PPG scorer and started all but five games since he was twenty years old.

That gives us thirteen years of High Quality Kobe Bryant compared to just eleven for Michael Jordan. (This is also assuming that Kobe Bryant is done right now. I don’t think he’s finished, but I think we could all agree that his career is winding to a close. I think an incredibly conservative assessment would be that Kobe has one more good year, and then two or three more that are similar to Jordan on the Wizards. Whatever. I will give you Jordan fans the benefit of the doubt…let’s just pretend that Kobe is completely washed up now.)

Now, as a GM, Jordan’s eleven years need to be much better than Kobe’s thirteen years in order to draft Air ahead of the Mamba. So let’s take a look at their actual peaks. Here are their four best years from a statistical standpoint.

Kobe Bryant:

• ‘02-03: 30-7-6; Percentages of 45-38-84; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.
• ’05-06: 35-5-5; Percentages of 45-35-85; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.
• ’06-07: 32-6-6; Percentages of 46-34-87; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.
• ’07-08: 28-6-5; Percentages of 46-36-84; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.

Michael Jordan:

• ’86-87: 37-6-6; Percentages of 48-18-86; 1st Team All-NBA.
• ’87-88: 35-6-6; Percentages of 54-13-84; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.
• ’88-89: 33-8-8; Percentages of 54-28-85; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.
• ’89-90: 34-7-6; Percentages of 53-38-85; 1st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-NBA Defense.

Interestingly enough, none of those years were Championship Years for either. I guess that shows that even two of the greatest players of all time need a good team to win titles (more on this in a second).

But look at those stats again. Jordan averaged 3.5 more points, 0.75 more rebounds, and 1 more assist a game. He shot much better from the field, but much worse from three-point range (Don’t be fooled by his ’89-90 percentage…he more or less realized he couldn’t shoot threes and only made 1.1 a game. He ended up making 581 in fifteen seasons compared to Kobe’s 1418). They were both elected to every possible All-NBA team, and Kobe made one more Defensive 1st Team than Jordan.

Are Jordan’s statistics better? Yes. Is he “leaps and bounds” better? Absolutely not. As a GM, would you take his eleven years over Kobe’s thirteen (minimum)? I’m not sure yet. But for those of you who came to this article with a strong Jordan bias, you need to be honest: it’s much closer than you thought it would be.

Now, maybe you are thinking, “Those were just four random years! Jordan was awesome for all eleven of those seasons!” Ok, let’s look at each player’s best eleven seasons.

Kobe:

• 27-6-5;
• Percentages of 46-34-84;
• Nine All-NBA First Teams, One Second Team, One Third Team;
• Nine First Teams All-NBA Defense, Two Second Teams All-NBA Defense

Jordan:

• 32-6-5;
• Percentages of 51-33-84;
• Ten All-NBA First Teams, One Second Team;
• Nine First Teams All-NBA Defense

This probably surprises you even more. It’s almost eerie how similar the two are. Jordan averaged five more points and shot better from the field, but Kobe made more Defensive teams and made over 750 more threes than His Airness. Nearly every other statistical category is equal.

Also of note, is that I don’t really think era affects these numbers unfairly in either direction. On the one hand, there may have been three guys in the entire league that were as athletic as Michael Jordan when he played, while today there are two guys on every team that are as big, strong, and athletic as he was (unfair advantage for Jordan). On the other hand, they were allowed to handcheck, push, grab, and practically punch people in the face when Jordan played (unfair advantage for Kobe).

Jordan supporters love to say things like, “Jordan would average 45 points a game if he played today with the way the rules are.” Kobe supporters counter with arguments like “Yeah, and Kobe would absolutely love to be guarded by guys like Jeff Hornacek in back-to-back NBA Finals!”

To me, the eras mostly cancel each other out, and besides, we could never really know…so let’s just take the stats for what they are worth.

Here is my point: Kobe Bryant was never ever as good as Michael Jordan at their respective peaks. But it was very close. And Kobe’s longevity could absolutely end up making his career better than Michael Jordan’s.

But you might still be on the fence. Those of you who disagree with me probably fall into one of three camps.

• “Screw you, Twitch. I’d still take eleven years of the best guy ever over thirteen years of Kobe Bryant.”
• “Jordan still has six rings, compared to Kobe’s five.”
• “Kobe played with Shaq! He wasn’t the best player on three of those championship teams! Kobe really only has two rings. It’s not even close!”

To those of you in that first group, I will never change your mind, and that’s fine. Seriously. It’s a hard call for me as well, because the fact is, even though Jordan’s eleven weren’t a lot better, they were still better. If you choose to rank Jordan ahead of Kobe because of those transcendent eleven years, that’s fine with me – so long as you at least admit that the distance between MJ and Kobe is far smaller than you originally realized.

But to everyone in those final two groups, I’d like to give you the second reason why I believe Kobe is better than Jordan – and that’s the fact that Michael Jordan, simply, played against inferior competition.

Comparing the Competition

Now don’t get all crazy on me. I don’t mean to say that the players in the 90s were way worse than the players of the 2000s. In fact, after a ton of research, I believe that the players are pretty equal.

From 1991 to 1998, Magic (#4), Hakeem (#11), Shaq (#12), Malone (#18), Barkley (#19), Isiah (#23), Stockton (#25), Robinson (#29), Ewing (#40), Payton (#41), and Clyde (#44) ran things along with Jordan and Pippen. That’s a total of thirteen of the top 50 players ever according to Bill Simmons’ Book of Basketball). Jordan and Pippen teamed up to beat nine of them in the Playoffs.

Since 2000, Duncan (#7), Kobe (#8), Shaq (#12), LeBron (#20), Garnett (#22), Wade (#28), Robinson (#29), Nash (#36), Iverson (#37), Dirk Nowitzki (#39), Payton (#41), Kidd (#43), and Pierce (#47) have run the show. Not surprisingly, that’s another thirteen of the top 50 players (And this is with guys like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant not included…four guys that could easily be in the top 50 one day). Kobe has beaten eight of them in the Playoffs (and all four of the players that were not included yet).

No, the players have largely remained just as good, but the point I want to make is this: There have been five teams (by my count) since 1980 that were “stacked.” By stacked, I mean they had at least two of the top 24 or three of the top 35 players ever.

• The 1980s LA Lakers – Kareem (#2) and Magic (#4)…(Worthy was also #50).
• The 1981 Philadelphia 76ers – Moses (#13) and Dr. J (#16)
• The 1986 Boston Celtics – Bird (#5), Walton (#27), McHale (#35)…(DJ was also #54 and Parish was #59).
• The 1990s Chicago Bulls – Jordan (#1) and Pippen (#24)
• The 2000 Los Angeles Lakers – Kobe (#8) and Shaq (#12)

Whenever someone makes the claim that Kobe “unfairly coasted on Shaq’s coattails for his first three rings,” they are plainly forgetting two things.

Comparing the Co-Pilots

First, Jordan’s teams were just as stacked if not more so than Kobe’s.

If you read my original top 20, you saw that I believe that Scottie Pippen is severely underrated historically. But even if you only believe he was the 24th best player ever (like Bill Simmons says), that means that he was the second best player on the floor in all but six series’ during the Bulls’ Championship Reign. Magic, Isiah, and Barkley in ’91, Barkley in ’93, and the Mailman in ’97 and ’98 were the only players on the floor that were as good as the Bulls’ second best player. If you agree with me and Pistons’ coach Chuck Daly that Pippen was the second best guard on the Dream Team and in the 90s, that means that the only time in Bulls’ six championship seasons that they didn’t have the two best players on the floor was in the 1991 NBA Finals against Magic and the Lakers – which, coincidentally, ended up changing when Pippen moved over to guard Magic in Game 2.

Here are the facts: Jordan never won a playoff series without Pippen. During their Championship reign, the Bulls almost never played a series where they didn’t have the two best players. Jordan won all six of his rings this way.

Second, to say that Kobe coasted on Shaq’s coattails is disingenuous to what Kobe brought to the table.

It’s easy to forget now, but the Lakers could not go to Shaq in crunch time of games because he was such an egregious foul shooter. Kobe haters always seem to “forget” that as a 21-year-old, he had three straight 30-point efforts in an incredibly close first round matchup against the Kings and single-handedly beat the Pacers in a series-changing game three that went to overtime. They gloss over his 2001 campaign where he posted a 48-point, 16-rebound effort against Sacramento and then a 45-point, 10-rebound effort against San Antonio the next game. Yes, Shaq won all three MVPs, but if you go back and watch the games, or just look at the stats…you wwill be surprised.

The Lakers weren’t winning anything without Kobe. Not even close.

But even if you feel that Shaq was a better teammate than Pippen was, what Kobe accomplished from 2008-2010 with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as his next best players is far greater than any title that Jordan won.

In 2008, the Lakers beat Denver (Carmelo), Utah (Williams and Boozer), and San Antonio (Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker) before losing to Boston (Garnett and Pierce). The Lakers never had the two best players in any of those series’ like Jordan often had. The next year, against Utah, Houston, Denver, and Orlando, the Lakers only had the two best players on the floor in one series – Houston – and this was only after Yao Ming broke his foot. 2010 was a similar story. OKC (Durant), Utah (Williams), Phoenix (Amare’ and Nash), and Boston (Rondo and Pierce) each had one of the two best players on the floor. For Kobe to make it to three straight Finals and win two of them was far more difficult than Jordan and Pippen beating up on the likes of Reggie Miller and Rik Smits, or Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Look, you don’t have to like Kobe. But just ask yourself this: who would it be harder to win a championship with? Scottie Pippen, the 24th best player of all time, and a guy that Chuck Daly said was the second best player of his entire era? Or Pau Gasol, an All-Star big man whose game is based on finesse and who is not in Simmons’ Top 96 Players at all?

It’s close. It’s very close. At the end of the day, you would be thrilled to have either Kobe or Jordan on your team.

But in my opinion, I would take Kobe’s 13 years (and counting) of very great play over Jordan’s 11 years of very very great play.

In my opinion, I think that Kobe accomplished more with less than Jordan ever did.

That’s why, on my list, it reads Kobe first, then Jordan.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Editor’s note: Since the NBA Finals ended, MSF writers have been submitting and defending their top 20 NBA players of all-time. You can see the aggregate list here. The goal was to see where Dirk fell, or if he fell, among the top 20 players ever after his sterling playoff run this year.

Below are the thoughts of Jon Washburn, who does include Dirk among his top 20 players ever. He also has the most unique top 3 of anyone who submitted a list, which is why I asked him to provide a detailed description of his top 20. And boy did he. Enjoy.

When I was a kid, Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback of my beloved Indianapolis Colts. One season, we started out 4-0 (we were the last team to lose a game that year) and ended up making the playoffs as a wild card. We went into San Diego and beat the defending AFC champs before going to Arrowhead Stadium and beating the 13-3 Kansas City Chiefs. We ended up losing to the Steelers in the famous “Hail Mary” game, and I cried for what seemed like an eternity.

Through it all, Harbaugh earned the nickname of “Captain Comeback” and became my favorite football player. For several years, I thought he was the greatest player of all time. Why? Because I felt like I shared something special with him. I grew up with him. I liked him. I wanted him to be the best.

It wasn’t until I got a little older and started comparing him to other players that I realized what he was: an inspiring player, but a mediocre one at that.

Life is like that sometimes.

When we like a guy, he holds a higher place in our hearts, regardless of anything else that happens. No matter who else comes along — for me, it was Peyton Manning…who I wanted to trade halfway through his rookie year — that new player will never be as good as the guy we grew up with.

All that to say, 98% of you are not going to like what I have to say in this post.

That’s fine. I realize that while you read this, you will feel like I’m making a personal attack on you. It will seem like I’m criticizing someone that you shared something with, someone who was special to you.

Most likely, I will not change anyone’s mind. That’s the beauty of sports – we all have our opinions, and it takes a lot to change them. It won’t bother me in the least bit if you read through this column and disagree with me. Honestly, I’m not one of those writers who writes controversial pieces just to drive cheap traffic…after all, I spent two months researching a 2700-word piece about college sports that had 18 footnotes and almost nobody read. You don’t have to agree with me, or even like me, but just remember I’m not flooding your inbox or twitter account with death threats, insults, and meaningless hyperboles.

So let’s just get to it. Let’s rank the twenty greatest NBA Players of all time.

The Context

A few quick but important notes:

I will be ranking this as if I were a GM creating a team. Knowing everything that we know, who would I draft to start my team? This has two huge ramifications.

A) Peak matters, but so does longevity.

Bill Walton may have had the greatest individual season a center has ever had; the guy missed 24 games in 1978, and was still voted that season’s MVP. You could make a very compelling argument that his peak was greater than any other center’s peak. However, he was really only healthy for 2 1/2 years. Knowing all of this, would you draft him #1 in a fantasy draft? Absolutely not. Would you hope and pray that he slid to the 5th or 6th round and you could post some amazing stats for a short period of time? Of course. But you just need more from a guy you are building your team around. (Remember this when you are beating your face on the table while reading who I had at #3).

We will also have to extrapolate a little bit with some of the current stars. Of course, this is very subjective and impossible to do, but I will try to be as conservative as possible with the predictions.

B) Era matters.

You will see that my list is heavily weighted towards the current era.

I’m not trying to disrespect the older players, but please understand…how good would Bill Russell, an incredibly smart and athletic 6’9” center with a limited offensive game REALLY be in today’s NBA? I’m just not sure. At the end of the day, he has to make the list because of his competitive fire (maybe the greatest competitor ever), his number of rings (simply staggering), and his defensive abilities. But let’s just be honest: we are all mildly terrified that Dwight Howard would pick Russell up, shove him in his pocket, and run all over the court with him. Plus, Russell was playing in a league that was mainly white. Wouldn’t Zach Randolph average like 50 points a game in Europe? Let’s just move on before I start offending people.

Again, none of this is meant as an insult to the old generation. Many of these players accomplished a lot against their peers. Unfortunately, I just don’t know how many of them would be successful if you dropped them into another era.

C) Rings matter…but are not necessarily the ultimate trump card.

Basketball is a team sport. It either takes two superstars, or one superduperstar and great role players, to win a championship. Just because a guy like Charles Barkley never won a ring doesn’t mean he can’t make our top 20. His best teammate during his prime was Kevin Johnson. KEVIN JOHNSON!!!! Let’s give the guy a little bit of a break.

The Close-But-Nos

Players who didn’t make the list:

Karl Malone

The classic “very very very very good but never great” basketball player. Just look at his playoff record sometime before 1997 when all of the other good teams in the Western Conference were gone. Pretty lackluster. He almost makes the list because of his incredible longevity…but to me, you aren’t winning a championship with him as your best player.

David Robinson

Good at basketball, but cared more about being good at life. And that’s cool. I think he’s happy with how it all turned out for him.

Bill Walton

Not enough longevity.

Rick Barry

Maybe the worst teammate of all time. Go ahead and find one complimentary statement made about him from one of his peers. I dare you.

John Stockton

Maybe the most overrated player of all time. Switch him out with Derrick Rose on the Bulls this year. So they win 60 games? 50? 45? Are they a playoff team?

Bob Petit

How good would he be today? Would he even be Tyler Hansbrough? Maybe. We just can’t be sure.

Bob Cousy

He revolutionized the PG position, and we should all be grateful. But see Petit, Bob.

Chris Paul

Probably shouldn’t even be on this list, but I’ve never seen anyone play the point guard position as well, and if his knee isn’t permanently screwed up, he will most definitely crack this list.

Julius Erving

Played too much of his prime in the ABA against players that weren’t allowed to play defense on him because he was too valuable. Only won one ring in the NBA, and he wasn’t his team’s best player.

Elgin Baylor

The hardest guy to leave off this list. Unfortunately, he never won a ring, and may have just played at the wrong time.

John Havlichek

One of the greatest competitors of all time – it’s just hard to project wing players that don’t really shoot into the league right now. Would he be an outstanding defender? Yes. Would he be a team leader? Of course. Maybe he’s Shawn Marion, maybe he’s pre-crazy Ron Artest. I’m not sure.

And now onto the top 20.

The Top 20 NBA Players of All-Tme

#20 Dwyane Wade

We have no idea how Wade’s career will go from this point on. In my opinion, he is the fourth greatest shooting guard of all time behind Jordan, Bryant, and Jerry West. To be honest, his ranking on this list will ultimately come down to longevity.

His 2006 Finals ranks among the greatest performances in history. He is clutch. He’s a great defender. He’s a fantastic finisher at the rim. Even if he only plays for another five seasons, he will have played for 13 years, with 12 of them being quality.

He will have had the skill, the competitive fire, the ring(s), and longevity you want from your shooting guard.

With any luck, he will pass up the Logo and finish as the third greatest SG of all time.

#19 Kevin Garnett

His career will forever be hard to truly evaluate because he was stuck on incredibly awful teams for so long in Minnesota. Regardless, he goes down in history as one of the greatest defenders of all time, one of the best passers for his position, and an awesome teammate.

You could probably make the case that he was better suited to be a second banana as opposed to the main guy. This all comes back to his willingness to settle for jumpers instead of going to the basket late in games.

However, he finishes ahead of Malone because of his championship in 2008, and ahead of Baylor because of his longevity (13 quality years and counting compared to just 10 for Elgin).

#18 LeBron James

I’ll keep this quick.

There has never been a better time to hate on LeBron, and much of what you say could be correct. However, no one on this list has more upside (and really, it’s incredible that we can still say that, 8 years into a guy’s career) and even if he plays just another six years, he will finish with some of the greatest stats of all time (and most likely, at least one ring).

Obviously, if he never wins a ring, things will change. But even so, you will be hard-pressed to find a player that does more things well than King James.

#17 Charles Barkley

I’ll just leave this anecdote from Sir Charles himself, courtesy of the B.S. Report from May 19.

“Until Game 2 of 1993, I thought I was better than Michael Jordan. We lost Game 1 because we were scared of the moment, but I went home after that night and told my daughter that we were going to win Game 2 because her father was the greatest basketball player in the world. I went out that night and scored like 47 points, but Jordan scored 53 and beat us.

“That night, I went home, and my daughter was crying. She asked me what happened, and I realized at that point, that Michael Jordan was just better than me.”

So sad. But sometimes, those are just the breaks. Unfortunately for Charles, he played against one of the greatest players of ever, who also happened to have Scottie Pippen on his team.

Fortunately for us, we had the privilege of watching the greatest rebounder ever (pound for pound), one of the most exciting players in the open court, and #17 on our list of all-time greats.

Full Disclosure: Was this pick perhaps slightly influenced by the fact that Barkley is the greatest color commentator in NBA history? Possibly. I’m ok with that.

#16 Scottie Pippen

I know what most of you are thinking:

“The guy rode Jordan’s coattails for his entire career.”
“He cried on the bench while Toni Kukoc made the winning shot in a playoff game.”
“This guy’s an idiot…he doesn’t even like John Stockton!”

Here’s what I know.

• Michael Jordan didn’t win a single playoff series until Scottie Pippen arrived in Chicago.
• Pippen is the greatest wing defender of all-time (I will argue this to the death…he could defend and shut down four positions, and the Bulls would have lost the 1991 Finals if he hadn’t switched over to guard Magic).
• Until LeBron accomplished it in 2010, Scottie was the only player ever to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals for an entire season in 1994.
• Chuck Daly called Pippen the second best player on the Dream Team…behind you know who. By the way, that team included Magic, Bird, Clyde, Malone, Barkley, Robinson, Ewing, and Mullin. Pretty nice compliment if you ask me.
• After the Bulls won the title in 1993 and Jordan left to play baseball, Pippen played out of his mind and the net effect on the team was a swing of two games. Be honest, that stunned you. You would have thought the loss of Jordan would have affected the Bulls a lot more, right?

Michael Jordan was easily the best guard of the 90s, but to be fair, Scottie was pretty easily the second best. Of course, Scottie benefited from Jordan, but you could make just as compelling of a case that Jordan would not be who he was without Scottie.

I’ll just let long-time teammate Ron Harper finish this point for me.

“Everybody talks about MJ first, but Pip had a more all-around game. Defense, offensive rebounds, and defensive boards: Pip made the game easier for all of us to play.”

#15 Dirk Nowitzki

My, how the tables have turned. Dirk has gone from “soft European star” to “America’s favorite golden boy.”

It’s hard to really pinpoint where Dirk deserves to be on this list. But at this point, he deserves to be ahead of Barkley, Malone, Garnett, and all of the other PFs not named Tim Duncan for the following reasons:

• His fadeaway is the second most unstoppable move of all-time (behind the Sky Hook).
• Not many other players have been unstoppable in crunch time as Dirk, and he cemented this for us in the 2011 Playoffs.
• Offensively, he simply has no holes. He’s a willing passer, incredibly unselfish, and not only the best shooting 7-footer of all time, but one of the best five shooters of all time.
• He’s led the Mavericks to the playoffs nearly every year since he’s been there, and deep into the playoffs consistently as well. While battling against Kobe, KG, Duncan, and Shaq (four of the other guys in our top 20), he’s more than held his own. Quite frankly, he’s a winner.

At this point, he’s played for 13 years, and 11 of them have been quality. A player like Dirk could easily play another five to seven years, even if he was just a rich man’s Sam Perkins late in his career. Give me a minimum 13 great years from a 7-footer who just wins any day of the week.

#14  Moses Malone

Even though he couldn’t speak English (Fo-fo-fo), Moses was probably the greatest rebounder of all-time.  Maybe he only did one thing really well, but he did that one thing better than most other players did any one thing.

In a league that had Kareem and Magic, as well as Larry, McHale, and Parish on the same teams in their primes, Moses led his team to a title…convincingly.  He comes in at Fo-teen on our list, and might even wear the title as most underrated player of all-time.

#13  Oscar Robertson

I’m torn on the Big O.  He averaged a triple-double for an entire season.  But how many 6’5, athletic guards would have done the same thing in a league that had the unspoken rule of “only two black players are allowed on each team?”  Would a healthy Brandon Roy have done that?  Would Jordan have averaged 70 points?  What could Vince Carter have accomplished?  Ok…I won’t get carried away.

Robertson makes it to #13 based on reputation, but to be honest, I would have had no problems leaving him off this list entirely.

#12  Isiah Thomas

You probably think Isiah is too high for one of three reasons:  A: You don’t like him as a person (he was probably the most unlikeable star of the 80s);  B: You remember his career after he stopped playing (he was probably the worst GM/Coach of all time); or C: You just forgot about him.

Again, let’s look at some of the things that we do know.

• In 1990, this was the argument: Who is better, Magic, Bird, or Isiah?  To be honest, Michael Jordan wasn’t even in the conversation yet.
• At 6’1” (if he was lucky), Isiah is easily the smallest person on our list, and yet he won two titles in the most competitive era of basketball in NBA history.
• He beat Bird, McHale, Parrish, and Dennis Johnson, as well as Magic, Kareem, and Worthy while they were in their primes.  Michael and Scottie cannot make that claim.
• He goes down as the greatest pure point guard of all time – a guy who could get his entire team involved for 44 minutes, and then take over the last 4.

Sure, he is an unlikeable guy, and he was a terrible GM.  But Isiah Thomas could ball, and that’s what we are drafting for our team: the player, not the retired legend.

#11 Wilt Chamberlain

The hardest guy on this list to place.  He put up the most mind-boggling stats in NBA history, but again, wouldn’t D-Howard, Shaq, Hakeem, Robinson, etc. put up equal stats in a league that was small and white?

In the end, Wilt just doesn’t seem like he was a winner.  He only won two championships, and only one of those came on a team where he was the best player.

#10  Shaquille O’Neal

When he wanted it, he was the most dominant player I have ever seen.  Unfortunately, he only wanted it for like two and a half seasons.  Fortunately for him, he was still good enough to win four titles, even though he wasn’t really giving 100% for two of those teams.

I take him over Wilt because of his four rings, humorous personality, and sweet nicknames.  If he had ever worked for it, he could have been a top 3 player of all time.  I think Shaq is ok with how it all turned out though.  He will have to settle for being #10 and the most likeable superstar of the 00s.

#9 Hakeem Olajuwan

I have four reasons for why Hakeem should be ranked ahead of Wilt and Shaq.

1. “The Dream Shake.”  Nobody has ever been smoother at the center position, and we will probably never see another player like him.
2. He absolutely dismantled all of his rivals in the 90s – Robinson, Ewing, and Baby Shaq.  Shaq couldn’t do that, and Wilt definitely didn’t do that.
3. “Stocks.”  Bill Simmons blew this out in his book, but if you combined steals and blocks into one category called “stocks,” nobody has ever come close to the crazy stats the Dream put up.  Only one player in history has over 5900 stocks, and it’s the Dream at 5992.  Oh, and nobody else has more than 5500…or 5000…or 4500.  Yep, nobody has ever come close to Hakeem’s unbelievable defensive numbers.
4. He played for 18 years, and 14 of them were quality.  His longevity is, simply, unmatched when it comes to franchise centers.

This is getting a little tedious, so let’s just bang out the next few guys with one or two sentences.

#8 Jerry West

The Logo is still the only player in NBA History to be voted the NBA Finals MVP on a losing team.  Dude could ball, and if he was a Celtic instead of a Laker, he would probably be higher on this list.

#7 Tim Duncan

The greatest power forward of all time won as many rings as Shaq, and was a more complete player for the entirety of his career.

#6  Bill Russell

See my previous thoughts on Russell. To be honest, I’m not sure I would really draft him ahead of Tim Duncan for my team in today’s world, but the guy deserves to at least be ranked as high as his number.

#5  Larry Bird

Larry Legend was the most intelligent player in NBA History, as well as one of its fiercest competitors and most clutch finishers.  Plus, he’s from Indiana; he has to be this high.

#4  Magic Johnson

Finishes ahead of Larry because of the number of rings (5 to 3) and his longevity (12 quality years compared to 10).

#3 Michael Jordan

#2 Kobe Bryant

#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Please let me give my reasons before you flood my (and my editor’s) inbox with rude comments.

First of all,

Michael Jordan is easily the most universally liked person of the three.  According to most people, Kareem was “some Muslim activist” and Kobe is a “6 for 24 shooting adulterer.”

Personally, I have no idea why Jordan is universally loved more than the other guys.  The guy is addicted to gambling, has had more affairs than any other athlete not named Tiger Woods, and allegedly punched teammates in practice for not trying hard enough.  He gave a nearly hour long, vindictive Hall of Fame speech where he basically admitted that he had respect for nobody, and he even told his son he felt bad for him because he could never live up to his old man.  Michael Jordan is not a good guy by any definition…but everyone loves him anyway.  That’s fine.

Let’s try to put aside personalities for a minute though and really judge these guys as players.

Secondly,

Jordan won all of his titles from 1991 to 1998, the second weakest era in NBA History.

The weakest era coincided with the ABA, when all the good players were split in half, making both leagues weaker. But 1991 to 1998 was almost equally as poor. Don’t believe me? Let me throw this at you.

From 1991 to 1998, Michael Jordan only beat ONE team that had another top 20 player in his prime – the 1993 Phoenix Suns.  Past that, he only beat one other team that had another top 20 player at all…the 1991 Lakers.  When you take into account the fact that Jordan was also playing with Scottie Pippen (maybe he’s not #15 on your list, but you can’t argue that there was another guard as good in the decade), it’s not surprising in the least bit that Jordan won six rings.  Looking back on it now, the Knicks were overrated (Ewing was soft, and who was guarding Jordan…6’2” John Starks?  Please), the Lakers were old, the Blazers, Suns, and Sonics were just not as good, and the Jazz excelled at choking.

So who did Jordan really beat during that time?

Expansion had weakened the NBA to a certain extent.  Magic, Bird, Isiah, Kareem, and Moses were all washed up.  The “too much too soon” era was also in full force, as guys like Glenn Robinson, Chris Webber, Derrick Coleman, and others were given unbelievably bogus contracts that caused them to stop working and waste their potential.  Shaq and Penny were too young and immature.  Payton and Kemp only got along for like one year.  Hakeem didn’t have good enough players outside of ’94-’95.  Jordan only really had to beat three peers: Clyde, Barkley, and Malone.  And none of their second best players even came close to Scottie Pippen.  In fact, none of them really compared to Scottie.

On the other hand, Kobe had to battle against Duncan, Dirk, and KG every single season in his own conference! Meanwhile, Kareem had to beat individual teams that had Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Bill Walton, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge on them.

Listen, I’m not going to sit here and make comments like, “Jordan never would have won anything unless all the other greats retired and the league wasn’t so weak.”  But the fact is that Jordan never DID win anything until all the other greats retired and the league was weaker.

You can argue that Jordan would have been great in any era, and that he was so competitive he would have won championships against anyone.  The fact is, though, that he didn’t.

Thirdly,

Of the three players, Jordan by far had the shortest reign.

If you take out 1986 (the year he got hurt), ’94 and ’95 (the years he played baseball), and everything after 1998, that leaves us with a total of eleven quality years of basketball for Air Jordan.  Now I will be the first to admit that those eleven years may be better than Kobe’s best eleven years, or Kareem’s best eleven years.  But when it comes to an entire career, those eleven years better be enough better to overcome the longevity of the other two.

I just don’t think that’s true in this scenario.

Kareem played for a startling 20 seasons, and was an All-Star for 15 of those years.  He won six rings, just like Jordan, and in the words of Bill Simmons, nobody in NBA History can approach the next two lines:

Kareem, 1971: 27-19-3, 61% FG, Finals MVP

Kareem, 1985: 26-9-5, 61% FG, Finals MVP

If I’m building a team, I would take 20 years of a 7’3” big man with the most unstoppable scoring move of all time over 11 transcendent years from a SG who never actually beat anyone of note.

Photo source: RHF Collective

As for Kobe, the argument is a little tougher, but I stand by it.

Jordan’s stats are a little better.  While the caliber of athlete he was playing against was laughable compared to Kobe’s era (just imagine how many points Kobe would score if he was guarded by Jeff Hornacek in back-to-back NBA Finals’), Kobe’s era is much more conducive to scoring (just imagine how many points Jordan would score in a league that’s not allowed to hand check), so nobody really had a clear advantage, and Jordan wins the stats argument.

At this point, Kobe’s played for 15 years (just like Jordan), but 14 of them have been quality.  It’s hard to say how many he has left, but at 33, he could easily have anywhere from 2 to 5 more seasons left with 2 or 3 of them being quality.  He’s won one less ring, but he’s had to beat at least one of the guys on this list in every single one of his championship seasons.

It’s an incredibly tough choice.  Do I take the guy with a slightly higher peak, or the guy that gives me greatness for a longer stretch of time?  In the end, I would take Kobe’s career over Jordan’s peak.

Obviously, you would be happy to have any of the guys in the top three.  All three guys lucked out with teammates to a certain extent.  Kareem had Magic – the best teammate of the three – for five of his titles, but he also beat teams that were much more stacked than Kobe and Jordan.  Kobe had Shaq and then Pau for his five rings.  And Jordan had Scottie for all six of his.

However, because Kareem and Kobe had to do it against harder competition, and because their careers were longer than Jordan’s, they finish ahead of Air…even if I’m the only guy who thinks so.

Commence vitriolic anger…NOW!

The comment section awaits.

**********

Seriously, I’d love to hash this out further with anyone that’s interested. If you prefer to express your opinions privately, you’re welcome to e-mail me directly at jwtwitch@gmail.com, though we encourage you to comment publicly so everyone can enjoy the debate.

* – Jim Harbaugh photo source: My350Z.com

* – Scottie Pippen photo source: NBA.com

* – Hakeem Olajuwon photo source: Ultimate Youth Basketball Guide

* – Michael Jordan photo source: Promethean Times

* – Kobe Bryant photo credit: Getty Images via Zimbio

Before this season, Dirk was considered “too soft” or too much of a “loser” to be included among the upper tier NBA greats. Yet, as Dirk carried his Mavs from one round to the next, vanquishing favored foes and outdated opinions every step of the way, his place in NBA history seemed to skyrocket upwards.

Off site, several MSF writers began debating where Dirk placed among the top 20 NBA players of all-time. We decided that there was only one fair way to determine it: have everyone in the debate submit their top 20 players of all-time, and let’s see what the aggregate opinion turned out to be.

Here are the results:

MSF Writers’ Top 20 NBA Players of All-Time

Honorable mention: Bob Cousy, Elvin Hayes (97 points), Scottie Pippen (99), Patrick Ewing (24), Rick Barry, LeBron James, Clyde Drexler (101), John Stockton (102), Kevin Garnett, David Robinson (103), Dwyane Wade, Robert Parish (104)

Here is how the points worked:

• Five MSF writers submitted their top 20 list: Jon Washburn, Brandon Onda, Chris Callaway, Kevin Luljak, and Josh Tinley
• Each player was given points based on where they fell on each list; #1 received 1 point, #2 received 2 points, and so on.
• If a player did not appear on a list, he was given a value of 21 points for that list.
• The total points were then added up and the players were ranked from fewest points to most.

Since assessing Dirk’s place in history was the original goal for this project, let’s highlight his placement first.

Dirk came in tied for 15th with Dr. J, Julius Erving. They are right behind John Havlicek and right above Karl Malone. Personally, I think that sounds about right.

What do you think? Is 15th too high or too low for Dirk?

Here are the individual writers’ rankings and their explanations:

Josh Tinley:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlain
4. Kareem Abdul Jabbar
5. Earvin Johnson
6. Larry Bird
7. Kobe Bryant
8. Tim Duncan
9. Oscar Robertson
10. Shaquille O’Neal
11. Moses Malone
12. Hakeem Olajuwon
13. Bob Cousy
14. Jerry West
15. John Havlicek
16. Julius Erving
17. Rick Barry
18. Dirk Nowitzki
19. Karl Malone
20. Charles Barkley

I feel confident about my top 9, both that they are the best nine players in NBA history and that they are in the correct order.

Players 10 through 12 could fall in any order. I gave Shaq the edge because of his four rings and three Finals MVPs. Moses gets a slight edge over Hakeem thanks to his three MVPs and longevity. After Jerry West, everything gets muddy. I gave preference to players with titles, which is why Hondo (with 8) ranks above the rest, why Malone and Barkley are behind Dirk, and why Elgin Baylor is sitting at 21 or 22.

The most difficult part of putting together this list was ranking players whose careers ended before I was born. Bob Cousy was the toughest player to place. Cooz won 6 championships (“That’s the only argument I need, Shawn”) and was first-team All NBA for 10 consecutive years. The knock against Cousy is that he never won a title without Bill Russell. (You’ll notice that Scottie Pippen isn’t on this list; he’s fighting with Baylor for #21.) But Cousy was the league MVP in 1957, the Celtics’ first championship year (and Russell’s first year in the NBA). He also created the point guard position as we know it today. (Or so I’ve been told. I wasn’t there to see for myself.)

If the NBA insists on referring to what happened 35 years ago as a merger, and not a four-team expansion, then players’ ABA careers have to count. Thus Dr. J and Rick Barry both make the list. Barry especially feels a bit high. The 17th-best player in history shouldn’t change teams as frequently as Barry did. And the advanced metrics do him no favors. (#44 all time in PER; #62 in win shares per 48 minutes.) But Barry gets credit for winning titles in both leagues and leading a Warriors team with marginal talent to a four-game sweep of the Washington Bullets (led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes) in the 1975 Finals. Barry also made 5 All-NBA First Teams (as many as Barkley and one more than Dirk) and 4 All-ABA First Teams.

Jon Washburn:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Michael Jordan
4. Magic Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Bill Russell
7. Tim Duncan
8. Jerry West
9. Shaquille O’Neal
10. Wilt Chamberlain
11. Hakeem Olajuwan
12. Isiah Thomas
13. Oscar Robertson
14. Moses Malone
15. Dirk Nowitzki
16. Scottie Pippen
17. Charles Barkley
18. LeBron James
19. Kevin Garnett
20. Dwyane Wade

Editor’s note: I immediately balked at Jon’s list because he *gasp* does not have MJ at #1, so I asked for his explanation. Here it is:

Kareem: 20 years, 18 quality.
Kobe: 15 years and counting, 13 quality and counting.
Jordan: 15 years, 11 quality. (Broken foot in 86, comeback year in 95, both Wizards seasons.)

Don’t worry, I will make the argument (in a future post) that Jordan’s PEAK was higher than anyone’s…but Kareem and Kobe had better CAREERS.

If u are starting a team, and u have the first overall pick, who do u take?

• A center who will be the greatest scorer of all time, win 6 rings (3 basically by himself), and play for the next 20 straight years.
• A SG whose peak is unmatched, but will leave the team in 2 years during his absolute prime (and oh, by the way, he only beat ONE transcendent star while that star was in his prime).
• Or a SG that gives u 95% of the second guy, but gives u (at least) 3 more quality years, never leaves ur team high and dry, and wins only one less title in a FAR MORE competitive era.

Lots of people (including you) might still take Jordan, and I’m cool with that. I just think we should measure someone’s entire career, rather than pull out 6 years during the weakest era in NBA history when a player may have had the second best player in the league as well as the greatest coach of all time on his own team.

Brandon Onda:

Click here to see Brandon’s list, which was posted last week.

Chris Callaway:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Larry Bird
4. Magic Johnson
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Wilt Chamberlain
7. Oscar Robertson
8. Tim Duncan
9. Jerry West
10. Shaquille O’Neal
11. Hakeem Olajuwon
12. Moses Malone
13. Kobe Bryant
14. John Havlicek
15. Julius Erving
16. Dirk Nowitzki
17. Elgin Baylor
18. Karl Malone
19. Charles Barkley
20. LeBron James

After this years finals, Dirk Nowitzki deserves to break free from the “Best Players to Never Win a Championship” group, but I think he still sits at the bottom of the “Best Players Ever” group.  Dr. J, Moses Malone, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson are the only players above him to only won one title, and yeah, they are pretty good. I think this is as far as Dirk will ever move up a list like this, as I don’t see the Mavs winning any more titles with him. He will inevitably get passed by the likes of Dwyane Wade and LeBron if the Heat can win not 1, not 2, not 3…titles, which I think will unfortunately happen.

As for the top of the list, I think it’s fairly hard to go against Jordan and Russell 1-2. Russell may have more titles, but c’mon, it’s MJ. I like Bird over Magic and Kareem, as I think Bird was the better player whose body broke down too soon. Havlicek and West had brilliant careers, but if Kobe can find a way to win one more title, I think he vaults all the way up to #7.

Kevin Luljak:

Kevin definitely had the most unique picks. It will be coming soon as its own post…

So…we showed you ours; now show us yours. What does your list of the top 20 NBA players ever look like? Chime in below.

Editor’s note: We are currently preparing an article that analyzes the best of the best in NBA history, based on the thoughts and feelings of our staff here at MSF. The original goal was to see where Dirk falls in our top 20, or if he even makes it at all.

Earlier this week, Evan regaled you with his personal top 20 players from the last 15 years. Today, Brandon widens the scope a little bit and provides his personal top 20 of all-time, with explanation for each choice.

After hearing countless opinions about Dirk Nowitizki all-time ranking from NBA personnel, MSF writer Josh Tinley wanted to know where the MSF staff would rank Dirk among the all-time greats.  I thought this was a great idea and I decided to jump at the opportunity.

So, here is my list of the top twenty players in NBA history, revealed in reverse order.  Feel free to post a comment telling me what you think.

20. Scottie Pippen

I might have Scottie ranked higher than most people, but his terrific defense, constant offense, championship rings, and being the best second fiddle of all-time set him apart from someone like Julius Erving or David Robinson.

I know you might be saying, “Whoa, wait, how could a sec0nd fiddle be better than Dr. J and David Robinson? During their primes they were top 5 players in the NBA and the best players on their respective teams.  Scottie was only the best player on his team when Jordan left.” Fair point, but when Erving and Robinson won championships they were second fiddles too!  On that ’83 Sixers team Moses Malone was their best player and in ’99 and ’03 Tim Duncan was the best player on the Spurs.

Another reason why Scottie cracks my top twenty list is that he might be the best small forward defender ever.  If you had an all-time defensive starting lineup he would be your small forward hands down.  He was also one of the most complete players ever.  He brought offense, defense, rebounding, passing, and even became a better three-point shooter later in his career.  Plus, in the ’93-’94 season without Jordan he came in 3rd in MVP voting, made 1st team All-NBA, 1st team All-Defense, and led a Bulls team to 55 wins when their three next best players were Horace Grant, B.J Armstrong, and Toni Kukoc.  Seems worthy of being in the top twenty in my book.

19. Charles Barkley

19th?!? Who was the knucklehead who made up list?

Charles was a one of kind player.  We will probably never see another 6-5 power forward dominate like he did.  He was surprisingly quick for his size and was a superb rebounder.  In the open floor Chuck was impossible to stop; his  combination of size and power and the willingness to throw it down on any opponent was amazing to watch.  Although Chuck never won a ring, at least he had the killer instinct that some stars like Chris Webber didn’t have.

The biggest reason why Charles isn’t ranked higher is because he somewhat wasted his talent by constantly being overweight and out of shape later in his career, which led to many of his injuries.  If Chuck wanted a ring so badly he should have spent his offseasons in the gym instead of the Las Vegas buffet lines.

18. Isiah Thomas

Isiah Thomas could do everything you want your point guard to do: get everyone involved, dribble well, drive to the hole, be a great defender, be a leader, be mentally and phsycially tough. The only flaw in his game was that he was a poor shooter and took to many threes.  The reason why I put Isiah ahead of Barkley and Pippen is because he was the best player on a championship team twice.

17. Karl Malone

Karl Malone was one of the best regular season players ever, but not in the postseason, where the Mailman didn’t always deliver.  In Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals Malone missed two huge free throws that would have given Utah the lead, and in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals he had the infamous turnover that led to Jordan’s famous shot over Bryon Russell.

But even though Karl struggled in the postseason, you have to give Malone some credit for being one of the best regular season players ever.  He was a two-time MVP, he had 11 straight years when he scored more than 2,000 points, was a three-time 1st team All-Defense selection, and he had great work ethic.  Karl was always in shape throughout his career, which was why he only missed five games from his rookie season in 1985 to 1998.

16. Elgin Baylor

Elgin was one of the greatest forwards of all-time.  He was a great scorer and rebounder and was probably the best athlete throughout the 60s.  Also, because Elgin was one of the early great black players, he had to deal with so much racism and ridicule from fans, which no one today would be able to relate to.  But the reason why he doesn’t crack the top 15 is he never won a title.

15. Dirk Nowitzki

After this year’s postseason, Dirk has increased his all-time ranking by leaps and bounds.  He had a bad reputation as a soft player who folded at crunch time, but not anymore.   

Over the pass few seasons Dirk has gotten much tougher in the paint and has proven he’s uber-clutch too.  People think when Dirk shoots an 8-15 foot fade way he is being soft, but I disagree.  He has a better chance of make an 8-15 foot step back then lowering his shoulder and trying to drive through his defender.  So why risk injuries and getting beaten up in the post when he doesn’t have to?

As most of you saw in this year’s NBA Finals, Dirk got it done in big moments while LeBron James and Dwyane Wade didn’t.  He also proved his toughness by grabbing some tough rebounds at the end of games too.

Other reasons why Dirk should be rank this high is he is the best shooting power forward ever and he might be one of the top 5 most unguardable players also.  He has one of the most unblockable and unguardable shots too, MSF writer Jon Washburn said Dirk fade away is the second most unstoppable shot and I totally agree.  Good news for Dirk is he has a great chance of increasing his all-time rank if he keeps up his incredible play.

14. Moses Malone

Moses Malone was one of the greatest rebounders ever and certainly the greatest offensive rebounder ever.  Moses led the NBA in offensive rebounds eight times during his career and averaged seven offensive boards a game twice during his career.  People forget how crucial and momentum shifting offensive rebounds can be.  Remember in Game 6 of the 2011 Finals when Dallas seemed to get every offensive rebound in the last five minutes?  That really helped the Mavs clinch the series.  Moses also scored over 29,000 points and grabbed over 17,500 rebounds during his career.

13. John Havlicek

John Havlicek is probably one of the most underrated players of all-time.  He was 8-0 in the NBA Finals, played his best during the biggest moments, great on offense and defense, and played an incredible amount of minutes.  He twice led the NBA in minutes played and in those two seasons he averaged 45 minutes a game!  Plus during the 1969 playoffs, he average 47.2 minutes a game throughout 18 postseason games.  Great scorer, superb defender, played huge minutes, clutch, and most importantly a champion.  Yeah, John Havlicek could do it all.

12. Jerry West

Zeke from Cabin Creek comes in twelfth on my list.  West had one of the prettiest jumpers the league has ever seen and was a very fundamental player.  Unfortunately Jerry West had some bad luck throughout his career.  He was constantly matched up against the great Celtics teams in the NBA Finals so he never won multiple titles.

11. Oscar Robertson

You can make a case that West is better than Robertson and vice versa but I am going with Robertson over West mainly because his statistics are much better than West’s.  He scored more points than West; he had more boards and assist than West too.  Plus, as all of you know in the 61-62 season he averaged a triple double.  Yes, I understand that Oscar played in an era which shots and rebounds were much more frequent in the NBA than they are now but still averaging a triple double is still remarkable.  In my opinion Oscar was a more complete player then West.

10. Shaquille O’Neal

One of the most dominating presences the NBA has ever seen on and off the court.  Shaq’s huge body and great touch around the basket made him a impossible match up for any team.  And his hilarious quotes and hi-jinks made him a fan favorite.

The problem with Shaq that most people forget was drama always seem to follow him whenever another superstar on his team threaten to steal his spot as the team’s best player.  He had issues with Penny Hardaway in Orlando, everyone knows he and Kobe had their problems, and he didn’t leave Miami on the best of terms.  But, off the court issues shouldn’t take away from how great a player he was.

It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t put that petty stuff behind him because the Lakers would have won more titles and we would be debating if the Kobe/Shaq Lakers dynasty was better than Jordan’s Bulls and Russell’s Celtics.

9. Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem had some of the best low post moves of any center of all-time.  Very few 7 footers had the tremendous footwork and athleticism that Hakeem had.  He was also a great shot blocker; he is first in career blocks with 3,830.

Hakeem’s Rockets won the NBA Finals in 94 and 95.  Now some people think that these titles weren’t as special because Jordan wasn’t in the league to face them in the Finals.  As many of you know in ’94 Jordan was out of the league and in ’95 Jordan only played 17 regular season games and was still shaking the baseball rust during the playoffs.  But, I disagree with that idea because during ’94 to ’95 people knew Michael was struggling at baseball and he would eventually return to the NBA.  Hakeem took advantage of this chance to win two titles when Jordan was out of the league while other ring less superstars like Malone, Stockton, Barkley, Robinson, Ewing, and Miller lost their best opportunity to grab their ring.

The reason why I have Hakeem over Shaq is because Hakeem had a much worst supporting cast than Shaq.  Hakeem never played with anyone as good as Kobe Bryant or Dywane Wade.  Who was the best player that Hakeem played with during his career?  Fat Charles Barkley? Just past-his-prime Clyde Drexler? Kenny Smith? Ralph Sampson?  Also, during that 94-95 span Hakeem beat Barkley, Malone, Ewing, Malone (again), Barkley (again), murdered Robinson, and Shaq.  While from 00-02 and 06 Shaq lucked out and faced past his prime Rik Smits, Mutombo, Todd MacCulloch, and Erick Dampier.  Hakeem had a lot less than Shaq. but did almost as much.

8. Tim Duncan

The two times NBA MVP comes in eighth on my list.  Tim Duncan had a very simple repertoire of post moves that consisted of jump hooks, up and unders, and bank shots.  Although boring and basic they were very effective

Tim’s career is pretty similar to Hakeem’s.  Both where very durable players, both were skilled on offense and defense, and both never had great teammates.  Sure, Manu and Tony are good but their not Hall of Famers and although David Robinson was great, he was past his prime when Tim got there.  Tim gets the upper hand over Hakeem because he has won more titles and more MVPs.

7. Kobe Bryant

After watching this year’s Playoffs it appears that Kobe Bryant might be slowing down.  He doesn’t have the quickness he used to have and he is relying on his jumper to score more of his points instead of driving to the basket like he used too.  He’s only averaged 22 points this season, his lowest average since the 2000 postseason.

Kobe has all the accolades for a top ten player; he has won five NBA Finals and is a NBA MVP.  Fans and analyst don’t always like his bad-tempered attitude to teammates and coaches, but I kind of like it.  Sure his douchy attitude caused Shaq to leave.  But, Kobe is the leader on his team and if that means being a dick to his teammates so he can get them to play better then so be it.  He’s there to win basketball games not make friends.

6. Wilt Chamberlain

It was to bad that Wilt never grasped the idea of being a team player because he would of won more titles, beaten Russell more often, and perhaps basketball experts would call him a better player than Russell.  Wilt, by most accounts was more talented than Russell, but Russell wanted it more and did a better job playing with his teammates.

Even though Wilt had some troubles with his teammates and coaches on the court his stats are still astounding.  He was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer before Kareem dethroned him, everyone knows that he once scored 100 points in a game, and in the 1961-1962 season he averaged 50 points and 25 boards.  

5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer comes in fifth on my list.  Blessed with an unstoppable sky hook, Kareem was able to score massive points and play till he was 41.  Kareem also was a good defender, he led the NBA in blocks four times and he made the NBA’s first All-Defensive team five times.  He was a six time champion and he was willing to pass the torch to Magic when he started to become the alpha-dog on the Lakers.  Also, he had one of the funniest scene in the movie Airplane!

4. Larry Bird

Larry could shoot the ball from anywhere on the court, he was an excellent passer, he was a great rebounder even though he couldn’t jump, and he could pass too.  Larry also won three MVP’s and was a three time NBA Finals champion.  Bird was also a solid defender before he got to old.

3. Magic Johnson

I went with Magic over Bird because Magic was slight better at getting his teammates involved than Bird and he won more titles than Bird.  Although, Larry was a better scorer than Magic I am still sticking with Magic.

Magic was the best passer the NBA has ever seen.  Magic was a master showman and nobody ran the fastbreak better than Magic.  Magic won four NBA titles during his career, beating Bird’s Celtics twice.  He was a three time MVP and in the 1981-1982 season he nearly finished with a triple-double (18.6-9.6-9.5).

2. Bill Russell

Eleven time NBA Finals champion Bill Russell comes in second on my list.  Bill Russell was the leader of the Celtics dynasty during the the 60′s.  During that time Russell constantly beat all-time greats like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Bob Pettit  in the postseason. That’s why he is ranked above all of those players on my list

Back when Russell played they didn’t keep track blocks so we will never know how shots that Russell swatted.  But everyone knows that he was a feared defender throughout his career.  Russell also was a team player and gave everything he had every game.

1. Michael Jordan

Michael was simply the best. Fans and experts are better debating who would come in second.

Editor’s note: We are currently preparing an article in which a number of MSF writers submitted their top 20 NBA players of all-time. The goal is to see where Dirk falls in the top 20, or if he even makes it at all. Evan decided to narrow his scope a bit and go with the top 20 players of his lifetime. So we are posting his article first, with the mega top 20 article to come. Stay tuned…

Also note that Evan is 22 and says that he really started watching the NBA during the 1997-98 season.

It’s top-20 NBA Players mania around here right now, all thanks to Dirk Nowitzki’s superstar performance in earning his first ring this month. Everyone from announcers to journalists to bloggers are saying Dirk has hit legendary status, maybe even top 20 of all time. I think that sounds a tad high for Dirk, but he now has some serious hardware to reasonably back up the claim to a top-20 spot.

For my own part, I have always thought that the NBA MVP award was the most meaningful of any of the four major sports. Scan the list and you’ll notice every single winner is a Hall of Famer or well on his way to being enshrined. Dirk has his MVP award, he has his Finals MVP award, and most importantly he has his ring.

But is he on par with Larry Bird? Or is that just the most racially convenient historical comparison bandied by most experts?

Honestly, I don’t really know because I never actually saw Larry Bird play. But I have seen plenty of other great players, so for my Top-20 NBA Players list, I decided to restrict myself to those guys I’ve actually seen play. Here is my list with some highly subjective choices, some no doubters, and perhaps one begrudgingly included sharpshooter who burned my New York Knicks many years ago.

In no logical order:

Michael Jordan

Any all-time list has to start with Jordan, for better or for worse. It is incredibly hackneyed, yes, but I make my choice having seen Jordan take down two very good Utah Jazz teams, walk away from the NBA for a second time, then make a much hyped and ultimately unfulfilling comeback with the Washington Wizards.

I went to college in DC and I can tell you that Wizards fans still speak in hushed tones about the time they saw Jordan striding through the halls of the then-MCI Center. Even at 70%, Jordan was still the best of all time, and everyone knew it – remember Vince Carter giving up his starting spot on the 2003 All Star squad?

Vince Carter

Speaking of Vince, would any other player have really given up a starting spot on the All Star team for an aging legend? That act seems to encapsulate Carter’s career: he just didn’t care enough to be a winner. He attended UNC graduation the morning of Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the 76ers and then missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the Raptors to the Conference Finals.

We as sports fans love to make assumptions about players character or mental makeup, especially for guys that just don’t seem to care that much. It is maybe the most frustrating ascribed personality trait, since fans care so much about sports that they simply cannot fathom a player not giving 100 percent every time they hit the floor.

But damn it if Vince couldn’t dunk with the best of them.

Allen Iverson

Question: who was the player burning up Vince Carter’s Raptors during the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals? Answer: The Answer.

I remember rocking the Reebok I3 sneakers while trying out for my middle school basketball team, trying to cross over just like Iverson. Definitely the coolest NBA player of the last few decades. If you look at Iverson in a vacuum, without the off the court stuff, the tattoos, the “practice?!” incredulity, he may be the best high volume scorer of the last 20 years. He took a lot of shots to get his points, but he was a warrior and played much bigger than his size.

Now he’s trying to come back to the NBA. Please, no one give him a shot. Let us keep the memories, AI.

Chris Webber

This is one of those subjective picks. For whatever reason, I loved Chris Webber. I would stay up late to watch Kings games from the West Coast and always picked the Kings in NBA 2k for Dreamcast. He was such a good passer, such a silky shooter, and such a waste of immense talent. Another career seemingly cut short by injuries and maybe just not caring enough.

Gary Payton

I had a weird thing for Seattle teams as a kid, mostly because I loved Ken Griffey Jr, and I loved the nickname The Glove. Payton was an unstoppable defender and a legendary trash talker – in the same way Michael Jordan always had his tongue out, it seemed Payton’s mouth never closed. Also, those Sonics teams with Payton, Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf were absolutely unstoppable in NBA Jam.

(On a related note, it is incredibly satisfying to see Schrempf cameo on Parks and Recreation every once in a while.)

Tracy McGrady

Vince Carter’s cousin in game and in spirit. McGrady looks like he is sleeping through games because of his droopy eyes, and it can be very infuriating. But he may have had the most unique skill set of anyone on this list – it seemed like he could score from anywhere at any time.

Remember his 13 points in 33 seconds? A legendary scoring binge.

Ray Allen

I debated putting Reggie Miller here, but I hate Reggie Miller and this is my list. T-Mac’s 13 in 33 is the best scoring binge of all time, because 8 in 18 NEVER HAPPENED.  But while Miller is probably the best outside shooter of the last 20 years, Ray Allen is the better all-around player. He has really had quite the career, from superstar to trade bait to a resurgence on the other side of 30 as a contributor for a championship squad.

Kevin Garnett

Maybe the scariest player I’ve ever seen. The opposite of Vince Carter. He would run through a brick wall. Not for anything, just for fun.

Jason Kidd

Hanging on forever, finally earning his first ring, and seemingly always in the right place at the right time. An appallingly bad shooter for most of his career, and yet a guy you would never want to see on the other team.

Tim Duncan

Could you put together a YouTube video of Duncan highlights that won’t put you to sleep? Probably, but I will mostly remember Duncan for being great and awful to watch and bugging his eyes out at every chance.

Shaquille O’Neal

I have written about Shaq before but it bears repeating that he could have won the MVP every single season during his prime and it still would not have been enough.

Kobe Bryant

Oddly enough, the closest thing we will ever get to Michael Jordan in the immediate future. He is constantly evolving and adapting his game from a high flyer as a kid (below) to a beefed up slasher to a deadly shooter. And probably the undisputed king of the twisting, spinning circus shot.

Dwyane Wade

Unless it’s this guy.

LeBron James

I really, truly hope he comes back next season with a vengeance. He’s entering that Shaq phase of his prime in that he probably deserved the MVP award this year, and will probably deserve it every year for a while. Ultimately will be judged by championships. Most hated, but also the top selling jersey in the NBA. Hmmm…

Dirk Nowitzki

His game is like a trapeze act – your heart drops every time he spins and launches a high arcing shot, and you think there is no way he can land it. And almost every time, like clockwork, bottom of the bucket.

Steve Nash

Dirk’s former running mate and probably the most fun player in the NBA. He just seems like a cool guy, right? With the hair flopping and the shots that always fall, a real treasure. I really hope the Knicks don’t trade for him and his creaky back.

Chris Paul

However, I DO hope the Knicks get him and his balky knees.

Amar’e Stoudemire

Speaking of balky knees. A veritable Six-Million Dollar man and a marvel of medical science. The fact that this guy can still dunk like a beast makes absolutely no sense, and makes me want to transport his surgeon back 10 years to save Chris Webber’s career too.

Carmelo Anthony

I am so excited for the 2011 Knicks, in case you haven’t figured that out yet.

Kevin Durant

I don’t really know what will happen with Durant. It seemed like he poised for a transcendent season, and basically hit a plateau at very very very good. But besides the crazy beautiful shooting stroke, he can dunk like very few others.

Blake Griffin

Finally, the one guy who can absolutely shut down the internet like a Blake Lively sexting mishap. There are basically two schools of thought on Blake Griffin:

1. HOLY CRAP!!!
2. What if he develops a jump shot HOLY CRAP!!!

There have been a lot of incredible players in NBA history, but guys like Griffin and Derrick Rose and Deron Williams and Stephon Curry and Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook around, there is a talent glut like never before in my lifetime.

Until the lockout ruins it all.

I know, right?

(Bonus points if you can name the Lakers player who wore each of those numbers.*)

Retiring numbers is by no means limited to the NBA, but the ritual is especially meaningful in basketball because a) an individual player can have a bigger impact on his franchise in basketball than in any other team sport, and b) basketball arenas are ideal for hanging banners. When you peruse the banners hanging from rafters around the league, you discover all sorts of interesting things.

Interesting Facts about Retired Numbers in the NBA

The Boston Celtics have retired 21 numbers, the most of any franchise.

Jim Loscutoff, who won 7 titles with the Celtics in the 1950s and 1960s, elected not to have his #18 taken out of circulation. A banner bearing his nickname, “LOSCY,” hangs from the rafters in the TD Garden. The Celtics later retired #18 in honor of Dave Cowens. Boston also retired #1 to honor the team’s founder, Walter Brown.

So the Celtics have honored 21 players and have retired 21 numbers, even if one of those numbers didn’t belong to a player.

Image source: CelticsStats.com

Four teams have yet to retire a number.

So, if you sign a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Bobcats, or Los Angeles Clippers, you may choose whatever number you’d like, provided it doesn’t already belong to another player on the roster.

The Grizzlies and Raptors didn’t exist until the mid 1990s, and the Bobcats are only 7 years old. So any number retirements would be premature. The Clippers, on the other hand, entered the league in 1970. Bob McAdoo won an MVP and 3 scoring titles back when the team was the Buffalo Braves. Apparently that’s not enough to impress Donald Sterling.

(The Orlando Magic haven’t retired any players’ numbers, but they did retire #6, in honor of the fans, the “sixth man.” More on that later.)

Two non-NBA players have had their numbers retired

Roger Brown and Wendell Ladner are the only non-NBA players to have their numbers retired by current NBA teams. Brown was a key player on the Indiana Pacers’ 3 ABA championship teams. (Brown had been banned from the NBA because of his association with gambler Jack Molinas, who was implicated in a point-shaving scandal.) Ladner, who played for the ABA’s New York Nets, died in a plane crash one year before the merger. More on him later.

Other interesting notes…

• Speaking of Bob McAdoo, he is the only NBA MVP (aside from Shaq, Iverson, and current players) not to have his number retired by the team he played for when he won the MVP.
• Wilt Chamberlain has the distinction of being the only player to have his number retired by three teams, the Lakers, the Warriors, and the 76ers.
• Many players have had their numbers retired by two different teams, but Julius Erving is the only player two have two different numbers retired. Dr. J wore #32 for the Nets and #6 for the 76ers.
• Bernard King is the only player mentioned by name in “Basketball” by Kurtis Blow not to have his number retired by an NBA team. King had the misfortune of playing his best years with the Knicks, a team that only retires the numbers of Hall of Famers.

I Don’t Recall Jordan Playing for the Heat…

Earlier this week Jerod wrote about the Michael Jordan #23 jersey hanging from the rafters of American Airlines Arena.

Several years ago Pat Riley and the Heat decided to honor Jordan’s contribution to the game by retiring his number, even though Jordan never played for the Heat. The Heat also retired #13 in honor of Dan Marino’s contributions to the Miami Dolphins.

Image source: yFrog via @Junior_Miller

I’m not sure how I feel about this. It’s either a nice way to honor one of the community’s most important sports figures or completely ridiculous. I’m trying to decide how I’d feel if the Pacers were to retire #18 in recognition of Peyton Manning’s contributions to sports in Indianapolis. I don’t think I’d like it.

The only other player to have his number retired by a team he didn’t play for is Pete Maravich. When the Hornets moved to New Orleans, they retired Maravich’s #7 in honor of Pistol Pete’s contributions to the Big Easy’s previous NBA franchise, the Jazz, and his legendary college career at nearby LSU.

In Memorium

Several franchises have retired the numbers of players who died while on the team’s roster.

The Charlotte Hornets in 2000 retired #13 to honor guard Bobby Phills, who died in a car accident. (Phills’s retired jersey later traveled with the team to New Orleans.) That same year, after a car accident killed Timberwolves guard Malik Sealy, Minnesota retired his #2 jersey.

The Hawks retired #40 in memory of Jason Collier, who died unexpectedly of an enlarged heart in 2005, but they haven’t raised a banner in his honor. Nor have the Nets hung a banner to honor the aforementioned Wendell Ladner. In the 1990s the Nets even allowed Rick Mahorn to wear Ladner’s supposedly retired #4. That’s weak, New Jersey.

The Nets have done a better job of honoring the legacy of Dražen Petrović, who died in a car crash in 1993 and whose #3 is hanging up in Newark. Petrović, alone among the players in this group, likely would have been honored with a retired number one day even if his life hadn’t been cut short.

Questionable Retirements

NBA franchises have different standards when it comes to retiring numbers. Not counting Shaq, the Lakers have retired the numbers of 7 players. All 7 players are in the Hall of Fame. The Dallas Mavericks, by comparison, retired #15 in honor of Brad Davis. (And I mean no disrespect to Brad Davis.)

Nate Thurmond was a great player, but not with Cleveland. Thurmond played two seasons with the Cavs (and they weren’t even complete seasons), never averaging more than 5.5 points per game. The Cavs retired his #42 anyway. (Thurmond grew up in Akron and went to college at Bowling Green. Perhaps the Cavaliers wanted to recognize his overall contribution to basketball in northern Ohio.)

The Portland Trailblazers have retired a whopping 7 numbers belonging to players on the 1977 championship team. They would have been safe stopping with Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas; but they kept going, retiring the numbers of Dave Twardzik, Lionel Hollins, Larry Steele, Bob Gross, and Lloyd Neal. All of these players had nice NBA careers, but I’m not sure that any are deserving of having their number hanging up in the Rose Garden.

The 76ers (and Others) Have Some Work to Do

Who is the greatest NBA player not to have his number retired by an NBA team? It’s either Dolph Schayes or George Mikan. (I’m not counting current players or players who have been out of the league for less than five years.)

The Lakers honored Mikan and other greats from the team’s days in Minneapolis with a banner, but they haven’t properly retired his number. I’d love to see the Timberwolves hang #99 in the Target Center, since Mikan played almost his entire career in Minnesota. But David Kahn isn’t coming to me for advice.

Schayes spent most of his career with the Syracuse Nationals, before the team moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers. While Schayes played only a single year in Philadelphia, he is without question one of the franchise’s best players, and he led the team to its first title in 1955. But if you’re surprised that the 76ers never retired #55 in honor of Dolph Schayes, don’t be. The Sixers still haven’t gotten around to retiring Moses Malone’s #2. And go ahead and add #3 to the list of numbers that Philadelphia needs to take out of circulation.

I’ll be curious to see if any team ever retires Gary Payton’s number. Like Mikan and Schayes, Payton spent his best years with a franchise that has since moved. Payton has said that he doesn’t want his number retired in Oklahoma City, but it needs to be retired somewhere. (And “somewhere” doesn’t mean Milwaukee, Boston, Los Angeles, or Miami.) Rightly or wrongly, the Thunder still recognize the 6 numbers retired when the franchise was in Seattle. That’s why Kendrick Perkins had to give up #43 when he was traded to OKC. That number forever belongs to Sonics center Jack Sikma.

Speaking of the Sonics, I’m a little surprised that they never retired #24 in honor of Dennis Johnson. While D.J. only played 4 seasons in Seattle, and his best years were in Phoenix and Boston, in 1979 he willed the Sonics to their first and only title. The problem for Johnson is that Spencer Haywood wore #24 in the early 1970s and has since had his number retired. But retiring the same number twice isn’t unprecedented. The Knicks twice retired #15 in honor of Dick McGuire and Earl Monroe. Maybe when the NBA returns to Seattle, the new Sonics can hang a second #24 next to Payton’s #20.

Retirement Trends That Need to Stop

There are two:

1. There is no reason to honor a coach, owner, broadcaster, or other contributor by retiring a number.

Hang a banner bearing the person’s name and/or likeness, erect a statue, whatever. No Hawks player should be barred from wearing #17 just because 17 was the channel number of Ted Turner’s first television network. Nor should any Detroit Piston have to avoid #2 because Chuck Daly coached the team to two titles.

Retiring a coach’s number of wins is even worse. There’s no point retiring a number that isn’t a valid uniform number to begin with. (“I always wore #529 in college and high school, but now that I’m with the Pacers, I’m happy to give up that number in honor of Slick Leonard.”)

2. Honoring the fans by retiring #6 (for the “sixth man”) isn’t as clever as you think it is.

I’m talking to you, Sacramento and Orlando. No fan has ever looked up at the #6 hanging in the rafters and shed a tear. And no fan has ever called or texted his family and friends saying, “Be sure to watch the game tonight. They’re retiring my number.”

**********

* – #13, Wilt; #22, Elgin Baylor; #25, Gail Goodrich; #32, Magic; #33, Kareem; #42, James Worthy; #44, Jerry West.

Josh Tinley is the author of Kneeling in the End Zone: Spiritual Lessons From the World of Sports. Follow him at twitter.com/joshtinley.

The picture shows the rafters at the AAA, and it can only be described as WTF.

Image source: yFrog via @Junior_Miller

Curious as to why jerseys for a football player and a basketball player who played for the Bulls and Wizards, but never the Heat, hang from the rafters, Junior and The Ticket boys did a little digging. And sure enough, the numbers are actually retired.

Regarding Jordan, here is the intro from a game recap posted April 12, 2003:

Michael Jordan’s night was filled with mixed emotions.

He had his No. 23 retired before Friday’s game at Miami, received a farewell speech from longtime nemesis Pat Riley and watched a highlight video of his career on the big screen.

Then this, from later in the article:

Then the Heat retired his jersey, hanging it from the arena’s rafters. As the Heat unveiled the half-Chicago Bulls, half-Wizards jersey, Riley said no Heat player will wear the number again.

“In honor of your greatness and for all you’ve done for the game of basketball – and not just the NBA, but for all the fans around the world – we want to honor you tonight and hang your jersey, No. 23, from the rafters,” Riley said at midcourt. “No one will ever wear No. 23 for the Miami Heat. You’re the best.”

Jordan then hugged Riley and waved to the crowd. Jordan averaged 30.2 points on 51.5 percent shooting in 37 regular-season games against the Heat during his career. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 34.2 points in 11 games.

His jersey was the first the Heat have retired in their 15-year history.

Since then, the Heat have retired the jerseys of former players who actually played for Miami, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway, but it was Michael Jordan who was the first to have his number retired by the Heat.

I love this quote from MJ:

“It was by far the best gift I ever could have received,” Jordan said. “To have your jersey retired in someone else’s building, that says a lot. … It’s definitely something very, very special.”

Knowing what we know about Jordan’s bitter competitive streak, it would not shock me to know that have his jersey retired in an enemy arena means more to him than any tribute or statue in Chicago. And that’s not meant negatively; Jordan’s will to win was legendarily heartless and cutthroat, so sentimentality probably means a lot less to him than this level of respect from an opponent would.

Regardless, it’s shocking. I had no idea that any franchise in any sport had ever retired the number of an opponent other than as a league-wide gesture. It’s further surprising that we could get through the entire Heat-Bulls series with nary a mention of this (at least, not a mention that I heard).

It also makes me go Hmm… for another reason.

Remember when LeBron announced during his last season in Cleveland that he was planning to change his number from 23 to 6 after the season? This was long before we had any inkling he’d end up in Miami. In fact, the conventional wisdom still had him staying in Cleveland. The reason he gave for wanting to switch numbers was basically out of respect for Jordan, which seems curious at best since he’d worn Jordan’s number forever.

But if he knew he was heading to Miami, and that the number was retired and thus not available…like I said, Hmm…

Who the hell knows. That probably had nothing to do with it. I doubt LeBron knew that far in advance that Miami would be his ultimate destination. The question now is whether someday LeBron will get his jersey retired right up there next to ‘Zo, Hardaway, MJ, and D-Wade. If the Heat can get three more wins over Dallas, he’ll be well on his way.

**********

Update: Immediately after posting and tweeting this, I received this tweet in response from @DerekIAm:

@JerodMSF Pat Riley has been spearheading a behind the scenes campaign to have Jordan’s #23 retired league-wide

I had no idea. I also think this seems immensely curious. Why wouldn’t Riley pushing for one of his former players – like Magic or Kareem – to have their jersey numbers retired by the league? Why is Riley all up on Jordan’s junk like this (allegedly)?

As I said before, things that make me go hmm…

Also be sure to check out my NBA Finals preview!

With a series destined to provide us with star power, amazing play, and two teams full of players who are dying to win a ring, I would like to toss out a little treat to whet your appetite.

Before we become engrossed in this year’s memorable Finals performances, let’s relive 10 of the all-time best individual performances from NBA Finals past

10. MJ & The Shrug (1992 Finals):

9. Shaq cements the Lakers three-peat (2002 Finals):

8. Shaq dominates the Pacers (2000 Finals):

7. Michael Jordan shakes the Lakers (1991 Finals):

6. Magic Johnson puts on a show (1987 Finals):

5. Hakeem Olajuwon carries Rockets past Knicks (1994 Finals):

4. Michael Jordan’s Flu Game (1997 NBA Finals):

3. Tim Duncan’s near quadruple-double (2003 Finals):

2. Michael’s Last Shot (1998 Finals):

1. Dwyane Wade brings the Heat back: (2006 Finals):

Hope you enjoyed people! Be sure to follow me on twitter!

So I pulled out the only trick I could think of: I bought her a puppy.

Now that the desire for something small to love was gone, my wife and I began to try and learn how to raise the little guy. The first day, little Figo (Italian for “cool”) ate some food, drank some water, and then used our kitchen floor as a toilet. A few hours later, he did the same thing in our living room. If you have ever had a puppy, you know this became a common occurrence over the next few weeks.

Every time the little guy did it, I wanted to get angry. But I couldn’t. Why? Because as my father once told me, “You can’t get mad at puppies for acting like dogs.”

Another way of putting would be that “You can’t expect a puppy to behave and obey like his older, more experienced counterparts.”

I have been thinking about this a lot during the NBA Playoffs.

Image source: Buzzle.com

I understand that sports is chock full of hyperbole and over-reaction. Just yesterday, Scottie Pippen said that LeBron James was a more complete player than Michael Jordan. Later, I was watching Outside The Lines, hoping to hear a voice of sanity about 33’s comments. Nope. Somebody actually made the comment that “LeBron James is by far a better passer and floor leader than Michael Jordan ever was.”

Time, paper, ink, or my computer’s battery life would not grant me enough time to attack this argument. So let’s just keep this short and sweet. In the words of Jason Segel in that awful-looking new movie with Cameron Diaz:

It bears repeating:

“Call me back when LeBron has six championships….IT’S THE ONLY ARGUMENT I NEED SHAWNNNNN!!!!!!!”

Sometimes we exaggerate because of something great that just happened. It’s easy because we WANT someone to be as good as Jordan. We WANT to see the glass half-full. However, too many times, we go the other way. And usually, the glass half-empty approach is just unfair.

In the past week, I have heard the following statements made about different players:

• Kevin Durant is DRAMATICALLY overrated.
• Russell Westbrook is the worst thing that has ever happened to the Thunder. He should be traded, he’s not a point guard.
• Derrick Rose was a terrible choice for MVP, LeBron abused him.

All of these statements have evolved from a myth that NBA fans have been believing for the past twenty years, a myth that’s just not true.

Somewhere along the line, we started expecting young players to play like veterans in the playoffs. But in reality, expecting Durant and Westbrook or Derrick Rose and the Bulls to get to the Finals this season was just as dumb as a new pet-owner expecting his 3-week-old puppy to be potty-trained in two days. These things are supposed to take time.

Think about Michael Jordan. The GREATEST basketball player of all time. It wasn’t until year seven of his spectacular career that he finally figured out how to win it all. And oh, by the way, he also had to wait until he got better teammates and a better coach.

Was Michael Jordan of 1991 really that much better than Michael Jordan of 1989? Not much. If anything, you could probably argue that he was better ATHLETICALLY in 1989. But in the late 80s, the Celtics were still the Celtics. The Pistons were kings of the world. The Lakers were as good as it got. Jordan’s Baby Bulls just weren’t ready.

Did that mean that Jordan was overrated and not a winner in 1989? No. It just simply wasn’t his time.

This exact situation, or something similar, has happened over and over again throughout NBA History. Isiah’s Pistons had to wait to beat the Celtics. Jerry West and Wilt couldn’t beat Bill Russell’s teams. Over and over it goes. Young guys come up, gain attention, and lose in the playoffs.

Instead of seeing it for what it really is though, we choose to ignore nearly every precedent in NBA history and criticize young guys for not coming through.

Why?

Because of the 2006 Finals.

Image source: Sun-Sentinel.com

In 2006, for the first time in over thirty years, a young player led his team to a Championship.

(Note: Rookie Magic doesn’t really count since the third best player of all time was on his team and still in his prime tossing in sky hooks.)

In that series, Dwyane Wade put on a show like none other. John Hollinger even developed some random stat to say that Wade’s performance was the greatest Finals performance in NBA history.

Because of Young Wade – I’m resisting the incredible urge to add “and the atrocious officiating” – we have all been fooled into thinking that young guys not only can win in the playoffs, but that they are supposed to win in the playoffs.

If you really think about it though, 2006 was the exception, not the rule. Still, ever since 2006 we have looked at our stars with a “glass half-empty” approach.

In 2007, LeBron ran through a weak Eastern Conference and got to the NBA Finals where the Cavs were swept by the more experienced and better coached San Antonio Spurs. The storyline was this: LeBron is scary good, but Tim Duncan is just better right now.

Each progressive year, we got more and more upset at LeBron for supposedly “choking” in the playoffs. You almost never heard a voice of reason. Nobody slowed down and said, “Chill out guys. Jordan didn’t win it all until he was 27. Give LeBron some time.”

We kept getting ahead of ourselves. We wanted him to win before it was his time.

Well, I hate to break it to everyone, but it looks like it could finally be his time. It is either LeBron’s time or Dirk’s – a guy playing at a historically efficient and amazing pace on offense.

But you know whose time it ISN’T? Kevin Durant’s. Or Russell Westbrook’s. Or even the MVP’s, Derrick Rose.

Does that mean Kevin Durant over-rated? Let’s see:

• He averaged 29 and 9 in the playoffs.
• He led Team USA to an unbelievable Gold Medal this summer.
• He has led the league in scoring two straight years.
• He put on one of the best Game 7 performances in recent memory against the Grizzlies.
• HE LED THE YOUNGEST TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!

So what did we find out about KD during this year’s playoffs? We found out that Dirk Nowitzki was better than him and that the veteran Mavericks are better than the young Thunder. You can go ahead and nitpick Durant for that.

But were you really surprised that a 32-year-old with an unstoppable fallaway played better than a 22-year-old who is still tapping into his potential?

I will look at the glass half-full.

I will try and comprehend the fact that Kevin Durant was the first guy since Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal who led his team and scoring AND rebounding while taking them to the Conference Finals in one of his first four years in the league.  Seriously.  The Thunder will be fine. This year will make Durant better. Just give him some time.

Image credit: Getty via PassTheRock

What about Russell Westbrook? The poor guy has been picked on nonstop for the past three weeks.

To be honest, much of it is warranted.

He only took five less shots than Durant did against Dallas. That needs to stop. But on the flip side, he is also only 22 years old, and has been playing the point guard position for a total of three whole years. He is the most athletic point guard in the game, and is fearless down the stretch of games. He also played an unbelievable Game 7 against the Grizzlies, throwing up an awesome triple-double.

You can go ahead and nitpick him for not picking his spots. But again, should we have been surprised that Jason Kidd ran his team better than Westbrook? Should we really have expected a team led by youngsters to beat this playoff-tested Mavericks’ squad?

Again, I will look at the glass half-full.

Now to the MVP.

As you know, I’m not exactly the biggest fan. I think Derrick Rose is more Allen Iverson 2.0 than the next great point guard. One of the craziest stats I heard today was that Rose scored 117 points in 120 shots this series, while Dirk scored 161 on 88. So he’s not the most efficient star in the game.

But really, what are we so mad about?

A team led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh beat a team led by Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng. Sure, the Bulls’ bench might have been better, and they may have had more size, and they may have had home court advantage; but Miami had three of the best four players in the series! In the playoffs, where the bench shrinks, and starters log more minutes, was there really any surprise that Miami won so convincingly?

Rose deserved the MVP. He fooled us all into thinking his team was better than it was. The play of Boozer, Deng, Korver, and Noah in the playoffs showed us how weak the Bulls really were. Without Rose, they wouldn’t have even beaten the lowly Pacers.

It’s easy to look at the glass half-empty. It’s more fun to say that “so-and-so” just choked instead of explaining that it’s just not their time.

However, I can’t write a column based upon my feelings. I have to look at the facts. History shows that young players and young teams just don’t usually win rings. And history has no respect of persons. Michael Jordan? He waited his turn. Isiah Thomas? Jerry West? Hakeem Olajuwon? Kobe Bryant? Shaquille O’Neal? They waited their turns too.

LeBron and Dirk had to be patient as well.

And so will the young guns in today’s NBA.

You can’t expect a puppy to stop acting like a dog. So let’s stop asking KD, RW, and Rose to be something they’re not.