FEATURED POST

ORIGINALLY POSTED: 4-10-15
CATEGORY: SPORTS

Friday, April 10, 2015

THE NBA’S BEST OF THE REST

In 1996, a panel of media members and former players, coaches and general managers compiled a list of the top 50 NBA players in history. (NBA.com)

What we’re looking for here is two-part:

1- The best pre-1997 players who did not make the list.

Example : Reggie Miller, Bob Lanier, Dominique Wilkins, Bernard King

2- Your candidates for a revised list that would include post-1997 players; AND who you would bump from the original list to make room.

Example: Kobe and Lebron in; Pippen and Parish out.

Here’s the list:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar				Karl Malone
Tiny Archibald				Moses Malone
Paul Arizin				Pete Maravich
Charles Barkley				Kevin McHale
Rick Barry				George Mikan
Elgin Baylor				Earl Monroe
Dave Bing				Shaquille O'Neal
Larry Bird				Hakeem Olajuwon
Wilt Chamberlain				Robert Parish
Bob Cousy				Bob Pettit
Dave Cowens				Scottie Pippen
Billy Cunningham				Willis Reed
Dave DeBusschere				Oscar Robertson
Clyde Drexler				David Robinson
Julius Erving				Bill Russell
Patrick Ewing				Dolph Schayes
Walt Frazier				Bill Sharman
George Gervin				John Stockton
Hal Greer				Isiah Thomas
John Havlicek				Nate Thurmond
Elvin Hayes				Wes Unseld
Magic Johnson				Bill Walton
Sam Jones				Jerry West
Michael Jordan				Lenny Wilkens
Jerry Lucas				James Worthy

I’d like to make one stipulation, though. Keep it in the spirit of the list’s intention. We all know that players are bigger and stronger today than they were 50 years ago. There may be guys on the bench today that are more talented than Bob Cousy. So consider the player only for his value in his own era.